You will have to check the ordinances in your area, because some localities only allow a limited number of garage sales per year. If there is no limit in your area, you can have garage sales nearly all year long to make some extra money.
The best time to have a garage sale is on weekends, so you may want to plan your sales for every other week, so you’re not always busy on the weekends. Fridays and Saturdays will probably be your best days, but you may also do well on Sunday afternoons.
Things will definitely slow down as the weather grows colder, so you might want to have more sales in the fall so you can put away a little money until Spring returns.
After you have sales consistently for a while, word of mouth will bring you regular customers. While you may be able to start out selling items from around your home, you will need to add more merchandise as time goes by. Shop other garage sales as well as thrift stores and salvage centers to find inexpensive items that you believe are saleable and that will allow you to make a profit.
Family members and friends will likely donate a few items, simply because they want to get rid of them. You can also put an ad in the paper to haul away yard sale leftovers. It is important that you state clearly that you will not haul trash. Pick up the yard sale leftovers and carefully sort through them. Take anything you can’t use to a charity drop box right away. You don’t want to clutter your sales space with a bunch of junk.
Having frequent garage sales may not fit your definition of a “home business,” but it is a good way to make some extra money without working 9-5. You might be surprised. Just remember, you are still required to pay taxes on your profits. If your profits add up to quite a bit, if you have questions, or if you hope to write off certain deductions, it is probably best to have your tax return prepared by a professional.