How to Have a Great Yard (Garage) Sale this Summer
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Summer is finally here and you know what that means. After all your decluttering and spring cleaning you may want to have a yard (garage) sale to get rid of your unwanted, but still very useful to someone, stuff and make a little money in the process. Have a goal in mind for what you would like to do with the money – a dinner out, a vacation, a home improvement project?
My number one goal was to get rid of all the stuff I inherited from my mum, my kids, grandkids and tenants, as well as a few of my own things that I no longer needed. My secondary goal was just to make enough money to go out for a nice dinner.
Determine what are you going to sell at your yard sale...
After decluttering your home you may have accumulated a number of things you no longer want. It’s amazing what some people will buy, however there are some things that cannot be sold and must be disposed of properly. Baby car seats and other items now have expiry dates and cannot be sold passed their time. It’s also not a good idea to try to sell chemicals, paints or other hazardous wastes. Use your common sense and if you wouldn’t buy something at a yard sale, don’t try and sell it at yours. Have a variety of items to sell to appeal to everyone.
Pick a date for your yard sale...
Looking at the weather forecast may be helpful but you can’t count on it so you may want to pick a backup rain date. A couple of weeks ago I had to cancel because it was calling for severe thunder storms. (Which did not happen despite the threatening sky). Weekends are usually the best time to have a yard sale and Saturday mornings are typically busier than Sunday in my area. If you are counting on help from family or friends you may have to consider their schedules as well.
Advertise your yard sale...
Some towns and cities require a permit to hold a yard sale, or they may allow one free one per year. Be aware of the requirements in your area. You can buy garage or yard sale signs from a dollar store or make your own with brightly coloured cardboard. The night before the sale, you can put the signs up at strategic places (main intersections, etc.). Or have one of your helpers do it early in the morning. There are many places to advertise for free online such as kijiji or facebook. If you have a massive amount of stuff to get rid of, or live a little off the beaten path, it might be worth spending a little on an ad in the local newspaper.
Or Not???
Many years ago I had a very successful sale by advertising in the paper and made over $1000. That was mainly because I had a big ticket item (an industrial sewing machine) that sold. Without that, I still made over $300 and got rid of a lot of things.
A couple of years ago I decided to have a yard sale at my current home on the spur of the moment. I didn’t advertise and although I had signs ready to go, I didn’t get to put them up. As soon as I started putting things out, people started coming. First, I should say, it was a popular weekend for yard sales and there were two others on my street that day. Also, I was right on a main street and at an intersection where people had to stop. I decided to use this strategy again this year. This year it wasn’t as successful because it was Sunday and there weren’t any other yard sales on my street. I still accomplished my goals though – got rid of a lot of stuff and went out for a very nice steak dinner!
Organize your items...
Sort your items by category and place similar items together. Some categories may be kitchen items, decor, furniture, tools, yard equipment, books, clothing, toys, etc. Having several folding tables to put small items on makes it easier for people to look at them. Create rows and aisles that people can walk around easily to see everything.
You may want to organize some things by price too. You could have a 1$ table, a 50 cent table or whatever amount you want.
To price your items or not...
It’s good to have an idea of a price you want for something, but you need to be prepared to haggle and you must keep in mind your true objective – to get rid of stuff! People are looking for super deals. Some people say to label everything – who has time for that?! To save you a lot of time and effort, create tables for small items with one sign to designate one price for everything. Label big ticket items individually.
Other tips for your yard sale....
- Have a lot of plastic bags available.
- If you have any electrical items for sale, have somewhere to plug them in.
- Keep lots of change on hand and have a calculator.
- If you don’t have a lot of things to get rid of, have a multi-family or neighborhood yard sale, and share costs as well.
What to do with your leftover yard sale items....
It would be great if you sold every little thing at your yard sale but inevitably there will be some things left unsold.Have a plan in place with what you will do with them.
- Donate them. (Best option). Some may go to your favourite charity or or you may give them to family or friends that need them.
- Leave them at the side of the road for a day for anyone to pick up, if they want them. This may save you having to take them to a charity or to the dump yourself. If they don’t get taken within a day or two you will have to move them yourself. (I posted on Facebook for people to come for free pick up and got rid of 75% of what you see here.)
- Try to sell some higher ticket items online or at a consignment store.
- Sell everything to someone that buys for a second hand business.
- Pack them up and save them for your next yard sale.
- Some things may just have to go to the dump if they cannot be recycled or salvaged.😢
Good luck with your yard sale....
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One Comment
Deborah Montgomery
What great tips Carole! It was fun helping and so nice to see people gifted end of driveway items.