A car boot sale is one of the best ways to clear out your cupboard, garage, de-clutter your home and generate some additional income. It does require some time and effort but can be loads of fun as well. You’ll meet new people and get out in the fresh air for a couple of hours. What’s not to love?
Our car boot sale guide should be valuable to anyone but particularly for those doing it for the first time. Once you have a successful car boot sale under your belt, you’ll want to do another one. Why not take a look at the Rusper Car Boot Sale this Sunday, 6 August at Cophatch Farm on Newdigate Road?
Finding the Right Car Boot Sale
It’s important to find a good car boot sale and not just any old car boot party. Your local newspapers should list some and looking online will also help. Most car boot sales operate the same where they use a pitch area to place your goods for the visitors. In return, you usually pay a fee and can be anywhere between £5 and £50. Price often depends on the event organisers and size of the pitch.
A great idea is to visit your local car boot sale as a buyer first. Talk to sellers, take a good look around and get a feel for the event. This will give you a great indication of how things work and you will feel better prepared.
Top Tips For a Successful Car Boot Sale
Before doing anything else, decide what you want to sell. Some things work better than others. To save time, effort and money, take a look at what sells at car boot sales for best results.
1. Be prepared to travel
Sometimes you have to travel some distance to find the best and busiest car boot sale. Do your research and factor in all the associated costs. Read online reviews before setting off and take a look at Carbootjuction.com or Carboot.com.
2. Get up early and take a helper
Car boot sales tend to start quite early so it’s not for the late sleepers. Queues can be longer than on black Friday and you don’t want to be left with the worst spot. Taking someone with you can help in a number of ways. You won’t be as bored in the queue or sitting there on your own all day; you can take a toilet break without having to lock everything and it gives you the opportunity to walk around and look at other stalls.
3. Keep enough change and carrier bags
Not having the right change could potentially end up in a lost sale. Make sure you have more than enough pound coins and some notes. We know there will be people paying with a £20 note for a 50p item.
Car boot buyers often aren’t prepared themselves and arrive without any means to carry their purchases. Ensure you have enough carrier bags and if you’re selling breakables, remember to pack bubble wrap or tissue paper.
4. Don’t be afraid to haggle
Everyone haggles at a car boot sale so being ready is important. If you think an item you’re selling is worth more than the buyer is willing to pay, stand firm and don’t budge on the price. If they really want it, they will be back and more than likely pay full price anyway.
5. Be ready to sell anything
As the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Someone else might find your ‘junk’ valuable so even an old rusty pot, old taps, toys or board games could be worth something. Whatever you don’t sell, keep it for the next car boot sale or take it to a charity shop or recycling centre.
6. Packing and storage
Packing items for a car boot sale is important and so is stock storage between events. Consider self storage as it’s safer than storing at home or in your car. It also gives you peace of mind knowing your items are kept in good condition and accessible to you at any time.
Please leave your comments below if you have some interesting stories about a car boot sale you attended. Perhaps your story can help someone else succeed.
Get in touch if you have any questions or need storage for business or personal reasons. Our units are affordable, clean, secure and come in many sizes. Experienced staff members are always on hand and would be happy to assist in any way they can.