Pricing garage sale items?

Question

My wife died 2 years ago and I'm finally getting around to dealing with her stuff. and I obviously don't need any women's shoes... or cosmetics or whatever. so how do I figure out how to price this stuff? plus she has tons of little girly collectible things that I have no use for like a little mouse with a magnifying glass - like what do I need that for..

some of this stuff she paid decent money for but I have no idea how much she paid.

Answer 1

If you know she has collectible things you need to make sure you talk to someone who can recommend a proper price or even buyer.  These may not be things you want put in a yard sale.

The mouse with the magnifying glass sounds like "Charming Tail" made by Fritz and Floyd.  These are typically in the $20-$30 range at a store.  If you sold it for $5-$7 I think it would be reasonable.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Based on my experiences with selling unwanted or unneeded items, I can tell you that adult sized shoes generally don't sell at garage sales, especially if they are in poor condition. You can try selling the cosmetics if they are unopened but do toss the items that have been used. As for the littly girly collectibles, people do like those but be sure to price them reasonably so they'll sell. A garage sale is a good way to get rid of items but two things I hate about them are the "early birds" - people who show up early and then swoop down to rummage through your stuff before you've gotten it set up and those who will try to get you to sell at ridiculously low prices. Usually, they grab several items and then ask if you're willing to sell them all together for a fraction of your asking price. Also, watch out for those who switch price tags, steal items, as well as children. Items have a way of disappearing or breaking when there are children around. My advice is to not do this alone. Perhaps you can team up with a neighbor or someone else so that person can watch the customers or your stuff while you tend to other matters. There are people who look for distracted sellers so they can swipe your items. Good luck and I'm sorry about your wife.

Answer 3

Used cosmetics should be tossed, no one will purchase these.  Since the clothes are over 2 years old it is likely they are not all that much in style anymore.

I would recommend donating then to Goodwill or similar charity. If you itemize what you donate and get a receipt then you can use it as a tax deduction.  You can use this guide to help determine the value.  http://www.salvationarmysouth.org/valueg...

Regarding the collectables, Your best bet is to sell them to a dealer or on Ebay.

Answer 4

Put some ads on craigslist maybe with different prices for the same item. Then see which sells.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, unless you want to spend the time looking up everything on the internet for the dominant price they are going for, there is really no set price.

Just remember that you have a yard sale because you are trying to get rid of stuff that you no longer have any need for. So you don't want to price it too high. Clothes are usually like $2-5 a bag or $1 each. Shoes are usually a couple dollars per pair.

If the cosmetics have been used it's best to just throw them out or ask a female friend of hers if they'd like it. Most people won't buy used cosmetics. Lotions and perfumes can be sold for a couple dollars a each. Small trinkets could be sold for a dollar a piece for the smaller ones and more for the bigger ones. Jewelry could be sold for a couple dollars each.

I can't imagine how hard this is for you. I am so sorry for your loss.