What this garage sale price calculator does
Pricing is the slowest part of getting ready for a garage sale. Guides agree on the rule of thumb — most used items sell for roughly 10–30% of what they cost new — but applying it item by item, then adjusting for condition and age and rounding to something you can make change for, takes time.
This calculator does those steps for you. Enter what an item cost new, choose its category, condition and age, and it returns:
- a sticker price, rounded to amounts shoppers expect ($0.25, $0.50, $1, $5, $10 steps);
- the lowest price to accept when someone haggles;
- the typical range buyers see for that category, so you can sanity-check the number.
Add each item to the price list to see how much the whole sale could bring in, then print price tags or download the list as a spreadsheet. The same method works for a yard sale, moving sale, rummage sale or estate-style clear-out.
How the price is worked out
Sticker price = cost new × category % × condition × age × goal, rounded to a friendly amount
- Category % — the starting share of the new price for an item in good condition (table below).
- Condition — new with tags ×2, like new ×1.4, good ×1, fair ×0.6, poor / for parts ×0.3.
- Age — less than a year ×1, 1–3 years ×0.9, 3–5 years ×0.8, 5–10 years ×0.65, over 10 years ×0.5. Electronics date faster (the age effect is 1.5 times stronger); books and costume jewelry don’t lose value with age; clothing, tools and solid furniture lose it at half the rate.
- Goal — “sell fast” ×0.75, balanced ×1, “top dollar” ×1.25.
- Limits — never more than half the new price, never less than the category minimum (or 25¢), and never above what the item cost new.
- Rounding — under $1 to the nearest quarter, $1–$5 to the nearest 50¢, $5–$20 to the nearest dollar, $20–$100 to the nearest $5 and above that to the nearest $10.
- Lowest to accept — 70% of the sticker price, rounded down. That matches the common advice to mark items 25–50% above your bottom line.
Worked example. A solid wood dresser bought for $800, good condition, 5–10 years old, balanced goal:
- $800 × 30% (solid furniture) = $240
- × 1 (good) × 0.825 (age 5–10 years at half sensitivity) × 1 (balanced) = $198
- Rounded to the nearest $10 → sticker price $200; lowest to accept $200 × 0.7 = $140
Garage sale pricing guide by category
The starting percentages come from published garage sale pricing guides (listed under Sources). “Typical” is what shoppers commonly expect to pay.
| Category | Good condition | Minimum | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing — adult | 10% of new | $1 | $2–$5; coats and name brands more |
| Clothing — kids & baby | 10% of new | $0.25 | $0.25–$3 |
| Shoes & bags | 12% of new | $1 | $3–$10 |
| Books | 5% of new | $0.25 | paperbacks $0.25–$0.50, hardcovers $1–$2 |
| DVDs, CDs & vinyl | 15% of new | $0.5 | $1–$4 |
| Video games & consoles | 30% of new | $2 | games $3–$15; consoles more |
| Toys & games | 12% of new | $0.5 | $1–$5; large playsets more |
| Kitchen & housewares | 10% of new | $0.25 | dishes $0.25–$1 each, sets $2–$5 |
| Small appliances | 10% of new | $2 | $3–$15 if working |
| Electronics (TVs, audio, computers) | 25% of new | $2 | 20–30% of today’s retail, tested and working |
| Furniture — particle board / flat-pack | 15% of new | $5 | $5–$50 |
| Furniture — solid wood / quality | 30% of new | $10 | up to about a third of what you paid |
| Tools & garden | 30% of new | $1 | hand tools $1–$3; power tools 25–40% |
| Sports, bikes & fitness | 20% of new | $2 | $5–$50; bikes and gym gear more |
| Baby gear (strollers, high chairs) | 20% of new | $2 | $5–$40 |
| Home décor & misc. | 10% of new | $0.5 | $0.50–$10 |
| Costume jewelry & accessories | 10% of new | $0.5 | $0.50–$5 |
How to judge condition
- New with tags / unopened — Never used, original tags or box.
- Like new — Used a few times, no visible wear.
- Good — Normal wear, fully working, clean.
- Fair — Visible wear, small flaws, missing minor parts.
- Poor / for parts — Damaged, stained or not working — sold as-is.
Be honest: a shopper who finds a hidden stain or a missing part will walk away or offer far less. Test anything that plugs in and put batteries in toys so buyers can see them work — working electronics sell for much more than “untested” ones.
Garage sale pricing tips
- Price everything. Many shoppers won’t ask. Stickers also make checkout faster when it gets busy.
- Use round numbers. Quarters and whole dollars mean less change and quicker sales. Have plenty of $1 bills and quarters.
- Bundle the small stuff. “Any book 50¢, 3 for $1”, “dishes $5 for the box” or a “fill a bag for $5” deal in the last hour clears low-value items.
- Leave room to haggle on bigger items, and decide your lowest price before the sale starts — this calculator gives you both numbers.
- Discount late in the day. Half price in the last hours beats hauling things back inside or to the donation center.
- Look up anything that might be valuable. Vintage items, collectibles, designer goods and real jewelry can be worth far more than a percentage of their original price; check recently sold listings or get an appraisal.
- Don’t sell unsafe items. Check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall list at cpsc.gov/Recalls — selling recalled products is illegal, including at yard sales. Be cautious with used car seats (check nhtsa.gov/recalls), cribs and helmets.
Limitations
Suggested prices are estimates for typical U.S. garage and yard sales. Neighborhood, season, brand and demand all move real prices: kids’ gear sells well in family areas, tools and outdoor equipment in spring, and popular brands above the average. Treat the result as a starting point and trust what your buyers tell you — if things fly off the table in the first hour, your prices were too low; if nothing moves by midday, drop them.
Everything is calculated in your browser. The price list is stored only on this device, and nothing you type is sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
How do I price items for a garage sale?
Start from what the item cost new and take a fraction of it: most everyday items sell for about 10–30% of retail, electronics for 20–30% of today’s price, and furniture for at most a third of what you paid. Adjust for condition and age, round to an easy amount like $0.50, $1 or $5, and leave some room to haggle. The calculator applies exactly those steps.
What is the 10% rule for garage sales?
It is a shortcut: price ordinary used items at about 10% of their original retail price, moving toward 30% for like-new items. It works for clothes, housewares and décor; electronics, quality furniture and tools usually hold more value.
How much should I sell clothes for at a garage sale?
Adult clothes usually sell for $2–$5 a piece, kids’ and baby clothes for $0.25–$3, with coats, shoes and name brands higher. Many sellers also offer a “fill a bag for $5” deal near the end of the day.
How much room should I leave for haggling?
Shoppers expect to negotiate. The calculator’s “lowest price to accept” is about 30% under the sticker price, which matches the common advice to mark prices 25–50% above your bottom line.
Should I price every item?
Yes. Buyers are less likely to ask than to walk away, and price stickers speed up checkout. Group cheap items into bins with one price (“everything in this box $1”) and use the price-tag print option for the rest.
What should I not sell at a garage sale?
Recalled products, used car seats and cribs you can’t vouch for, and helmets that may have been in a crash. Check cpsc.gov/Recalls — selling a recalled product is illegal, including at yard sales.
What if my item is vintage, collectible or valuable?
Don’t rely on a percentage of the original price. Look up recently sold listings for the same item online, or get an appraisal for jewelry, art and antiques, then price from that value.
Does this calculator save my items?
Your price list is saved only in this browser on this device so you can come back to it. Nothing is sent to a server. Use “Clear list” to delete it.