Garage Sale With Kids--Is It Worth The Trouble?

Tina Case | Parent Grapevine



Organizing and having a garage sale has never appealed to me. The idea of giving up a sunny Saturday morning to sit in my driveway surrounded by junk only to make a small amount of money never seemed worth the time or effort.

This summer, however, when my kids asked if we could have a garage sale (for the umpteenth time), I finally gave in. The question all of my friends and family have asked is, "Was it worth the trouble?" and to my surprise my answer is "yes" and here is why:

  • Planning a garage sale was a great way to get my kids off the computer and away from the television. Between iCarly and World of Warcraft my kids were glued to the screen.

  • Having the kids weed through their toys enabled us to get rid of a lot of unwanted, unused toys as well as finally throw broken items away. So long Spiderman with one leg!

  • The garage sale was a great lesson in how to advertise and promote an event. My children made colorful signs, thought about sign placement (how to get the best traffic) and even helped me place an ad on Craigslist.

  • My kids became little entrepreneurs and decided to sell fresh picked plums from our tree as well as lemonade. They figured buyers would need a snack while they shopped.

  • The garage sale was a great math lesson. From figuring out how to price things to making change my kids were busy with numbers.

  • We all learned a lesson in the importance of recycling. How it is better to sell (or give) unwanted things away rather than have them end up at the garbage dump.

  • My kids also learned the art of negotiating and that some times it is o.k to just give things away.

  • My children showed me that they really can work together. They exhibited teamwork and collaboration by assigning jobs for the sale. Each had a designated role--greeter, merchandiser, promoter and cashier.


Our garage sale may not have made a lot of money (a mere $84) but my kids had a great time. Seeing their excited faces and hearing them say, "This was so fun!" not only made me realize that not only was it worth the trouble but something we'll do again in the future.

Tina and Kristina are two moms who love to blog and take photos. You can follow us on, Parent Grapevine and Moms Who Click. Moms Who Click is our latest blog and it follows us as we build our photography company one click at a time.