I'm trying to sell everything in a garage sale this weekend. The problem is I have no idea how to approach it and it's kinda last minute so everything is all disorganized. I've put all the wrenches together metric and SAE. But I have so many random little small tools spread across four toolboxes. None of it is organized. It's a mess. I've got tomorrow night and Friday night to sort through this mess.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to sell small random crap in garage sales?
Find different sizes boxes, fill them with odds and ends. Think of a price and add 30% then write the price on them.
See what time the pawnshop closes as selling tools can be hit or miss.
Good luck, Paul B
any weekend swap meets in the area ?
at least you would have a lot more customers picking thru them , and they would not know where you live !
To sell something in a garage sale it needs to be really cheap, or something lots of people want.
You'll get more money for your tools by craigslisting them, or even ebaying.
Garage sales are great for chatting with your neighbors, but not really great for selling stuff at market value.
Just get some boxes. Mark each box $1, $5, $10, $20. Take tool, and add it to the appropriate box. Even better tear ths cardboard down flat and set out all the tools on the cardboard so all the tools can be seen.
Selling ALL your tools?
Everything ok, dood?
We've had several yard sales. People steal from them like you wouldn't believe.
It's really hard to catch them, since they're well practiced at stealing, and you're not experienced at catching them.
If you go with the yard sale, be prepared for some of the more valuable stuff to disappear.
In reply to Appleseed :
Yep, all good. Made a big decision and I'm acting on it. Don't really have time to mess with ebay or craigslist. I'm outta here in two weeks.
In reply to Robbie : Man I was going through stuff in the garage and came across your injectors and fuel rails. I feel so terrible about not coming through for you with that stuff. I don't think you even have that car anymore. Do you want me to box it up and ship it back to you? Again I'm very sorry.
Out in 2 weeks? Are you trying to sell more things off? Might be easier to have an estate sale or auction if you're trying to get down to basics.
In reply to RevRico :
I'm going, Wife and kid are staying until December at the earliest. I can only take what will fit on the motorcycle and she doesn't want to be stuck trying to deal with all my crap by herself.
I'm taking a big risk, I may crash and burn but you only live once.
Inquiring minds want to know.... what in the world is happening???
i’d Suggest finding a good friend who has a room who can sell everything for you in exchange for a percentage of the sale prices. Unless you don’t care what you get for them in which case i’d possibly list a few big dollar items and take the rest to a pawnshop.
Do you have a local auction house? They will take all your stuff display it at their location and sell it, paying you with a deduction for their fees. Seems like the easy button.
What jfryjfry said, you ok?
In reply to Nick Comstock :
Dude, legit no worries on the fuel rail! I wouldn't have had time to install and tune it before the challenge (I barely had the car ready as it was).
Remember, we do this for fun so whatever happens happens. Don't stress.
I actually think the car was just sold again, to a 17 year old kid (in Texas). Let me see if I can get you an address in the next couple days. If not we can just pitch the stuff.
So...it sounds like the life change leaves you without a garage/workspace/tool shed. I understand if there's a real need to liquidate, but tools are something you'll probably have to replace int he future. Is there a possibility that you have a couple local friends who would be able to help you dal with the tools (packing, maybe storage or shipping?) so your wife doesn't have to? I know if I had a friend making a leap I'd ne more than willing to stash some totes and toolboxes for them until they get to a place to take them, just because, man, that's a lot of value to lose.
If you have to liquidate, boxes with price labels and a sign that says "make offer for anything not labeled." Have the sale in the garage or shed or whatever. Advertise in the Craigslist yardsale and tool section with an ad that says "massive tool sale" or something, and get the ad up now. Be prepared to take what you can get.
In reply to Nick Comstock :
Seriously, I know we’re nowhere close to each other, but if you can find a way to get your tools over here they can stay locked in the shed untouched.
Unless you have a lot of Snap On or similar, I doubt you’ll get more than a couple hundred bucks for everything, if that.
Do you really want the Craigslist creeps knowing where you live when you are not going to be around but your wife will be living in the house ?
Just saying.....
Meh, if they ask, tell them you're selling the tools to pay for your legal defense for shooting and intruder in your home.
I sold all my tools about 10 years ago due to moves etc... Half of me regrets selling them as I now have to buy them back. The other half realizes that storage on tools, when I didn't have a place to store them, would have been well over what they cost in the first place.
I do regret selling my rollaway that my wife gave to me as a wedding present. It wasn't great, but the thought really counted.
I do not regret making the career moves I have made.
I'm curious why you're selling small stuff?
When I moved, all of our costs, on both ends of the move, surrounded big stuff. We moved two couches. That was dumb. We moved beds, bed frames, etc. All of that was kind of dumb. Pets are a real pain to move, too, but we've got a good cat.
If it were me, I'd suggest start with big, in-demand items first. The stuff you're wife and kids can't move themselves.
Call estate auction house tell them you want garage cleaned out for one price. Picked up today.
That said I will never sell tools until I am done working in garage for ever.
It will cost you way more to replace them than to move them.
Load tools up and go around to local garages or body shops and see if they want anything, price it on the spot. Painful but effective.
Keep them and when it is time to move, hire movers to put everything on the truck.
Your wife won’t have to deal with it and you’ll not have to rebuy everything or basically throw it all away.
Otherwise, donate it all to charity, use the receipt on your taxes next year. Done.
Is it at all possible to box up your tools and have a friend or family member store them for you in their garage or basement? Otherwise there's about a 100% chance you'll need to re-buy them all eventually.
I have been to a estate sales where they put small random crap in a ziplock bag tape it shut and put one price on for the whole bag usually it will have one item I want and the rest of the bag is just stuff
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