Garage sale tips

Want to clear out some junk and earn cash while you’re at it? Our garage sale tips will improve your chances of success.

Holding a garage sale is a great way to declutter while putting some extra cash back in your pocket, but only if it turns out to be a success.

Check out our garage sale tips to make sure plenty of people show up and lots of your old stuff gets a loving new home. Otherwise, you could end up wasting your weekend.

garage sale tips

1. Be brutal

The more stuff you have in your stall, the better. When you're looking for things to sell, try asking yourself if you've ever used it in the past year, or two years if you're finding it harder to part with. If the answer is no, you probably won't miss it when it's gone.


garage sale tips

2. Talk to your neighbors

Ask if anyone else on your street is keen to hold a garage sale. Creating a community event will attract more attention and people will be more likely to come from further afield if they know there'll be a few stalls to browse. Plus, you might pick up a bargain too!


garage sale tips

3. Check the weather

There isn't much point holding a garage sale if it's going to be pouring down with rain and it'll be a hellish day if you do it in 40-degree heat. Try to plan for a warm, dry day and don't be afraid to reschedule if it looks like bad weather.


garage sale tips

4. Price low

People want to find a bargain at a garage sale and, a lot of the time, they can't be bothered to haggle. Be honest and price your stuff at the lowest you'll go. It might sting a little when you sell the first thing, but we promise it gets easier as the day goes on.


garage sale tips

5. Price clearly

Have clear signs showing exactly how much things are. If there are lots of small items or clothes on hangers, you can always bunch them into sections of pricing. For example, everything on the table under $5 or everything on the rack under $10.


garage sale tips

6. Advertise

If nobody knows about your garage sale, how do you expect them to come? Post in local Facebook groups and on message boards, then put up a few posters at intersections near your home. Remember to state the time, date and address of your sale.


garage sale tips

7. Spruce up your space

You want to make your garage sale eye-catching as well as convenient. Make creative signs, have a little music playing, lay out a rug or a tablecloth. Don't just dump things in large buckets for people to search through – arrange things clearly and neatly with plenty of browsing space.


garage sale tips

8. Be ready with money

Create a float with a variety of different cash denominations – plenty of coins to give change as well as different notes. It's also worth setting up a digital payment system, such as Venmo or PayPal, since fewer people carry cash these days.


garage sale tips

9. Be friendly

Greet people when they approach your garage sale, ask how their day is going, have a casual chat. Don't be pushy, but if people show particular interest in an item, tell them its story – where it came from, how well it works, what you've used it for.


garage sale tips

10. Be safe

If your garage sale goes well, there'll be lots of people milling about your property. While most people are inherently good, just one bad egg can spoil the whole day.

  • If you start making a lot of money, put some back inside rather than carrying it all on you.
  • Position high-value items closest to you, and pay close attention if anyone picks them up.
  • If possible, keep the doors to your home locked so nobody can sneak inside.
  • Make sure you have the right home insurance policy to protect your property from all the foot traffic.

Compare contents insurance

Contents insurance can help cover the cost of stolen or damaged items within your home, and sometimes even in your garden. Remember though, it won't cover you if someone you let into your home steals from you. So keep an eye on anyone suspicious.

Name Product AUFHO Finder score
Youi Contents Insurance
4/5★★★★★
Best Rated Brand
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
4/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Finder’s 2022 Insurer of the Year for Customer Satisfaction and our Top Pick for Fire Damage cover. It’s good if you want a tailored quote over the phone.
Budget Direct Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
Best Rated BrandBonus
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: The most popular insurer on Finder, Budget Direct prioritises low-cost cover and gives you 15% off your first year's premium if you purchase online. You need to pay extra for flood cover and accidental damage.
QBE Contents Insurance
3/5★★★★★
Green Company
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
3/5★★★★★
Our verdict: It covers essentials such as fire and theft plus comes with some good perks such as security upgrades after a burglary and up to 10% off your first year.
Qantas Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
Bonus
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Earn up to 40K Qantas Points for joining by 29 January. Plus save 30% on your 1st year’s premium for purchasing a combined home and contents policy online. T&Cs apply.
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
N/A
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
N/A
Honey Contents Insurance
4.5/5★★★★★
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
4.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Honey gives you $250 smart sensors to reduce accidents and estimates the value of your contents. It was also a finalist for the comprehensive category in the Finder Awards.
Kogan Contents Insurance
3.5/5★★★★★
Bonus
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
Storm
Fire
Theft
Flood
Accidental Damage (e.g TV falls)
Impact to home (e.g falling trees)
Escaped water (e.g burst pipe)
Portable contents (e.g dropped laptop outside of home)
+ more insured events and other features
3.5/5★★★★★
Our verdict: Good comprehensive cover (issued by QBE). Also, get $5 Kogan.com credit when you purchase a new Kogan contents insurance policy online. T&Cs apply.
loading
Nicola Middlemiss's headshot
Senior writer

Nicola Middlemiss is a contributing writer at Finder, with a special interest in personal finance and insurance. Formerly a business and finance journalist, Nicola has written thousands of articles helping Australians better understand insurance and grow their personal wealth. She has contributed to a wide range of publications, including Domain, the Educator, Financy, Fundraising and Philanthropy, Insurance Business, MoneyMag, Mortgage Professional, Yahoo Finance, Your Investment Property, and Wealth Professional. Nicola has a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Leeds. See full bio

Nicola's expertise
Nicola has written 239 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Personal finance
  • Personal insurance, including car, health, home, life, pet and travel insurance
  • Commercial business insurance

More guides on Finder

Ask a question

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms Of Service and Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Go to site