Tips for a Successful Yard Sale

I am, if I do say so myself, a yard sale veteran.  My mom and I have been having yard sales for as long as I can remember and they have always been successful.  The difference between a successful and an unsuccessful yard sale are huge, but the things you can do to ensure success are very simple!

1.  Advertise -- This can mean putting an ad in your local paper or it can mean putting signs up in your neighborhood.  Better yet, do both! 

2. Price Everything -- Whether it is with a sticker, a post it note, or a piece of masking tape, price everything!  If you have more than one person selling, add initials next to the price to make it easier to keep track of who is owed how much.

3.  Price Things to Sell -- This is a yard sale.  Keep that in mind.  I know that you paid a lot of money for these items back in the day, but now you are hocking them to strangers in your driveway.  Price them accordingly.

4.  Be Open to Offers -- Although it is not customary in this country to haggle over prices there is something about a yard sale that brings out a person's inner haggler.  Even if you have priced things to sell, people may offer you less.  Sure you want to make a little money with this endeavor, but yard sales are often more about cleaning out the money than fiscal gain.  If someone asks you if you will take less than what the item is priced ask yourself if you are will to bring it back into the house and store it again before you answer them.

5.  Have Change -- I don't know why people do it, but they do, they will offer you a $20 bill for a $0.25 item.  have change available... it just makes everyone happy.

6.  Tables, Tables, Tables -- People don't like to bend down to look at stuff.  Put things on tables.  Also, so some reason, people don't like to look through racks of clothes, so don't hang (if possible) fold and put on tables.

7.  Have a Partner -- This might be the most important one.  You can go at it alone, but then there is no one to spot you when you need a potty break or a fresh cup of coffee.

8.  Keep Yard Sale Hours -- I crack up when I see yard sale signs that say they will start at 10:00.  Die hard yard salers are out early... take advantage of that.  Sometimes they are so eager to get a look at what you have they will even help you set up... no kidding.

9.  Offer People Bags -- Everyone, no matter how many reusable bags you own, has a lot of plastic shopping bags in their house.  Here is the perfect opportunity to unload them. 

10.  Have a Plan for After -- What are you going to do if things don;t sell?  Have some idea of what you are going to do with things that are left over.  Will you box them up and store them?  Will you donate them to Goodwill?  To some other organization?