Top Ten Yard Sale Tips

Another suggested post from the email list...tips for a successful yard sale.

As a professional organizer, and even in my life before this career, I've run yard sales a-plenty. And I've learned a lot along the way. Here are my top ten yard sale tips to make yours a winner.

1) Set your expectations appropriately.

This is probably the most important rule, and one of the most difficult to follow. Remember that the primary goal of your yard sale has to be getting rid of extra stuff - not necessarily "earning money." You're not likely to get the full value of your items at a yard sale, when people are looking to wheel and deal. If you have higher end collectibles or furniture to sell, put a price on them that you think is fair, and stay firm. Just realize that if the items don't sell on yard sale day, you'll have to bring them back into your space. Otherwise, explore consignment, ebay, or http://craigslist.org/ for other vehicles for selling valuable items.

Yard sales can be a lot of work, but they can also be an effective way of cutting down on your clutter and getting some money back to invest in your new space.

2) Advertise aggressively.
The key to a good yard sale turnout is effective promotion. List yours on http://craigslist.org/ and include photos of some of your big-ticket items to woo in the hard core yard salers. People who head out early on the weekends in search of the best deals like to do their research ahead of time. Don't forget to post signs. One safety tip is to not include your exact house number if you're worried about the early birds showing up and banging on your door or peeking in your windows. If you have specialty items available that attract a certain audience (e.g. craft supplies, tools, old toys, etc.), make sure you highlight those.

3) Get the neighbors on board.
Nothing gets a true yard sale fan more excited than the thrill of a multi-family yard sale. If you can line up some neighbors or family members to participate, then you can bill your event as a much larger sale. Plus, it builds camaraderie and can be a lot of fun. If you choose to set up your sale in the same area, color coded stickers are a great way to differentiate different families' items.

4) Organize your stuff ahead of time.
Collect yard sale items throughout the year, and store them in a staging area somewhere in your house - garage, basement, attic, etc. Price your items as you go, so that you're not left with a mountain of stuff to price the night before the sale. Or, just have everything set up and let people make you offers.

5) It's all in the merchandising.
By setting up your items in an organized fashion, you will appear to have higher quality stuff available for sale. Place furniture/big ticket items out in front, visible from the street for the slow-rollers who drive by and size up the quality of your sale from the comfort of their car. Try to categorize your items and set them up together, like "departments." Throughout the day, consolidate piles and break down empty tables so that the sale doesn't seem picked over.

6) Price strategically.
Decide what you're willing to take for each item, and then mark it a bit higher so that people have room to negotiate with you. Leave price tags on new/unopened items so that it's clear that they have never been used. Offer up smaller items in bulk, like 3/$1, to make it easier to process sales.

7) Pick your day carefully - and start early.
Yard sales are typically seasonal and often fall in the spring and fall. Choose a non-holiday weekend when people are likely to be in town. And despite what you might think, the more yard sales going on that day, the better! It's less about competition and more about leveraging the activity. People are likely to travel to multiple sales on a given day. Also, resist the urge to sleep in. Your best sales will happen before 11:00 am, so plan to start yours early - by 8:00 or 9:00.

8) Watch the weather.
Plan a rain date. Tent or no tent, a heavy rain can put a real damper on a yard sale. I've tried it in the rain and it just doesn't work.

9) Offer snacks & refreshments - a great way to earn some extra cash.
It's also a great way to have the kids involved.

10) Have fun!
It can be a bit exhausting to haggle with people over a quarter for your favorite pair of socks. Try to keep your emotions in check and enjoy the day. Make sure you have some friends and family out there with you to keep you company.