Porta Potty for Garage Sale or Estate Sale: Do You Need One?

You're having a garage sale or estate sale, and the question pops into your head: should I rent a porta potty? It's not something most people think about until they're in the middle of running a sale and a customer asks to use the bathroom.

Let me help you figure out whether it makes sense for your situation.

The Quick Answer

For most single-day garage sales: probably not necessary.

For multi-day estate sales or large community sales: it's worth considering.

Here's the reasoning behind each:

Typical Garage Sales

Your average garage sale runs 4-8 hours on a weekend. Customers are stopping by briefly - maybe 10-30 minutes each. In most cases:

• Traffic is spread throughout the day
• Visitors aren't staying long
• There's usually a nearby gas station or coffee shop
• Your home bathroom works fine for you and helpers

Estate Sales Are Different

Estate sales are a different situation:

• Multiple days - Often Friday through Sunday
• Higher traffic - Advertised widely, attracting serious shoppers
• Longer visits - People browse for 30-60+ minutes
• Security concerns - You might not want strangers inside
• Home may be empty - Bathrooms might be off or unstaged

Community and Neighborhood Sales

If your neighborhood is organizing a community-wide garage sale, having a central porta potty makes sense:

• Shoppers are walking house to house for hours
• Individual homes don't want constant bathroom requests
• One shared unit serves everyone
• Cost can be split among participants

For a neighborhood sale with 10+ participating homes, one standard unit placed centrally often does the trick. At $100-150 for a weekend, split 10 ways, that's $10-15 per household.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Let's run the numbers:

If your sale is expected to gross several thousand dollars (as many estate sales do), a $100-150 porta potty is a tiny expense for the convenience and professionalism it adds.

Alternatives to a Porta Potty

Before you rent, consider these options:

Let Customers Use Your Bathroom

Pros: Free, convenient. Cons: Strangers in your home, security concerns, wear and tear. For a small, one-day sale with familiar neighbors, this works fine.

Direct to Nearby Businesses

Pros: Free. Cons: Not convenient, may turn off serious shoppers who don't want to leave and come back.

Politely Decline

"Sorry, we don't have facilities available" is an acceptable response for a brief garage sale. Most people will understand.

If You Decide to Rent

Here's what to know:

• Standard unit is fine - No need for deluxe or specialty
• One unit handles most sales - Even with 200+ visitors over a weekend
• Delivery Friday, pickup Monday - Perfect for weekend sales
• Place in driveway or side yard - Visible but not blocking merchandise
• Add signage - A simple "Restroom →" sign helps

Placement Tips

• Not right next to the sale items (odor, even if minimal)
• Accessible but not front-and-center
• On level ground, ideally pavement
• Away from where people are eating or drinking

Professional Estate Sale Companies

If you're hiring an estate sale company, ask if they typically provide or arrange for porta potties. Many professional estate sale companies:

• Include porta potty rental in their services
• Have relationships with local providers for better rates
• Handle placement and coordination

It's one less thing for you to manage during an already stressful time.

Final Thoughts

For a quick Saturday garage sale, you can probably skip the porta potty. But for larger, multi-day events like estate sales - especially when you want to keep strangers out of the home - a porta potty is a small investment that makes life easier for everyone.

At $100-150 for a weekend, it's peace of mind that lets you focus on what matters: running a successful sale.