What to do with your leftover garage sale items?

Going to pools, getting ice cream and having a garage sale is a popular set of activities that people do during the summer. However, starting a garage sale is no walk in the park. 

There is a lot that goes into organizing a successful garage sale and leaves many people asking these questions. Like, which days are the best days for a garage sale? How do I get rid of leftover garage sale items? Find the answer to these and other questions down below. 

WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE GARAGE SALES? 

Garage sales got their start from rummaging. This was a sale that goes back to the early 1800s where people would buy unclaimed cargo for discounted prices. Around the 1890s, rummage sales grew in popularity with organizations and churches. These groups did these kinds of sales to raise money for their groups or a cause. 

It was not until the 1950s and 1960s did garage sales grow in popularity in neighborhoods. People started to sell their unwanted items to get rid of clutter and make a little cash. Nowadays, people hold garage sales during the warmer months. 

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL GARAGE SALE

Before you start putting your garage sale items outside, create a plan. Developing a strategy beforehand will help you stay organized and set goals. Start your planning by choosing the number of days you are going to hold your garage sale. 

Then, decide which days you are going to hold it. Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning are some of the best times to hold garage sales. After you have set a date, it is time to price your items. A good rule of thumb is to not overprice your items. 

Then, you want to advertise your garage sale. Post your garage sale event on social media and local Facebook groups. Lastly, plan what you are going to do with your leftover items. 

HOW DO I GET RID OF LEFTOVER GARAGE SALE ITEMS

Toss or recycle unusable items

Are you struggling to figure out if you should sell or toss your items? Then ask yourself these two questions. Would you give that item to a friend or family member as a gift? Does it work properly? 

If you said no to both or just one, consider tossing or recycling it. Toss items that cannot be put in your home’s recycling bin or taken to a recycling center. These items include ceramics, photographs, or broken glass. 

Items that are recyclable can be placed into your home’s recycling bins or taken to a local recycling center. Most non-working household items like broken electronics, batteries or lights are recyclable. 

Schedule thrift store donation pickup

The garage sale items that are in good condition and working properly can be donated to thrift stores. These stores will take most unwanted items that are in good condition. Donating instead of tossing helps reduce waste in landfills and makes items accessible to many families. 

Thrift stores, like Thrift World, make donating even easier with their donation pickup Omaha services. After your garage sale, you can gather your unsold items and schedule a donation pickup. This service will save you the drive and help you support local nonprofits - like Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands, Paralyzed Veterans of America Great Plains Chapter. 

WHERE TO SCHEDULE A DONATION PICKUP OMAHA SERVICE? 

If you want to schedule a donation pickup for your garage sale, choose Thrift World. We offer free at-home donation pickup services that help our community partners get the funds they need to continue their programs. Visit our website to schedule your donation pickup.