National Garage Sale Day Date in the current year: August 10, 2024

A garage sale, also known as a yard sale and by many other names, is an informal event where private individuals sell used goods such as old clothes and shoes, toys and board games, books, sports equipment, garden and lawn tools, household decorations, and occasionally furniture and home appliances. People typically organize garage sales to get rid of unwanted items or to raise funds.

Home owners hosting garage sales are not required to obtain a business license or collect a sales tax, but some jurisdictions require that sellers obtain a permit, which may come at a fee. Some jurisdictions may also place restrictions on yard sales, such as the number of sales per year a home owner can have, where advertisement signs may be placed, etc.

In some areas, community garage sales have become events of special local significance. Besides helping people to declutter their homes and earn some extra cash, they bring neighbors closer together and strengthen the local community, create a platform for social interaction, encourage recycling and reuse, and can help to raise funds for local charities and important causes.

National Garage Sale Day, also referred to as simply Garage Sale Day, was created in 2001 by C. Daniel Rhodes of Hoover, Alabama. After witnessing his neighbors organize garage sales on different weekends, he decided that it would be more convenient for both sellers and buyers to have sales coordinated on the same weekend. The second weekend of August seemed like a good choice due to a high likelihood of good weather.

Naturally, the best way to celebrate National Garage Sale Day is to team up with your neighbors and host a community garage sale. If you don’t have anything to sell, you can visit your neighborhood garage sale or share pictures of the items you’ve bought at garage sales over the years on social media with the hashtags #NationalGarageSaleDay and #GarageSaleDay to promote the holiday and garage sales.

Here are a few tips for those who decide to celebrate National Garage Sale Day by organizing a garage sale.

• Talk to your neighbors to see who would be interested in participating in the sale and assemble a team that will organize it because it can be hard to take care of everything on your own.
• Clarify the purpose and goals of your garage sale. Will it be just an opportunity to get rid of unwanted items and earn some cash, a neighborhood bonding event, or a charity fundraiser?
• Choose a date and location for the event (and don’t forget to check the weather forecast).
• Check with your local governing bodies and obtain a permit if necessary.
• Assign tasks to members of your team such as putting the word out, making and placing signs, communicating with sellers, setup, traffic flow and crowd management, cleanup, etc.

A well-organized garage sale can bring your neighborhood closer together and benefit your community, so don’t hesitate to host one!