12 Reasons Fall Is the Best Time to Have a Garage Sale

Now that the warm weather has passed, you may think that the perfect time to hold a garage sale has come and gone. But while spring and summer are often jam-packed with yard sales, they’re not the only seasons for setting up shop on the driveway and selling off your unwanted possessions. In fact, as you’ll see ahead, there are plenty of benefits to holding a garage sale in the fall.

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The chillier temperatures of fall mean you won’t have to bake out in the sun all day while dealing with hagglers. As well, in some regions the weather may be more consistent and predictable in the fall. And though autumn days are cooler, temperatures aren’t likely to vary wildly during typical garage sale hours. But even though the weather may be brisk, don’t forget to apply sunscreen! You can burn even when it’s cool outside.

People are likely to be on the lookout for cold-weather apparel like coats and sweaters, so fall is the ideal time to clean out your outgrown, unwanted winter duds and other bulky garments that have been taking up room.

While people tend to perform big cleanups in the spring, fall is also an excellent time to examine and assess all the clutter around your home. Empty the cupboards you barely opened all summer, and pull out all those clothes from the back of your closet that you thought you’d wear for fun in the sun but that never saw the light of day.

In locales where summer brings extreme heat and humidity, people don’t venture out too often, especially not during hot afternoons. As the temperatures cool, though, you usually notice an abundance of folks walking their dogs, picking up kids from school, or just enjoying the pleasant weather. These passersby represent potential traffic for your garage sale.

Fewer people hold yard sales in the fall, which might be to your advantage. If yours is the only garage sale in your neighborhood, potential buyers won’t be lured away by competing sellers. That said, if there are fewer garage sales, there might also be fewer garage sale hunters out and about.

Raid your attic or crawl space and haul out old seasonal decorations you no longer want or need. For instance, if you have far more Christmas tree ornaments than you can possibly use, consider paring down your collection and selling a few. Now that the holidays are drawing nearer, people might be more inclined to purchase your old Thanksgiving centerpieces or holiday lights.

With fall in the air and leaves swirling in the brisk, energizing breeze, people may spend more time browsing your selection of goods than they would have in the heat of summer, when they would have probably scurried back to air-conditioned comfort.

More people are around in the fall because kids are in school, offices have returned to regular work hours, and families are back to their routines. On fall weekends, neighborhoods are usually bustling with activity, with kids riding by on bikes and their parents doing yard work or running errands. Some of these people are bound to notice your garage sale signs.

During a summer garage sale, you might offer lemonade to attract passersby, but it’s tough to keep beverages cold in the scorching heat. This fall, offer interested browsers a hot cup of cocoa or coffee instead—for free, if you’d like. You might rope in some hesitant shoppers and maybe even meet a few new neighbors!

A lot of nonprofits and community groups hold end-of-the-year yard sales and may have tables available for community members at a low price. This is especially useful if you have lots of stuff to get rid of but don’t live in a single-family home with a driveway or other appropriate space for a sale. 

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Holding a garage sale in the fall helps you make a few dollars right before the holiday season, when you need it the most. Use your earnings to purchase gifts for friends and family so you don’t have to dip into your savings or rack up credit card debt.

Before the snow and ice arrive, it’s essential to put away your lawn and garden items, but it can be tough to find room for it all. Make space by selling off some of the storage clutter at a fall garage sale. Thinking of replacing your patio set next spring? Price it right at your yard sale and you won’t have to make room for it in your shed. Have a bunch of old pots and planters hogging up room on your deck? Sell them off! Your trash is someone else’s treasure, after all!

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