Sometimes we have so many personal items we aren’t using anymore. Instead of putting them in the attic and disposing of them later, you can actually sell them. You earn money from the sales. You can choose to sell the items in your yard or garage.
Selling in your yard is called a yard sale while selling in the garage is a garage sale. You can’t hold more than two garage sales in a year and it must be after six months each.
To have a garage sale is not too difficult to organize but in certain states, permits are needed to hold a garage sale. Therefore, if you have many unused personal items you want to sell, your question would be, Do I need a permit to have a garage sale?
Since a garage sale is not the same as starting a business, you don’t need a permit to have a garage sale. But, there are several other rules governing the number and location of signs used for the garage sale, the types of items sold, and the duration of the sale.
Nonetheless, it is important to note that permits may be issued in some states to reduce the possibility of people engaging in businesses without a license. Therefore, to know if you need to get a permit, you have to go to your city hall or one of the wards in the state to verify.
If you don’t want to do that, you can go to the city’s website. There are some states where you need to get the permit physically while some can be gotten online. The permit can either be free or not.
Garage Sale Permit
Garage sales permits are issued to house owners that want to have a garage sale. This permit is issued allowing them to go on with the sale. It is also issued to prevent people from turning the garage sale into a business.
The garage sale permit is dependent on if the state is issuing one or not. At the office or online, you will be aware of the price which you must pay. You must have an ID that contains the present address where the garage sale will hold. A photo ID of the house owner will also be needed.
A Garage sale permit must contain the applicant’s name, house address, phone number, and days the garage sale will hold.
There are rules and regulations guiding the garage sale so the house owner will be told the rules as they collect the permit. The permit must be posted where it can be seen. The permit can be free or you will be asked to pay an amount.
Do You Need a Permit to Have a Garage Sale?
This depends on the city and state. States like North Carolina, California, and many more require you get a permit before you have a garage sale. To know if you need to have a permit, check your city’s website or visit the city hall.
Where Do I Get a Permit for a Garage Sale?
Where to get the permit for a garage sale is also dependent on the city. There are cities where you just fill the form online and you print it out while in some other states, you have to go to the city hall. Check your city’s website, you’ll see the necessary steps to take to get the permit for a garage sale.
What Do I Need to Have a Garage Sale?
To have a garage sale, there must be many unused items that you want to sell. Then you need to have a permit if your city requires it. You must also have knowledge concerning the way to have garage sales. There are items you can’t sell.
Items you can’t sell in a garage sale are new items, used undergarments, shoes, used skincare or cosmetic products, or faulty appliances.
What is the Difference between a Yard Sale and a Garage Sale?
The two are sales of personal unused items but while yard sale is done in the yard, a garage sale is done in the garage.
Even the two words are used interchangeably. And also, a yard sale can still be done even without a yard. Although the words were coined from the selling in the garage or yard, over time, it is used for the sales of unused personal items.
What is the Best Month to Have a Garage Sale?
The best season and month to have a successful garage sale is during spring especially early spring such as April, May June, and September. This is because people are eager to come out of their homes after being indoors because of winter.
Summer is also the second season to likely have a garage sale and make good sales. The disadvantage of this is that people won’t want to stand for long under the sun if it’s scorching.
In some cases too, fall can be the best season to have a garage sale. It all depends on the month the buyers choose to buy the items.
What is the Fastest Way to Organize a Garage Sale?
When it comes to having a successful garage sale, you can’t rush things. You have to plan months ahead.
- The first thing to do is to pick the items you want to sell.
- Check through the whole house.
- As there are certain items you can’t sell, separate what you can sell from items you shouldn’t sell.
This will take days if you want to do it properly.
After picking the items, pick a date. There are days for garage sales in many states. The days are mostly weekends.
When picking a date, check the weather forecast also, so you won’t pick a day when there will be bad weather.
Put a price tag on every one of the items no matter the size. This will help you calculate your profit well and it will also save the stress of answering every buyer when they ask for price.
Have a sign to advertise the garage sale during the hours of the sales. Follow the rules concerning this:
Garage Sale Sign Rules
- Don’t put signs on telephone poles and public right-of-way
- Remove the sign every day after the sales.
- You can also advertise in the local newspaper or channel.
Clear your garage. Don’t pack your car outside the garage. Let it be in the garage so that there will be space for the buyers to walk among the tables. You can also have a garage sale along with other residents.
It is not about how fast but how well the garage sale is planned and executed. When it is planned well, there is the assurance that it would be successful.
Final Thoughts
Having a garage sale is one other way to earn more money. You can turn a garage sale into a yearly event with your neighbors. Instead of disposing of the unused items, plan and have a garage sale.
All you have to do is to see that you are following the rules guiding garage sales. If you break any rule, you can pay $200 and above for that. And every fine or penalty is for each day of the sale.
So to have a successful garage sale without disturbance from the authorities, get your permit if needed and follow the rules of the sale.
