Moving sales hold hope and optimism for homeowners looking to rid themselves of things they don’t want to bring into a new home while making extra money on the useless junk they don’t need or want anymore. However, if you have never experienced the true realities of holding a moving sale, you’re in for some unexpected surprises. Lower your expectations and take stock of these realities of organizing a moving sale that people never tell you about.
1. You’re going to find things you don’t want to sell
When you’re rummaging through things you had stuffed away in boxes in the attic or the back of your closet, you’ll likely find an item or two that brings about some serious nostalgia. You might even spend an hour or two reminiscing with the items, but unless it holds precious sentimental value (we’re talking it was your mother or grandmother’s item passed down to you), don’t bother keeping it. Chances are, you haven’t thought about it until now and when it’s gone, you probably won’t be thinking about it then, either.
2. You’ll have to advertise
How will people find out about your moving sale? Chances are, they won’t just happen to drive by and decide to stop right then and there. A lot of people just don’t have that kind of time on their hands. Advertise your moving sale at least a few days in advance on Craigslist, Nextdoor, Facebook or any other platform you find suitable. Buy yard signs, write your address on them and place them around your neighborhood or other surrounding areas.
3. You won’t have enough change
Unless you’re a serious think-ahead planner, you’ll probably forget that the people who show up to your moving sale probably won’t have exact change when buying items. You’ll need to go to the bank and get small cash and extra coin change. The type of money you get from the bank or elsewhere will highly depend on the prices you set on items at your moving sale and how many of your items will likely sell.
4. Organizing items can be overwhelming
There will be a lot of items that can be placed together on tables and racks and some that just…can’t. You’ll probably find small, out-of-place items that you’ll have no idea what to do with or even what they are. Avoid becoming overwhelmed or frustrated with figuring out where things will go and take the process step-by-step. Create a table for every broad category and don’t bother to narrow down from there. Don’t dive too deep into specifics. Just remember, you’re operating a moving sale, not a department store.
5. People will show up way too early
One thing experienced moving sale organizers may not have warned you about – there are people out there who are serious bargain hunters. If you’re hosting a moving sale starting at 7 am, expect people to show up at 6. These serious early birds are hoping to beat others out there and scope out the hidden treasures waiting for them within your moving sale. They do say the early bird gets the worm. Or in this case, the stuff you don’t want anymore.
6. People will haggle over pennies
At any individual moving sale, garage sale, or yard sale, you’ll find that many people will haggle the seller on item prices. This is really unavoidable, so it’s best to expect it rather than hope it doesn’t happen. Someone will haggle over price and it could be over something as small as five cents. You can choose to set prices higher if you’re keen on being really profitable from your moving sale, but you should assess and price items based on what they might be worth to someone else.
7. You won’t sell everything
It won’t matter if you sell things for a penny or try to give them away for free – there are just some things people don’t want. In this case, it’s your useless junk. So, if it’s not going to serve you an immediate purpose in the new house, throw it away or donate it. If you really want to rid your home of the items leftover, schedule a trip to a GoodWill or Salvation Army shortly after your moving sale.
At this point, your moving sale expectations may feel completely shot. Don’t fret over the small stuff. Organizing a moving sale can still help you earn a few extra dollars during your move and rid you extra things you don’t need – which is extremely helpful! One thing likely to happen: you’ll probably feel exhausted after your moving sale and wonder how you’ll find the energy to start packing and moving into your new home. We offer packing and moving services to help you move seamlessly into your new home. Contact us today for a FREE quote!