Seeking Advice on How to Price Items for a Garage Sale

pretty well a dollar to two dollars an item. five for clothes in excellent to new shape. cowboy boots 15-20. toys electronic $5 each. bikes 10-20. small furniture good shape 20 bad shape 5. bedroom suites 150-200. cheap dining table 20 a good solid wood in good shape 80-100. major appliances ask 100 go down to 50. they will offer what they can afford. sofa ask 75 take 50 at the lowest. beds 50.this will give you a good ball park to start.

You have to think about it like this. Do you want to keep it or get rid of it? If it is priced too high, people won't even stop to browse. The key to a successful garage sale is people. If someone drives by and sees no one there, they probably won't stop.
If you feel like you have some "key" items then you should probably try to sell them on ebay or craigslist first. Also, be sure to advertise on craigslist the night before your sale. You can list the general pricing scheme and a few of the items, but don't overwhelm people.
The last sale that I had I realized pretty quick that my "stuff" was priced too high. I lowered all the clothes to .50 cents a piece and it flew like hotcakes.

Rejmeber this is a garage sale, you want to get rid of it not hold onto it. If it does not sell take it to a Goodwill and get a tax receipt.

Sofas are hard to sell, so we start at $100 and take $50. Mens dress shirts $2. to $4.00 each. Jeans $3. to $4..

Onsies in good condition $1. each .50 for stained.. Toys if in perfect condition $3.00 Plush toys $3. each.

Hard bound Books $2.00 for perfect condition.. all paper backs .50 each, toddler dresses in really good condition $3. to $5.each, shorts $1.00 ,
tops .50 Children jackets $5 - $10.

Shoes $2.00 per pair

Hard bound childrens books in good condition $3.00 each

There are basically to schools of thought on garage sales. One is to make some quick cash, prices are higher, items are better quality, things you normally wouldn't get rid of. Two, is to get rid of stuff you never want to see again, prices are low to move more items.

So, which way do you want to go?

I personally have had both kinds. I sold cute clothes that I had really wanted to keep for yonger grandkids, baby beds and toddler beds I really didn't want to get rid of but they sold and I paid the bill I needed to pay. I had the baby bed for $30.00 w/mattress (it wasn't great, had some wear and starting to get holes on the corners) or they could buy the toddler bed with the same mattress for $25.00, which ever one wanted the mattress got it. They could buy the items without the mattress cheaper. The person who bought them bought them both for $40.00. I felt lucky to get that much.

A sack sale is good if all clothes are kind of equal. You can't sell some clothes in the sack sale but others are priced individually. If you are willing to let everything you have go for a dollar a sack or two dollars a sack, like a walmart sack, then go that way, you'll sell more clothes and get rid of them.

What I have seen in the past few years is that when I go to a garage sale where younger people are selling is that things are way overpriced. One even said "I paid $20.00 for that top and I want $15.00 for it". She wasn't selling anything.

So, my advice is, if you really just want to get rid of things, is to price clothes a dollar or less. As for the furniture, you might do better online at the places mentioned in other posts.

C.,
I will tell you from personal experience, people who come to garage sales are looking for bargains. I did a couple of different garage sales with a friend and sister-in-law. I had a ton of time invested and didn't make all that much money.
I would highly recommend Kids Closet Connection! I have done their fall/winter sale and just recently did the spring/summer sale in Overland Park. You get way better money for your items and it is less time consuming for you! Price your items, take them to the sale, they mail you a check! EASY! I think someone else gave you the website, I know there is one coming up in Gardner, not sure where else, but I think it would be worth your time to check into it. (I will tell you that I took the items that I didn't sell from OP to Gardner during the fall sale, there is no additional fee. Almost all of my clothing, etc sold at the Spring sale, so I didn't bother going to pick them up and they gave me a donation page for what I left!)
Just something to consider. Good luck! J.

Have you ever considered a consigment sale for the kid's items? It isn't much more work and you make a LOT more than a garage sale... just a thought! There is a really good one in KS & MO-- Kid's Closet -- www.kidscloset.biz check it out!

With clothes I let the customers fill a small grocery bag full for one price. For example, they pay $5 for a food lion bag and get to keep all the baby clothes they can stuff in it, and $10 to stuff in adult clothes. Have fun - hope you make lots of cash!