If there are clothes, shoes or accessories in good condition in your closet that you haven't worn in at least the last year, consider that it's stagnant money and that you can make it liquid in a weekend.

Garage sales are one option to achieve this; however, organizing them requires planning time, a lot of effort in the execution and the collaboration of two or three people in the project.

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Some personal finance experts say that this practice can help you generate extra money, while others say that it is only worthwhile if the resources obtained are used for a social cause, since they are of little economic significance.

“Your time is very valuable, a garage sale implies an organization of the whole week and allocate at least Saturday and Sunday to carry it out. You may only get 2,000 or 3,000 pesos, so think about whether it's worth doing," warns Maca Hernández, an expert in personal finance and general director of the company Organízate Ya.

We continue to organize a bazaar of semi-new things in the month of April. The planning took seven days and the sale took place over three weekends. Here we share the lessons:

1. Take inventory

Gather the clothes, accessories or objects that you want to sell, count them and briefly describe them in a list (write size, type of fabric and if it has any defects). Ideally, do it in an Excel document, so you know what you have to offer.

To enrich the inventory, form alliances. Get together with friends or family to put more clothes on sale, in this way, people will have more variety to choose from, suggests the general director of the workshops and education company Finanzas Personales México, Juan José Salas.

2. Choose the place

If you live in a high-income neighborhood, your neighbors may not buy used things. Look for a place in a lower-middle-income community that can purchase what you are offering “without penalty,” says Hernández.

Juan José Salas adds that the patio or the facade of the house where things will be placed should be on a street where many people pass, not in hidden alleys.

The first day, the garage sale that we documented began on the roof of a house in the Benito Juárez district, the property was located in an alley. Since not many people passed by, the organizers changed the address and displayed the merchandise outside a house in the Iztacalco delegation. Without a doubt, it was a better option to be on the main avenue.

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3. Set the price

The price you impose on your items will depend on their quality and the type of material with which they are made. The cost to the public must vary from 10 to 25% of its original price.

"The final price should be less than what you paid for the new garment, but more than what a junk dealer would offer you," says Salas.

So that you do not forget the prices, in an Excel file write the type of garment, in the next column write down the maximum price at which you can offer it and then the minimum price, since there will be people who want to "haggle" and you will have to lower the cost, says Elvira Méndez, an academic at the Business School of La Salle University.

It is recommended that prices only be lowered if people take more than two products, says Salas. Clothes that have not been released, even those that have a label, can be sold more expensive, says the Organízate Ya expert.

4. 'Heat the floor'

Two weeks in advance, put up posters with the address, day and time the bazaar will take place. The corner store, the bakery, the butcher, the pharmacy, an ice cream shop or the market can be strategic points for neighbors to see, suggests Salas.

If you have time, make flyers in free design programs like Canva.com, print them out for distribution in the area, and post them on social media too. With this strategy, the organizers of the analyzed bazaar attracted the visit of about 10 clients and sold 400 pesos during a weekend. The problem was the sudden change of venue.

5. Distribution and order

Hang the garments on hooks, put them on chairs or tables, in such a way that people can see them. "Don't pile them up on the floor because it's uncomfortable for people to look at them, you have to make what people see pleasant," says Maca Hernández. Shows cleanliness, organization and professionalism in the sale.

Put up price signs in large letters so people passing by will stop to check out the deals. "You have to make them stop, see everything and take something away," says the time management expert.

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6. The day of the sale

Have the garage sale two or three days after the fortnight, so that people have money and can buy from you. The most recommended time is from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Juan José Salas suggests having change and bags or boxes where people can take the merchandise.

Those who participate in the sale must agree on who will be taking care of which garments. And for your safety do not allow them to go to the bathroom of your house. Make it clear to customers that there is no return on the garments they take, this way you will avoid misunderstandings, says Méndez.

7. Bring out the salesperson in you

Many times people will be embarrassed to ask, but you must bring out the salesperson in you. Phrases like: “were you looking for something in particular?” or “I have some tops and pants that might fit you” will make your potential customers stay longer.

The people who came to see the Iztacalco bazaar realized that there were clothes that could fit him and set aside garments that, during the following two weeks, he finished paying for and they were delivered to him. Those installment sales were for an amount of 2,500 pesos.

8. Go digital

If you didn't manage to sell everything that weekend, you have two options: find an orphanage, church or nursing home where you can donate clothes and shoes, or start selling things online.

Facebook, in its mobile application, has a store section. From there you can upload 10 photos, give them a brief description and choose the area where you want to promote them. Select a perimeter close to your home and put together packages, for example, three blouses, pants and a belt for 500 pesos. It is not worth selling just one garment.

Make it clear that the cost per shipment will be 30 or 50 extra pesos. Deliver things at a subway station near your directions so you don't spend on tickets, gasoline and time. The Iztacalco bazaar explored this possibility and completed an internet sale of 350 pesos, two days after announcing its garments.

The pylon: Anything goes

If you want more creative ideas to organize your event, we recommend you watch the series Girlboss, the story is about a young woman who begins to sell old clothes online, adapts them and models herself, her success is such that she forms her own company . It is currently streaming on Netflix. You can also find great ideas for displaying and tagging your clothes on Pinterest.