Are you looking to declutter your home and make some extra cash? A garage sale is the perfect solution. In this blog post, we share seven tips for effective and profitable garage sales in California.
1. Promote Your Garage Sale
Post the event details for free on local Facebook pages, Craigslist, Nextdoor, and other social media sites. Yardsalesearch.com is another great website where you can post the event details for free. If your city allows it, post signs to spread the word to neighbors and local residents. Make sure to add relevant details about the event. Include address, a brief description of the for-sale items, and hours.
2. Make a List of Items
Make a list of all the items you plan to sell and their prices. Keeping the list short and simple can help you accomplish tasks more quickly and be more efficient during the sale. For example, if you have 50 shirts that you plan to charge one dollar for, you could simply keep a tally rather than listing each shirt separately.
3. Price Your Items
Price your items before the sale event. Do some research and check Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay to see what similar items are being priced at. Planning ahead will help you to stay competitive and maximize your profits.
4. Get Ready to Negotiate
People who show up at garage sales mostly expect to find items at a bargain. List your lowest price for the items and prepare to negotiate with shoppers. Price your items 10 to 15 percent higher than you expect people to pay and offer buy-one-get-one-free deals. Having your items priced higher initially and planning various deals ahead of time will give you a bit of wiggle room to negotiate prices and can better help you meet your profit goals.
5. Add Price Tags to Your Items
Adding price tags to your items can help avoid repetitive questions from shoppers and help you focus on other things instead.
6. Offer Multiple Payment Options
Thanks to technology you can offer multiple payment options to shoppers. A convenient and free option is Venmo. You can create a Venmo account for free and transfer the funds directly into your bank account at any given time.
You can offer to accept credit and debit cards using Square, however, prepare to pay a transaction fee. Keep in mind that there always be people who prefer to pay in cash so make sure you have enough change on hand.
7. Research Local Regulations
Are there any municipal requirements for garage sales in your area? Different cities have different rules, so make sure to find out what are the applicable guidelines before you get started. Here are some of the local rules and regulations for garage sales in Orange County, California according to official sources.
| City | Permit Required? | Garage Sale Dates | Garage Sale Times | Allow Garage Sales Signs? |
| Anaheim | No | First weekends of March, June, September, & December | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | One sign allowed on the property of garage sale |
| Buena Park | No | Two consecutive days within a six-month period | 8 a.m. to sunset | Temporary signs permitted |
| Costa Mesa | No | 2 events per year of up to 3 consecutive days | During daylight hours | Signs allowed on weekends, must be mounted to stakes |
| Cypress | Yes | 2 garage sales per year, no more than 3 consecutive days | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Only allowed on the day of the sale |
| Fountain Valley | Yes | As specified by permit, not to exceed 3 days per event | Must be pre-approved, as listed on the permit | Must be pre-approved |
| Garden Grove | No | Limited to four days per year | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | No off-site signs permitted |
| Lake Forest | Yes | One garage sale per year, 2 consecutive days | Daylight hours, as listed on the permit | Must obtain a permit, 2 signs maximum |
| Los Alamitos | No | 3 events allowed per year, 3 consecutive days per event | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | No off-site signs are permitted, one sign is allowed on the property |
| Newport Beach | No | 2 events allowed per year, up to 3 consecutive days per event | During daylight hours | No off-site signs allowed |
| Santa Ana | No | First full weekend of March, June, September, and December | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Signs can be posted one week before the sale and must be removed one day after the sale. Must be mounted on stakes |
| Tustin | No | 4 events are allowed per year, up to 3 days per event | During daylight hours | Only allowed one day in advance, must be removed the day after the sale |
| Irvine | No | Once every six months | During daylight hours | Signs allowed on the property of residence |
| Westminster | Yes | 4 events are allowed per year, no more than one permit issued every 3 months | During daylight hours | No off-site signs permitted |
| Huntington Beach | No | First full weekend of March, June September, and December | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | One sign is allowed per property, no off-site signs are allowed |
| Seal Beach | No | 2 events are allowed per year, up to 2 days per event | During daylight hours | Must receive a permit for signs |
Keep in mind that if you live in an HOA community, they may have their requirements as well.
Hosting a profitable garage sale is easier said than done. To make the most of it, you will need to plan ahead, determine a pricing plan, discount strategy, and promote your sale. The better you promote it, the more people will likely come. Make sure to check with your city requirements to abide by any municipal regulations that are in place so you won’t get fined or shut down.
