Holding A Successful Yard Sale

Yard sales are a joy to hold. You clear your home of items that may be of better use to others, at the same time make money out of it. Here are some tips on how to ensure your yard sale is a success:

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Timing. Weekends are best. Start early too. Why not time it on payday weekend as well?

Advertising. A week before your yard sale, distribute flyers to your neighbors. Post a notice on the village board. Put an ad in the paper. Post a sign outside your home. You may want to put a short list of the things you’re selling to pique buyers’ interests.

Pricing. Bundle small items, say, two or three bangles for a dollar. Make sure you have enough change for the day (in dollar increments). If buyers want to haggle, let them. Ask for an offer and who knows? They may give you a much higher price than you think. Towards the end of your sale, why not slash prices, say 50% off on all items?

Presentation. Group items into categories — all books in one corner, all bags in another, etc. Hang clothes in a rack for easier sorting. Place men’s items upfront. Place toys at the back of the garage, away from the street, for kids’ safety. Present buyers with a basket or bag as they enter the yard sale so they can place their items in the bag right away. It makes for easier handling.

Staffing. Assign one to be the cashier, and another to mill around if buyers have any questions. It would also help to have another person to act as security in case any theft happens.