A Different Kind of Garage Sale

Instead of having a traditional garage sale, perhaps you should consider putting your garage sale online. Free online classified ads like Craig’s List or fee-based auction sites like eBay make it easy to do. Here’s how:

• Take your time: The beauty of an online garage sale is that you don’t need to sell all your unwanted belongings at once. Instead you can post them online as soon as you decide to get rid of them.

• Price it right: Search online to learn prices of comparable items and price yours to sell if you don’t want to be stuck with them later on.

• Use pictures: Use a digital camera to take shots of your items. One picture is worth hundreds of words of description. Provide written descriptions, including dimensions and be sure to indicate any defect or areas of wear or damage.

• Payment: Items listed on local classified sites like Craig’s List are usually paid for  as cash at delivery on a first-come, first-served basis. Winning bidders on auction sites like eBay use PayPal to pay with their credit card. Setting up an account with PayPal is free and easy.

• Shipping: Auction sites let you specify a flat rate for shipping or allow buyers to compute and pay for shipping costs. Craig’s List buyers will pick up their purchase from you once you’ve both agreed on the price so there are no shipping costs at all.

By getting rid of unwanted items through an online garage sale you’ll make your home feel more spacious and have fewer items to pack if you decide to make a move.