Now, far be it from How To Consign to discourage you from finding a new and loving home for things that you just don’t love any more or can’t use right now. To say nothing of

those possessions that you must have been possessed to acquire.

After all, HTC is all about recycling, reusing, re-homing your material stuff.

But we want you to think twice, maybe even thrice, about having a garage sale, tag sale, yard sale, stoop sale… whatever you call them in your town.

Why is a garage sale an iffy proposition?

* Have you got the time? It’s not just the two days of getting up at the crack of dawn. It’s the prep time beforehand and cleanup after.

* Have you got the money to invest up front? Garage sales aren’t free. Supplies, ads, baby-sitters….

* Do you have enough items? “Unless you have enough items so that you can … make a couple of hundred dollars, … take the better items to a consignment shop and give the rest to charity for the tax deduction,” says Gary Foreman, Certified Financial Planner.

* Is it too valuable for a yard sale?

* Are you willing to risk it? Damages, accidents, liability of strangers in your yard?

* Are you confident in your pricing?

* How are your haggling skills? 

* Is your timing good? Will people come to your sale?

* Do you live in the right place? How do the neighbors feel about it? Can you keep your home secure while you’re in the driveway?

* Is there a shop convenient to you that deals in that type of item? Use the experienced services of a professional resale shop.