Have you considered a Facebook garage sale instead of a traditional one? Sometimes the most frustrating part of moving is getting rid of the household items you no longer need. Sorting through your items as you pack, pricing them, getting up at 7 AM on a Saturday to set up… None of that sounds fun when you are already busy with a major move! The good news is that you don’t have to have a traditional garage sale anymore, thanks to Facebook Marketplace. Here are a few Facebook garage sale tips and tricks from your friends at Garrett’s Movers:
Join Some Facebook Garage Sale Groups
There are so many Facebook garage sale groups you can join when trying to get your items out to potential buyers in your area. Usually they are designed to serve a certain location to keep buyers and sellers from having to travel too far for a sale. Simply search garage sale groups based off your city or county and join as many as you can. They normally have specific rules for what you can sell, or how many posts you can make. So, make sure to read through the group rules before making the decision to join. Then start posting your items in as many groups as possible to reach the largest audience.
Take Good Photos
No one wants to buy something off the internet without seeing a picture of the item first! Now that doesn’t mean you have to hire a professional photographer, or even really stage your photos. But there are some quick things you can do to make sure you get a “selling” shot.
- Clear out the Clutter
- Make its apparent what in the photo is actually for sale. Taking a photo of a washer and dryer in your garage is fine, but don’t be surprised if people start asking about the leaf blower or painting they can see in the background. Try to clear out any objects around the item that
aren’t for sale.
- Make its apparent what in the photo is actually for sale. Taking a photo of a washer and dryer in your garage is fine, but don’t be surprised if people start asking about the leaf blower or painting they can see in the background. Try to clear out any objects around the item that
- Make sure it’s clean
- Or at least let people know if it isn’t. Getting rid of the
kids playhouse that has been sitting in your backyard for months? Give it a quick wipe down, or at least let buyers know that it will need to be cleaned. They will appreciate the heads up.
- Or at least let people know if it isn’t. Getting rid of the
Now with all that being said, having any photos is better than none at all. And nothing will sell if you don’t actually list it! So, if it comes down to a not so great photo, or not listing the item at all, it’s probably better to just go for it.
Learn the Facebook garage sale lingo!
Bump – “Bring up my post” whenever someone comments on a Facebook garage sale post, it pushes it back up to the top of the page. This means it could be seen by more people.
PM – Private Message – the same as DM or direct messaging on twitter and instagram
PPU – “Pending pick up”
Next – When there is a pickup pending, another interested buyer may comment “Next” to indicate that they would like to be considered next for that item if the pickup falls through.
Cross Posted – Meaning that the item is posted on several websites, or in a few different garage sale groups.
ISO – Stands for “in search of”. This is a phrase a potential buyer may use to make posts searching for a specific item.
NWT – “New with tags”
NBU – “Never been used”
The bottom line is that no one has time for a traditional yard sale anymore. Plus a Facebook garage sale doesn’t have to take up your whole weekend. You can sell items as you pack, or when you are home from work. Just make sure to be safe when meeting potential buyers! Meet in a neutral public location, or make sure to have friends or family with you if they are meeting at your house. See more Facebook Garage Sale Safety tips here.