How to Have a Successful Yard Sale!

How to Have a Successful Yard Sale!

whether you are trying to make some extra cash or just want to get rid of ‘stuff’ follow these easy tips for a super successful yard sale!

Hello, friends!

Well, it’s officially yard sale season in our neck of the woods!  Slowly but surely I’m seeing more and more signs popping up and I’m starting to get SUPER excited to start searching for a few special treasures again!

But before I do that, I’ve been preparing for our own yard sale before we move.

Thankfully, this isn’t my first rodeo. Over the years we’ve had quite a few yard sales and with each one, I feel like I’ve learned something new.

Not that I’m a pro or anything. But I do have to say that the last few we’ve had have been hugely successful and not only did we get rid of most of our ‘stuff’ we also made a tidy profit too!

So if you’re doing some spring cleaning and want to get rid of some stuff, or you’d just like to make some extra $ to buy more stuff, this post is for you!

tips for having a successful yard sale

 pick a date:

 

This sounds easy enough but there are a few key things you should think about before choosing a good day or days to hold your sale.

• Weather-Even if you’re lucky enough to have a garage or covered area to hold your sale, weather can make or break how successful it might be. Although weather can be unpredictable, try and find a time when it looks like little or no rain or thunderstorm chances.
• Community yard sales-Our community has a city-wide yard sale two times a year. Once in the spring and again in the fall. I always try to take part in it because #1 I get more traffic, and #2 I don’t have to advertise because the city does it for us. So if you’re community or neighbors are planning a group yard sale it’s a win-win!
• Day of the week-This totally depends on your area, but around here, many folks open their yard sales up on Thursday night and run them through Saturday afternoon. Having your sale on weekdays, as well as, evenings, draws in those folks who work weekends or have already made plans. You’ll also get ‘serious’ shoppers who are looking for particular items and are willing to pay a bit more to get them.

 organize and clean

Organize items into categories. Clothing. Decor. Antiques. Toys. Books. Housewares. Furniture, etc. The easier it is for shoppers to FIND your items, the more likely it is they will BUY your items.

TIPS TO ORGANIZE CLOTHING:

• Lay T-shirts, shorts, jeans, sweatshirts, and sweaters out on tables in sections based on gender and size.  Or stack them in neat piles in big plastic bins or cardboard boxes. Create a sign with age/and or/size, + gender, and place it on the front of the bins or boxes. To make it easier for shoppers-price all the items in the box at one price. Example: Men’s T-shirts-Size L $1!  BONUS TIP: Try to straighten up clothing periodically throughout the sale to keep things neat and tidy for future shoppers.
• Hang as much clothing as a possible-especially dress clothing. You can buy portable garment racks for super cheap or make your own. I’ve also done so by stringing clothesline rope from one side of our garage to the other.  And I’ve even laid out a ladder from end to end and hung them from that too! Be creative!  BONUS TIP: Use fun and colorful paper plates as size dividers!

Wash clothing, bedding, towels, etc. before the sale, and throw away items that have holes, or are stained. It goes without saying that no one wants to buy items with stains. But it’s also important, especially if what your selling has been in storage for some time, that your items don’t smell worn or musty.

 know what your stuff is worth before pricing:

There are two key factors for having a yard sale.

1. You want to make money
2. You want to get rid of stuff

 

Decide on which factor you want most and then start pricing your stuff accordingly.

If you’re just trying to get rid of a bunch of stuff you no longer need then you’ll probably want to price things on the low side.

How to figure pricing?

• If you’re not sure how to price your items check sites like eBay, Craigslist, or even Facebook Marketplace to see what others are charging for like items. You can also do a search engine search. Just type in the item and the search will bring up items old and new to compare to.
• End your pricing with 5’s and 10’s. This makes it easier for shoppers to pay and for you to make change.
• Pricing varies based on location so if you can, check out what other people in your area are charging at their yard sales for like items.

BOTTOM LINE: Don’t skip on pricing your items and be prepared to haggle.

advertise:

No one wants to go through all the work of preparing for a yard sale, only to have no one show up because they didn’t know you were selling!

HOW TO SELL YOUR SALE

• Upload quality pics and details to sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. NOTE: Craigslist uploads your local card sales to several free apps!! So free advertising!
• Share it on your social media
• Post signs at your local grocery, bakery, or hardware store.
• Create bright and colorful signs. Place signs near and around your home. Make sure each sign lists popular items for sale, the date Example: Friday, June 9th, and the time and arrows pointing in the right direction. Signs should be made out of sturdy cardboard that can withstand windy days. You can make them yourself or buy them at the Dollar Store!
• If you’re planning a multi-family or neighborhood yard sale, see if it would be cost-effective to put an ad in your local newspaper (s) I know that sounds old-fashioned but I know many people who still go online and look at the yard sale listing page of their local papers.
•  BONUS TIP: If you don’t want early birds to arrive make sure you put this CLEARLY on the signs and in all ads. You still might get a stray or two but most people will respect your request.

 cash on hand

Don’t be digging in between couch cushions for spare change. Make sure you have a good amount of cash on hand to make a change with. Most people don’t carry big bills to yard sales, but if you have large items (more pricey) to sell, be prepared.

I usually start out with this exchange of bills and coins.

• 25- $1 bills= $25
• 5- $5 bills= $25
• 3 $10 bills= $30
• 2 rolls of quarters =$20
• 1 roll of dimes= $5

MONEY TIPS: 

• Never leave money unattended. Make sure you have someone designated to just taking money and keeping track of it. If you must use a box make sure it’s one that closes so money is not on display. Or **Place it in a fanny pack around your waist or an apron with deep pockets. **BONUS TIP: I used a garden tool belt similar to this one year and it worked perfectly!
• Never leave the doors to your home unlocked or open during sale hours.
• Take large bills inside and keep them in a safe place until after the sale.
• Keep track of correct change by using a calculator.

 does it work?

If you’re selling any electronics at your yard sale, be prepared to be asked this question.

TIP: Have an extension cord in a designated area with a sign that says “TRY ME”. 

be helpful but don’t harass

I mean that in the nicest way possible. But if you’ve ever been to a yard sale where the seller talks your head off and you can’t even THINK about what you want to buy, you’ll know what I mean. Be Polite. Answer questions. And let the shoppers SHOP!

 everyone loves something free

Who doesn’t LOVE to snoop through the “FREE STUFF” before getting to the priced items? I do. But what I don’t like is if all the FREE stuff is yucky stuff! So make it good!

No, it doesn’t have to be your BEST stuff. It’s free after all.

FREE OPTIONS:

• Kid’s toys (Small toys, stuffed animals, books, coloring books, crayons, markers are good options and will keep the littles busy while their mom’s shop)
• Vases, picture frames, individual dishes, or cups
• Magazines, plastic containers, hats, small baskets, leftover craft supplies, & paint for the DIY’ers like me!

Bargains and bundles

Anyone who goes to a yard sale is looking for a bargain. And even better they LOVE to have proof they got one. So give it to them.

If you have name-brand furniture, electronics, housewares, or decor make sure they are displayed front and center. Especially those items that are gently used or better yet, not used at all. And if the items still have the tags on them, or you kept the receipt, better yet! Most people are willing to pay a little extra if they know the item is new, and they will even do so if they recognize the brand is high-end.

Clothing is not always a  big draw for some folks to stop at a yard sale. In fact, many will drive on by if that’s all they see for sale. But again, most people will be enticed if you have name-brand clothing or items with the tags still on them. And will definitely think they are getting a bargain if you price them right!

Also, make sure you state you have name-brands in your advertising and signage!

BUNDLE

I usually have a few bundled items to start off my sale with. Things like seasonal decor, DVDs/CDs, Books, and dishes. Kid’s clothing, pj’s, throw pillows, and vases are also great items to bundle.

Bundling is also a great way to get rid of items as your sale begins to come to a close too. If someone is looking at what’s left of your picked-over clothing, hand them a bag and tell them that you’ll take $5 for whatever they can fit in the bag.

no sale

Unless you’ve had an outstanding couple of days, as you near the end of your sale you are probably going to have items left that didn’t sell.

If by that time you haven’t dropped prices or cut them in half, I would do so now. Especially if you really don’t want to pack everything up.

What if you slash prices and you still have stuff left? 

Well, you have several options actually, and all of them are good!

1. You can pack up everything, put it in your car and take it to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or a local donation site. Most of these places will give you a receipt so you can write off the donations on your taxes.
2. If you have name-brand clothing or clothing that is like new, you could check with a consignment shop to see if they need or want any of your items. This is another way to make some extra cash.
3. Put the items on eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace and see if you can sell them there.

Well, friends!  I think that just about covers my tips and trick for having a successful yard sale.

Oh except for one more thing!

HAVE FUN!

Having a yard sale can be stressful. In fact, whenever I tell Michael we’re having one he gets that “deer in the headlight” look and runs!

Yes, it’s a lot of work. And yes, it takes time and a great deal of effort to make it worth your while.

But once the sale starts I forget how much work it took and I just enjoy visiting with the people who stop by.

Plus, if you do it right, you can achieve exactly what you set out to do.

• Get rid of items you no longer need or want
• Make some extra cash for a family vacation, new furniture, or whatever your heart desires!
• Make new friends (I always make contacts with at least one or two people every sale who either LOVE our stuff and want to know when we’ll be having a sale again. Or, who loves yard sales as much as I do and will let me know about upcoming ones in their area!)

Are you planning a yard sale this summer? If so, I hope these tips help!

Thank you so much for stopping by!