How to Have a Yard Sale

There are secrets to having a successful yard or garage sale. The best yard sales require lots of work, but it's worth it when you count your profits at the end of the day. Follow these few steps to create a yard sale that attracts people and leaves you with some cash.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide if you have enough items to hold a yard sale (the more the better).

2. Choose a date.

3. Move all of your yard sale items into one place, such as the garage or a storage area.

4. Put a price tag on everything, no matter how small.

5. Decide how you will set the sale up. Be sure all items will be openly displayed so that people don't have to dig through boxes to find things.

6. Call your local newspaper about a week before the yard sale, and buy an ad that will appear the day before and the day of the sale. The ad should contain your address, the date and hours of your sale, and a summary list of what you have to offer.

7. Arrange all items on tables or whatever you are going to display them on the day before the sale. Keep the table in the garage or storage area overnight.

8. Go to the bank and get $50 in $1s, $5s, and change.

9. Put the money in a cash box.

10. Place signs around your neighborhood on the morning of the sale advertising the sale and giving the address.

11. Open the garage door at the specified hour and move the tables out.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't want people showing up at your door at the crack of dawn (and they will), specify "no early birds" in your ad and stick by your policy.
• You can include your phone number in your yard sale ad, but you might not want to be bothered by callers' questions about what you have for sale.
• If you have any question about the value of prospective yard sale items - especially antiques - have them appraised before you sell them.
• Feel free to dicker over prices if you want to, but be aware that people who go to yard sales will often offer a price that is insultingly low.
• Never leave your cash box unattended.
• Place especially valuable items close to where you will be sitting so that you can keep an eye on them.
• Some communities have an ordinance against yard or garage sales. Be sure you know the law in your neighborhood.

[mymukki]

on 9/22/2009 good advice, I a trying my first sale this weekend

[lilolladystuff]

on 8/9/2009 Good advice for garge sales. Thanks.

[charlie01]

on 7/22/2009 Great list! Following up for step 10, there's a good site to create printable flyers for yard sales. Really easy and customizable. Create and print as many as you need to post.

www.peanutcafe.com/landing/flyer

[flagman5]

on 7/20/2009 you can also post on www.yardsaledb.com to get more exposure and more people to visit your sale!

[ljbinkop]

on 5/25/2009 Good steps to having a sucessful yard sale.