Note to Self: Yard Sale

Successful Yard Sales

There's nothing like Spring Cleaning to remind you just how much clutter you have, and you just want to get rid of it. But wait! Rather than simply calling it a wash and donating everything, why not make some money back? It may mean you have to hang on to the junk a little longer as you wait for good weather, but it will be worth the effort.
Note to self: Been holding onto junk for over five years, time for a yard sale...

Ways to make a yard sale successful:

1. Plan well in advance. Start accumulating things weeks, even months in advance so you have more to choose from. Schedule the sale on a good weekend—avoid holiday weekends and avoid the end of the month, when everyone is out of money.
Note to self: been accumulating for way too many weeks and months, time for a yard sale...

2. Get plenty of supplies. Bags, small bills, coins, tags for pricing—you want to make it easy for people to buy and buy lots.
Note to self: start pricing all that junk for the yard sale...

3. Use your local paper. Most yard sale regulars check the classifieds. Many papers also list their classifieds online, so you’re getting quite a bit of exposure for a small amount of money.
Note to self: newspaper ad will eat up all the yard sale profits, just put up signs...

4. Post plenty of signage. Many shoppers simply drive around different neighborhoods, looking for signs and posters. Post them at major intersections and along the route leading to your home. (Check with your city to ensure there aren’t prohibitive sign ordinances.) Make a fun, sturdy sign to post near your house.
Note to self: be sure to take all signs down after the yard sale...

5. Start early and keep going. Some people may want to hit your sale while commuting to and from work, so it’s a good idea to either start at around 7:30 a.m. or finish no earlier than 6:00 p.m. (or both, if you have the stamina). Stay open during the lunch hour, too; this is a popular time.
Note to self: this yard sale may take more than one day, so keep putting stuff out each day until it is gone...

6. Make it a neighborhood affair. Multi-family garage sale efforts offer shoppers a wider range of products, and it allows families who don’t have very much they can contribute to participate. A large sale is more likely to drive traffic.
Note to self: I have enough junk of my own for the yard sale, don't ask the neighbors...

7. Don’t be greedy. Set reasonable prices. You can avoid some of the haggling that inevitably occurs at a garage sale by offering special deals and group pricing (e.g. “3 for $5”). You may earn a little less on each item, but you’ll earn more in the long run by selling more items.
Note to self: don't be greedy when setting prices for the yard sale...