Yard Sales 101

Kim over at Stitch-n-stuff has decided to have a yard sale, so this has given me an idea to share my secrets to having a good sale. We try to have at least one yard sale a month during the warm months. Down here this means we can normally start with a sale sometime in March and do one a month through October or November, weather permitting. If you like to yard sale, these tips should come in handy for you, so bare with me. This could be a long post, but these are my tried and true methods to making at least $100 a sale off my junk!

• Always plan ahead. I have tried to throw a yard sale together in a day or two, and not only is it a big hassle, but you really don't make much. Planning is key. Try to give yourself at least a week to get everything in order.
• Sort your items into categories. My categories normally consist of housewares, furniture, men's stuff, women's stuff, children's stuff, and miscellaneous. Once everything is sorted pricing is not only easier, but you already have a foundation for setting everything outside in a nice orderly fashion. Remember things need to look appealing in order to convince people driving by to stop and take a look! Think about using cheap plastic tablecloths to place items on outside.
  
• Find a location. It's always free to host your sale in your own yard, but if you don't have a lot of space, or you live in an area without a lot of traffic, consider finding a business who will let you use a portion of their parking lot on a Saturday morning. Also look for local flea markets. Most flea markets charge $5-10 for a table.
• Advertise in advance. A week before my yard sale, I always print out some fliers to hang up at local stores, gas stations, parks, etc. Contact local newspapers to see what day they print. Many of them list yard sales in the classified section for free. I also use local message boards to list my yard sales online. If you have a local radio station, call and ask about classifieds. Normally radio stations list classified on their website for free. Smaller stations sometimes will advertise your yard sale on the air for free. Don't forget to make a few signs to put in your yard, on roads nearby, etc.
• Contact family members and friends. See if anyone would like to haul some of their junk over to sell with you. Multi-family yard sales bring in extra customers because there is more to offer.
  

Pricing:
The big key to being successful is to price things right. If you overprice, your stuff won't sell, but if you under price, you won't make anything. Remember most of this stuff is junk to you now, or you wouldn't be getting rid of it. The night before the sale, make a list of the larger items you have for sale. If you have furniture, try using "make an offer" signs instead of setting a price. If you have a ton of clothes, try offering a "fill a bag for $5" option instead of pricing things individually. This especially works for children's clothes and for books, as well.

Handmade Items:
Always remember the time and effort you put into creating things to sell. Handmade items do really well at yard sales if done correctly. Never let a customer tell you that because you're selling something at a yard sale, it has to be a cutthroat price. Make sure your handmade items are on a separate table away from the rest of the yard sale goods. Let customers know they are handmade by you, brand new, and priced according to the materials used to create them.

The day before your sale, make sure you have everything you will need. Make sure you have change. Lots of $1 bills and quarters will come in handy. Grocery bags are also a must have. If you don't have any, stop by the local grocery store ahead of time as ask for some free ones. You can also get free boxes from stores for larger items.

The day of the sale. Make sure you're willing to start bright and early. My most successful sales run from about 8-12. Give yourself at least an hour to get yourself in order and everything set up before customers begin to arrive. There's nothing worse than losing a sale because the item someone might want is still in a box somewhere. Set up your items according to your categories. Don't forget to hang nice clothes somewhere. I have a close line, but if you don't, try stringing a rope across your porch or between 2 trees. People are more likely to buy clothes that are hanging instead of sorting through piles.

Congratulations on a successful yard sale. At the end of the day, you should be sitting there with a little extra cash and a lot less clutter. Consider donating the items that didn't sell to charity. There are a lot of families out there who could use the stuff more than you, and the tax write off (if you choose to take it) out ways storing the stuff until you're ready for your next sale.