September 16, 2010 by Kate Sorensen
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Guest Tips: 5 Tips for a Successful Yard Sale

I’m holding my very first yard sale on Saturday. Of course, I have no idea how to hold a yard sale, so I enlisted Tracie at Penny Pinchin’ Mom to jot down some tips for me (I’d heard through the grapevine that she was a Yard Sale Queen and it’s so true!). Take a look at her advice if you’re thinking about holding your own yard sale, and please be sure to stop by her site for great money-saving coupons and advice.

So, you have accumulated more stuff than you need.  What do you do?  Why not have a yard sale?  This is a great way to get rid of the clutter and bring in a little extra money.  By following a few simple tips, you can turn your priceless treasures into cash.

1) Pick a good day and time. In my area, Friday nights and Saturday mornings are the best times for sales. For other regions, it may be a Wednesday. Take a look at your local newspaper for listings to gauge the best days for sales in your area.

As far as time of day and length to run your sale – that is really a personal preference. However, if you are going to have it on a weekday, try to run it into the evening so that you can catch those people who have to work as well.

2) Clean & organize your items for display. Before you set out items, be sure they are clean.  Nothing is worse than picking up a plate with food on it, a picture covered in dust or toys with sticky residue on them.  Taking a little extra time to wipe off the dust or run items through the dishwasher can bring in a few extra dollars (and actually help clear out some of those items!).

Set up your items like you would find in any retail store.  Think of it like this — if you walk up to a yard sale and everything is literally thrown onto a table and you can’t even see what is for sale, you will, more than likely, turn and walk away. Taking the extra time to have several tables and items split out can yield you even more money.

3) Launder and fold/hang clothing items. If you are selling clothing, be sure to take the time to wash everything before you sell it. Would you really want to purchase a coat that you can tell a 2 year old enjoyed his chocolate ice cream cone while wearing before Mom put it up for sale? Probably not. However, if it was clean, you may have more interest.

I wash and fold all of my items, then display them nicely on a table and fold and sort according to size. This makes it very easy for my buyers to find what they are looking for. Plus, it is clean and they are more willing to purchase. As far as outfits go, I take the extra time and press everything. I know, ironing is NOT fun. However, a nicely pressed outfit could bring you $1-$2 more. So, it can be worth it.

I also HIGHLY recommend hanging outfits – and sorting them by size.  In fact, I have a neat way to help you and your customers find the size they want with personalized clothing dividers.  Take a small paper plate (I use dessert size).  Trace or draw a circle in the center of your plate.  Cut a slit in one end and then cut out the circle.  Write the size on both sides of the plate. Then, where you have the slit will allow you to slide it onto your rack and spin/glide.

4) Clearly mark all items with a price tag. While you may be willing to negotiate your price, having your entire sale marked “Make Me an Offer” can turn many people away. Most need to know what you are asking.  If you hang a few “We Negotiate” signs, then people will see you are asking $10 for that side table, but know that you may be willing to wiggle a little on the price.

If you are not sure how to price your items, go toeBay or Craigslist so that you can be sure you are asking a fair price for your items. Just don’t underprice your stuff!

5) Be prepared for your sale. Make sure that you put up signs at both entrances to your street and one in your front yard.  Have your  “checkout stand” set up complete with  paper, pen, calculator, and plastic bags so that your transactions can run smoothly.

Make sure that you have enough money to make change.  I would also get at least $100 (mostly quarters and $1 bills).  If you fear leaving it on the table, just wear a carpenter’s apron and keep your money right next to your body and you won’t have to worry about someone swiping it.

I have used these tips myself and my sales always do very well and receive numerous compliments about how great my sales look!  With a little prep work, your sale can be a very profitable event.   While I have helped with a few tips, there is only one question that you can answer…..just what WILL you do with your new found fortune?

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  5 Comments

  • Teresa says:
    09/16/2010 at 2:50 pm

    These are all excellent ideas, and here are just a few more.

    Enlist help – if your children are old enough to help, make sure they do so. Husband’s, grandma’s, grandpa’s and even neighbor’s are always willing to lend a hand when needed.

    Take pics – I like to set everything up and then take pics. I put together a album on photobucket, which is free, and then also post my sale on craigslist. I do not answer emails from potential buyers until after my sale is over. Some local newspapers will even let you put up a free ad on their website which you can also link to your photo album.

    Offer food for sale – My kids love having lemonade stands, hot dog cart, cookie/bake sales. Yes sometime’s it is more work, but if your kids are old enough they will really enjoy it.

    Relax and have fun. If you love to shop then you will absolutely love to sell things also.

    Good luck on the yard sale.

  • Amy says:
    09/16/2010 at 8:54 pm

    These are great tips. It is so true that things should be well organized, clean and neat. I know I hate going to a yard sale where things are just thrown out and the customer is supposed to sort through it. Forget it!
    Another thing that is popular in my area is to sell donuts and coffee or juice boxes and crackers for the kids. I always have a box full of Cast A Way toys that my kids no longer want and the little ones love to dig through them while Mom or Dad looks at the bigger ticket items. I have a few other yard sale tips on my site as well if any one is interested. http://www.manymoneysavers.com/YardSale.html

  • joni says:
    09/16/2010 at 9:36 pm

    Guess im in the minority I always go to and have yard sales I love rummaging through stuff thats half the fun!Too neat is more like a store than a yard sale and of course price the stuff to sell too highprices are always a turn off everybody likes a bargain and Im always ready to bargain if someone is a reasonable buyer!

  • Brandi says:
    09/18/2010 at 5:15 am

    I’ve had so many good garage sales using most of these same techniques mentioned. Organization pays off in the end–even though things get messed up really quickly and everyone ends up having to rummage a bit.
    I always run my sale in the local paper and mention sought after items (baby items with sizes, toys, furniture and type, new items, quilts/linens etc.) It doesn’t hurt to list a telephone number in the ad where people can call for directions or to ask questions. You’ll learn what people in your area are searching for this way, too.

    When I’m pricing items, I always scribble a little blurb what the items is on the price tag (like jacket, purse, hat, brown shoes, etc.) so that price tag switching doesn’t occur. I let the early birds know that they are welcome to look, but no sales occur before the designated start time (to be fair to everyone.) Many people who resell in shops like to stop in the day before and clean you out buying your good stuff at a reduced or bulk rate. I like giving everyone a fair shot.
    I always have a cheap box full of odds and ends for the rummaging crowd. Also, bottled water in a cooler with ice near the pay table is always a hit–I usually offer that for 50c bottle. In cooler weather, I’ve even set up 25c cup coffee on a self-serve stand (again nearby the pay table) with coffee in a sealed carafe or thermos. When I travel , I collect and save up hotel room coffee packs, sugar/sweetener, creamers and cups to fund that. People really seem to appreciate it and I always sell out.

    Also, if you think you have nowhere to hang up clothes, try using rope tied tightly between hooks in the garage or try a broom handle sitting on chairs or bar stools. Rope also works well to showcase items on the walls of your garage–use S hooks made from a coat-hanger and hang higher ticketed items up at eye level along a rope hung and tied along a wall. I like to hang purses and pictures/paintings this way.

    You might want to inform your neighbors you’ll be having a garage sale so that they’ll be prepared for the extra cars. Hang signs so people know where to park and where not to park. For instance, not blocking your mailbox —if your carrier can’t get to it, they aren’t required to leave your mail.

    Another great tip is to save your plastic grocery bags up for the sale for bagging up items as they pay for them. You can even put shopping ‘baskets’ out for people to use. I’ve used old Easter baskets, or small boxes with the tops folded down for this purpose. If people can hold more, they’ll usually buy more, too.

  • Heidi says:
    04/28/2011 at 8:55 pm

    These are great tips. I’ve also heard that you should play soft music in the background. We’re so used to shopping with music on when we go to the mall. Maybe it will help the shoppers linger longer and buy more.

    Also, I like to put clothes into boxes. I mark them “Ladies M” or “Girls 10-12″. That way you don’t have to keep everything neatly stacked. It makes it easier for people to find the sizes they need and not mess up your piles in the process.