Robyn Roste, Systems & Funnels

Why Bother Having a Garage Sale?

I often wonder why people bother having a garage sale. It’s just so much work.

Why Bother Having a Garage Sale

When I was a kid my aunt and uncle used to make a tradition out of having a garage sale and they’d invite my family to set up a table or two and try our luck.

They lived in a garage sale friendly part of town you see. My family did not. So it was kind of a win-win for everyone. They got more stuff, which seems to draw people into sales and we got to get rid of our “more stuff.”

To be honest I just loved selling the stuff, even if I still wanted it or even loved it. There was something…awesome about making a sale.

But now that I’m older and wiser I don’t understand why anyone would have a garage sale.

Honestly! Sure it’s fun to buy and sell items and great to go through your stuff and unload it onto random passersby. However, what’s the ROI? I suspect it’s not worth the energy and time and stress you put into your sale. And you will never get “book price” for your goods (But that’s kind of obvious).

Why bother having a garage sale?

Well, here’s one reason: You’re Moving.

You’ve packed and shipped the stuff you’re keeping but you still have a ton ‘o crap to ditch before moving day. In this case it seems worthwhile to haul everything out on the yard and try to get some money out of your stuff before the thrift-mobile comes and picks it all up early Sunday morning. Yeah…then I can see it.

Here’s another reason: Cash.

The Internet tells me you have garage sales because you get cash. Quick cash. Cold hard cash. You work for a day, put out some junk, and then take the cash home with you at the end of the day. Desperate times people. Also kind of sounds like a pawn shop. Except you can’t buy the stuff back when you’re on your feet again.

Oh, and here’s a third reason: Fundraisers.

In the last year I’ve had a few requests for stuff for other people’s garage sales. They say “Just drop it off! No big deal!” So I do and they take my junk off my hands and I feel all warm and fuzzy because it’s going to a good cause.

I bet when you sell other people’s stuff you can make much more money because you’re not emotionally attached to the stuff. You just want to move it.

And one more reason: Block Sale.

Yup. Good old peer pressure. Everyone else on the block is doing it, so why not piggyback on their careful planning and grunt work and reap the rewards. Sounds good to me! Win-win!

So those are my justifiable reasons for having a garage sale—what are yours?

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I often wonder why people bother having a garage sale. It's just so much work. The Internet tells me you have garage sales because you get cash. Quick cash.

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