Garage Sale Goals

As garage sale season rapidly approaches, many people will be holding their first sale in April or early May. As you prepare, one task that I believe is important to do is to set some goals. I find goals motivational and they help me focus on achieving results.

The first goal I would suggest is putting in writing the amount of money you want to earn from your sale. How much do you want to make? Once you set this goal, you can figure out what needs to be done to achieve it. For example, if you set a goal of one hundred dollars, it might break down like this: You would need to sell 40 twenty-five cent items ($10), thirty one-dollar items ($30), six five-dollar items ($30), and three items of $10 or more, ($30).

The question then becomes, is this a reasonable goal? Do you have over forty 25-cent items, perhaps paperbacks, to sell? Have you got plenty of one dollar, five dollar, and ten dollar items to make $100 in total sales possible? Remember that many items may not sell, so you may need 15 five-dollar items in order to meet your five dollar quota. In short, do you have enough items, priced accordingly, to sell?

The second goal I suggest is to decide how you would spend your garage sale income. This goal can add fuel to your motivation. If you reach your goal, you are rewarded with perhaps, gasoline money for the money, a rent payment, purchase of a new television or appliance, the start of a vacation fund, or just money to buy groceries. Which of these goals, if any, would motivate you to reach your garage sales goal?

One last thing: Before you set your goals, get it clear in your mind why you are having this sale. It could be to make a specific amount of money, or it could be to get rid of clutter. It could be both. This decision also helps you price your items accordingly. Good luck!