Moving is a big step in everyone’s life, whether it’s your first or 50th time doing it. One of the biggest problems that movers face is simply having too many things to move. All Austin moving companies are going to charge you based off of how many things you have to move. If you’re being charged by the hour, moving 10 boxes is going to take less time, and therefore be cheaper, than moving 20. If you’re not getting charged by the hour, then you’re probably getting charged by the item. Simply put, the best way to save space, money, and time during your move is to get rid of things. We think the best way to do that is by hosting a garage sale.
While garage sales are normally recommended for people moving in or out together, or for people who have been in their previous location for multiple years, they can benefit anybody. If you know you’re a hoarder, are looking to free up some space, or wanting to make some extra cash, a garage sale could be perfect for you. Still not convinced? Here are some reasons why you should have a garage sale if you’re moving around the central Texas (Austin) area.
You definitely have stuff you don’t need.
Unless you’re a die-hard minimalist, or a big Marie Kondo fan, there’s a very good chance that you don’t need every single item in your possession. This could not be any more true than when you’re moving to a different place.
For most people, moving to a different place means starting a new era of their lives. And the things you used in an old era of your life, you won’t always need in your new one. For example, if you’re moving from work to retirement, you probably won’t need all your work equipment. If you’re graduating and moving to the working world, you probably won’t need many school supplies. Think about this as you decide on what you might want to leave behind or sell.
And of course, even though most of us don’t like to admit it, there are likely some things lying around the house you haven’t touched in years. Some things that are commonly barely used to consider selling are:
- as “as seen on TV” products
- cooking utensils
- some clothes
- stationary
- unopened cleaning, makeup, or hygiene products
- small pieces of decor (such as trinkets or action figures)
If you sold these things, it would make your move that much better. You can also get some big bucks if you have any video games or large pieces of technology (or even small, such as phones) that aren’t of much use to you anymore.
Even if you do have a sale, remember: It’s not very likely that all of the items you put up for sale will actually be sold. Be sure to have a plan in case certain items or a certain amount of items aren’t sold.
You can make money.
The truth is, moving costs money. We’re not just talking about the literal moving part with the moving company. When you move, you’ll need new supplies and food. Depending on the location you move to, you might also need new decor, items for repairs, items for adjusting to a different climate, and more. Even if you’ve got everything budgeted down to a T, there are plenty of things that can go wrong during the overall moving process. Having emergency savings money is always a great idea. Having extra money during a move is an even better one.
If you’ve been in your previous home for awhile, it will feel like you’re making profit no matter what you sell things for. This is the beauty of garage sales. You can sell things you’ve had for a long time at prices that are definitely going to make them sell because you probably won’t be aware of your profit margin. This makes everyone in the process happy!
You can contribute to the community.
Garage sales are an amazing way to give back to the community. Many people who are in need of items you are selling can now have them at a more reasonable price than they expected. Aside from the economy aspect of it all, garage sales bring the community together. Even though you’ll be moving out, it can double as a going-away-party, and you can appreciate the community you’re leaving one last time.
This is also a great opportunity to get the gang together. It’ll be nice for friends to help you out one last time before you go. Garage sales can be tricky, and shouldn’t be done alone. If you don’t have anyone moving with you, we suggest recruiting some help for this phase of the process.
Everyone can learn business and accounting skills.
If you have kids in the household, hosting a garage sale is a great way to teach them many things. For one, you might be able to get them interested in business. If they’re not interested, you can definitely teach them some lessons about how money is handled, which is great for anyone to learn. Even if you don’t have kids, garage sales are a great way to practice some general financial skills that might come in handy.
We’re not going to pretend like it’s easy: garage sales have a lot of moving parts. You need to be able to organize, count money, advertise, and many other things depending on your situation. If you have a friend who’s good at one of these things, ask them to help out. If you have kids, make different parts of the garage sale into a fun game. Garage sales, as tedious as they can be, can also be a fun experience for everyone.
Pro tip: check out a square reader, or some other kind of credit-card reading device to maximize your sales! (Having venmo, cashapp, and paypal accounts are also a good idea.)
It’s easy to have a garage sale in Texas!
Texas is known for friendliness and southern hospitality. Many communities in Texas, especially Austin, are big on garage sales. There are many ways you can advertise a garage sale, such as:
- Making informational signs and posting them around your community
- Advertising it in places such as the Facebook marketplace, craigslist, and more
- Making flyers, business cards, or emails and sending them to as many people as possible
- Having a lot of decorations (or just stuff, in general) out on the actual day(s) of the sale
- Asking friends to spread the word
- Contacting local newspapers or radio stations about advertising
- Having good sales tactics the actual day of the sale
- Talking about it as much as you can!
If there’s anywhere to have a garage sale, it’s in Texas. Garage sales happen all the time down here, and people love them. If you’re looking to save some money or space during your move, a garage sale can definitely help you with that.
If you’re still looking for some people to help you move, Real Men Moving offers a wide variety of moving services in the central Texas area. Contact us today to get started.
