Experiment: FAILED

So here's the thing.  I think if I would have had the coffee table ready on Friday for the garage sale it would have sold.  (Can you believe that Friday was busier than Saturday?  I mean, don't most people work on Friday?)  Anyway, back to the coffee table.  I put it out for $45/OBO, then $25/OBO toward the end but nobody wanted it (I really can't say I blame them though).

When it didn't sell at the garage sale I kind of panicked and threw it on craigslist for $15.  We're moving tomorrow and I didn't want to be stuck with it!  A woman did call and buy it for $15 and honestly, I'm just glad that it's gone.  If I had kept it I decided that I would have painted it red and put it outside with my bench.  It could have been pretty awesome.


Something I did sell at the garage sale was this end table.  I think the before is so ugly but I bought it because I have seen some on blogs that have been painted and I LOVE them.  Well, this was just too rustic for me.  I painted it and still didn't want it so I sold it.  (Bought for $6 sold for $10 = made $0 after paint.  No biggie.)
 

The rest of the garage sale went well.  We got rid of lots of stuff and the entire sale made around $600.

If you are thinking of having a garage sale, I'll give you some tips.  First, there is a guide on All Things Thrifty that you need to follow.  On the 8th step, Brooke suggests posting an ad on craigslist.  I am going to add how to advertise on craigslist (and really I have zero authority except that this is what I like when I'm looking).

1.  Make the title semi interesting.  Instead of just "Garage Sale," put "Multi Family Garage Sale" or "Moving Sale" or "HUGE Garage Sale."

2. Put the exact address where it says "where."  Most people just put the city (which works, but it's best to be specific).

3. Put an intro line, such as, "We are moving! Get on over here and buy our stuff!"  To me this ("we are moving") says that they may have enough for me to spend my time going there.  The rest was just pure personality.

4. Next line:  Put the major cross streets.  When people are deciding their garage sale path, they usually don't know the address but they know the major cross streets.  I put "the main cross streets are Meridian and Victory."

5. Since your signs will all be the same color (see All Things Thrifty's guidelines), next tell them to follow the [pick your color] signs.  Ours were hot pink so I put, "Follow the hot pink signs to 2873 S Bear Claw Way."  This way they know that your's is the one with the hot pink sign (or whatever color you use) and it gives them the address again.  

6.  Next, if you are located in a subdivision, put the name of the sub.  I put, "Located in the Bear Creek subdivision."  Again, some people don't know where the address is exactly and if they don't have a GPS, they may know where the subdivision is and since they know you have the hot pink signs, they can still get there.  

7. Next line:  Don't forget to put the date and time AND the days!  I put "Friday and Saturday, August 19th and 20th from 9am-3pm.

8.  Finally, on the next line, name some of the things you will be selling.  Mine said, "2 bedroom sets, dining set, vacuum, printer, DVD player, TV, lots of baby girl clothes and other baby items, women's clothes (pants, shirts, sweaters, formal dress, other dresses, etc), shoes, kitchen items, blankets, and more!"

Good luck if you're having a garage sale!  I don't envy you! :)