How to have the ideal Yard Sale

Are you are getting ready to move and don't want to bring along bunch of extra "stuff?" Maybe you are just wanting to clear away some of that household clutter that tends to accumulate over time.

It's time to simplify your life and make some extra money in the process! Having a yard sale is a great way to do this and with a little bit of pre-planning and organization, you can have a successful yard sale.

Follow these steps to maximize both the ease and profitability of your yard sale.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 or 3 King Size "Sharpie" Permanent Markers (Black and Red)
• Lots of empty cardboard boxes
• Large pieces of recycled cardboard or poster board for signs
• Hammer and nails (or screws and screw driver)
• Wooden posts for signs
• Masking tape or stickers to price items
• Folding tables to put items on (borrow from friends and family)
• Plastic sheeting or tarps for un-expected rain (optional)
• Friends and family to help with everything

1. Plan ahead. Start by picking a target weekend to have your sale. Most yard sale traffic is generated on Fridays and Saturdays. Avoid major holiday weekends unless you live in a high traffic tourist town.

2. Start collecting the things you will want to sell and put into the empty boxes. You can put prices on the items if you like. Items will sell the best when they are deep discounted. Most people shopping at your sale will expect to pay 75-95% less than what you may have paid for your items new. If you have things that you don't want to deep discount that have more value, consider selling them on Craigslist.com (which is free)or an on-line auction site.

3. Place an ad in the classified section of your local paper announcing your yard sale, dates, time of start. List in the ad some of the items you will be selling. Let your neighbors know well in advance about the up-coming sale. They may want to have a sale too, and would perhaps split the cost of the ad. Multiple yard sales in one area tend to attract more shoppers.

4. Prepare your neighborhood signs. Use the Sharpie permanent markers and cardboard to make yard sale signs. Write in bold large lettering "YARD SALE" and clearly point with arrows, address, etc. the way to the sale.

5. The evening before your sale put signs out in your neighborhood directing people to the big event. Use the nails / screws to attach the signs to telephone poles or attach to wooden posts and hammer into the ground. As an option, consider attaching balloons to your signs as an extra attention getter.

6. Get up extra early the morning of the sale and set up tables with items displayed that you have collected in the boxes. When people arrive, get that stuff sold---bargain if necessary! (especially toward the end of the last day of the sale.)

Tips & Warnings

• You can donate any un-sold items to a charity thrift store such as The Salvation Army, Goodwill, KARM, etc. Ask for a receipt with the approximate value of your donation and use for a tax write off at the end of the year. Some thrift stores will pick up the items for free.

[skyedanzer]

on 10/4/2009 Didn't know about the tax write off. Great instructions.

[nancyzee]

on 10/1/2009 All great tips. I need to do this soon!! I recommend.