{"id":8032,"date":"2017-07-18T07:00:12","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T07:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.qcdesignschool.com\/?p=8032"},"modified":"2017-07-18T07:00:12","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T07:00:12","slug":"certified-organizers-guide-garage-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qcdesignschool.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/certified-organizers-guide-garage-sales","title":{"rendered":"A Certified Organizer\u2019s Guide to Garage Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”2%” bottom_padding=”2%” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column enable_animation=”true” animation=”fade-in” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” delay=”250″][vc_column_text]Clients depend on certified professional organizers to bring order to their lives. Professional organizers know how important it is for their clients to get rid of things that no longer serve a purpose, and holding a garage sale is one of the most helpful (and fun!) ways to do so. However, garage sales are not events that can be executed quickly \u2013 they require quite a bit of prep work, but the payoff will be worth it!\n\nSo what\u2019s involved in planning a successful garage sale? Read on to find out, and get those boxes, bins, and calculators ready!\n

Decide what needs to go<\/h3>\nThis process may sound therapeutic and cathartic, but it can be very difficult for your clients to part with their belongings. All of your professional organizing jobs<\/a> will require you to be compassionate and patient when it comes to creating order in your clients\u2019 lives, and you\u2019ll need to be mindful of their attachment to certain items (and habits!).\n\nAs the first step toward a garage sale, work with your client to build a plan that includes walking through each room and deciding what needs to go. Make gentle suggestions of items to get rid of, and have a system of reasoning. For example, have a list of questions like \u201cWhen was this last used? Is it worn out? Is it an inconvenience?\u201d If the answer is yes, it needs to go!\n\nThe more they can see the big picture, and the eventual impact it will have on their space, the easier this process will be!\n

Organize, categorize, and price<\/h3>\nIf you\u2019ve ever been to a garage sale, you know that items are generally arranged in groups. Boxes of books are clustered together, clothing is hung on a rack, and furniture is placed together. While helping your client prepare for the garage sale, it is essential to categorize and organize items while deciding what will be sold.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”2%” bottom_padding=”2%” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column enable_animation=”true” animation=”fade-in” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” delay=”250″][image_with_animation image_url=”8034″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”2%” bottom_padding=”2%” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column enable_animation=”true” animation=”fade-in” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” delay=”250″][vc_column_text]Boxes and bins are your best friend during this process, and as a professional organizer<\/a>, you\u2019re highly skilled at labeling and sorting by category. Common groups to create include home d\u00e9cor items, kitchenware, art, clothing, and books. You can add categories depending on the items your client has for sale.\n\nOnce you\u2019ve sorted and categorized the items for sale, it\u2019s time for a little bit of fun \u2013 add some prices to those treasures! Remind your client that this is a garage sale and not a retail store, so their items will need to offer a bargain to shoppers in order to make a sale.\n\nHere are a few pricing examples to get you started, and to give you a general sense of garage sale pricing:\n