Top Ten Tips for Planning a Successful Yard Sale |
Yard Sale Success - A perfect ending to Clutter Control Bootcamp
A successful yard sale is a lot of work but the rewards can be well worth the effort. Not only can you turn unwanted clutter into extra cash, but the actual sale itself can be an enjoyable experience. From the before-hand preparations with your family, to the mingling and social time spent with friends and neighbours during the sale itself, fun is had by all!During your journey through Clutter Control Bootcamp, there's no doubt you accumulated a *give* or *sell* pile while sorting. Your *sell* pile will provide the backbone for your yard sale inventory, but make sure you take another look around your home. What other unused items can you sell? Check areas we didn't cover in the Clutter Control Club - like your basement, garage, and storage room.
Top Ten Tips for Planning a Successful Yard Sale
Set a Date and Stick to It Springtime, early summer, late summer and fall are ideal times. Stay away from the middle of summer due to hot weather and vacations.
Let everyone know Make sure everyone in your family knows so they can prepare their own individual items but most importantly, ADVERTISE. Each community is different but most have one central yard sale listing area in the local newspaper or community flyer. Consider doing a double or triple yard sale with your neighbours.
Signage Make colourful signs well in advance - not the night before. Also, plan where you will put them and how you will secure them to sign posts or set them on corner lawns. Your signs should guide people to your sale, taking the guesswork out of directions. Drawing attention to the signs with balloons works well too. Some communities have rules against signs, so make sure you check first.
Expect early birds Professional yard salers often arrive at dawn. Decide how you are going to handle that. Consider putting "no early birds" in your ad, or put up a sign "prices before 8am are doubled".
Pricing All items should be priced individually or at least placed next to a sign saying something like "anything on this table is $2". Use small stickers on the top of each item for individual pricing. Be prepared to barter, remember that once you go down in price, you never go up. Always keep the *fun factor* in mind. It's OK to let your next door neighbour have a freebie!
Change Don't be surprised if it seems as though everyone wants to pay with a $20 bill! Have small change on hand - toonies, loonies, even quarters, and a few $5 bills.
Kids Consider letting your child have his/her own mini-yard sale right beside yours. Let them handle their own belongings and money. Getting rid of clutter and earning money is an excellent learning experience.
Clean & Neat Nothing looks worse than messy piles or dusty objects. Wash dishes and glass objects; dust anything with a flat surface. Pile objects neatly and consider how much better they look when displayed properly.
Completing the Sale Have plastic grocery bags available to put sold items in. If selling breakables, have newspaper available to wrap fragile items. Having a calculator handy is helpful in totaling up purchases.
Enjoy Yourself! Be friendly and have fun. Consider this a family activity! Relax. If you're too businesslike or out to make serious cash nobody will enjoy themselves.
