2022 Grand Rapids Garage Sales – Where to Find the Best Neighborhood Garage Sales

How to Shop Garage Sales With Kids

Here are a few helpful tips for navigating garage sales with kids in tow:

1. Have a plan

Use our list below to plan out where and when you’ll be shopping.

2. Involve the kids

Give the kids a list of things you are garage sale shopping for. This turns your shopping into a treasure hunt!

3. Enlist a friend

You shop for their items, they shop for yours. Cell phone pics are your friend!

4. Look for neighborhood sales

Neighborhood sales means less driving. (See below!) I love getting the kids out of my Mom Mobile once, plopping the youngest in the stroller, and hitting at least five houses before I have to wrestle the kids back into their car seats.

5. Give the kids some spending money

Give the kids a little baggie with coins. Oh yes….I am soooo not above bribery.  While I do believe in the power and awesome-ness that goes with letting my kids earn their own money, I’m also willing to do a little *bonus* pay for Mommy’s sanity. 

I usually give each boy $1 to do with what they choose. 

If they choose to bring more of their own money along, that’s fine, too.  At the end of the day, if they haven’t spent the dollar, I allow them to put the entire thing into the spending jar for later (instead of splitting it up like normal).

We continually update this list as sales are submitted to us over the season. Check back regularly for new garage sales!

Tips for Running a Successful Neighborhood Garage Sale

1. Use Several, Colorful Signs

With a multi-home sale, you can ask each garage sale to make 2-3 signs.  

It gives variety to the color, wording and size of the signs and makes a lighter load for the organizer.  Be sure to enlist help when putting them up, too!

2. Take Payments Via SmartPhone Apps

Cash used to be King at garage sales, but nowadays many shoppers use money apps on their smartphones, especially to purchase larger items over $50.

There are many apps out there, but two popular ones are Venmo and Square Cash.

3. Hire a Babysitter

Believe me, if you have young children at home while the sale is occurring, it’s easier (and happier) if you hire someone to watch and entertain your kids.  If you are having your sale with someone else who has kids, you can all pitch in for the help.  It’s worth it!

4. Plan a Food Run

It seems that the sales traffic always picks up at lunch time or near dinner.  

Before sales start, designate someone in your group to run out and get food or go in and prepare it for everyone.  In our case, we had several homes having sales at the same time so one person from the group took everyone’s orders and got food for us.

5. Get Seller Feedback

Did the dates and times work for everyone involved?  Do they think they will participate again next year?

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