How to Have a Great Rummage Sale
Getting ready to organize your home by selling the things you never use, never used, and never will use takes some time and preparation. Whether you call it a rummage sale, yard sale, garage sale or tag sale, having a successful one involves more than simply putting things out in the front yard, garage or driveway and sitting back to wait for customers. Making money at a rummage sale depends on careful planning long before sale day arrives. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Flyers
- Signs
- Clothes racks
- Clothes line
- Hangers
- Tables
- Masking tape
- Strong box
- Beverages
- Disposable cups
- Trash can
Instructions
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Schedule your sale. Choose a weekend far enough in advance to give you time to prepare. Consider pairing up with others in the neighborhood to hold a joint sale and choose a date that works for everyone.
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Decide what you are going to sell. Go through your attic, basement, garage and any other areas in your home that have collected clutter and need to be cleaned out and organized. As you weed things out, put items in one of four piles: things you are keeping, things you are donating, things you are tossing out and items you want to sell.
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Advertise the sale. Take an ad in your local paper to run the week before your rummage sale. Print up flyers to post on bulletin boards in places like your local pharmacy and supermarket. Include items that might be of interest like antiques, baby clothes and house wares. Make signs advertising the sale and post on the street, busy intersections and cross streets. Include the address and the hours the sale will run. Build anticipation in buyers by not opening early. Specify on your signs no early birds.
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Organize sale items the night before. Confirm clothes and other fabric items are clean and fresh. Wash things like dishes, plastic wear and toys. Arrange like things together. Hang clothing on racks or even from tree branches or clothes lines. Display small items like books and puzzles and board games on tables. Group furniture pieces together. Put prices on everything. Pieces of masking tape work well. Do as much as possible the night before and transport your inventory to its location early in the morning before the sale begins.
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Keep track of your money. Keep it in a central place like a strong box and have someone watching it at all times. Have change.
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Be a good host. Offer free beverages and provide waste receptacles for empty cups. Work the crowd. Strike up conversations with your customers. Be prepared to answer questions about the merchandise.
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Donate the items that don't sell. Have things picked up by a local donation center or take them there yourself. Do not be tempted to hang on to things that you intended to sell.
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References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
