Yard Sale Tips

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Our neighbor, who owns the large farm at the end of our road, is selling out and having an auction, after living there for 50 years. Another neighbor mentioned that that day would be a good one for a yard sale, as there will probably be hundreds of people coming down our little country road. So we are going to try it!

I have some stuff stashed in the attic, and I'm sure we will find some more. I have a 50 foot porch across the front of the house with a wide banister, so I can put some things there. Also Cale can make some tables with plywood.

We have a Troy Bilt rototiller, a truck, a washer and probably some other things, as well as all of the household junk I have been sorting through! The kids have some toys and misc. items they have outgrown too. We don't have many clothes, but may have some coats, and nice dresses.

So maybe we can thin out some stuff, and make a little extra money too. Anyone have any tips for yard sales?? Have you had a successful sale lately? Let us know....

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 04, 2002

Answers

The most important sales tool for a yard sale is: an upwind smoker grill with turkey or pork odors drifting through the merchandice area. I don't know why it works but I know that it does.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), April 04, 2002.

yard sale: make tons of baked goods and sell them also. water, soda, lemonade, etc... people will stop for just those items if you put it on your signs. auction: call the auction house and ask them if a food truck is going to be there, if not, tell them you live down the road and will setup a table/grill and provide food and drinks. set up the morning of the auction and start making breakfast. yes breakfast, we leave in a hurry and don't get breakfast, so if there is food, we will buy it. then grill burgers and hotdogs for lunch. i'm sure you can find something to do with any leftovers! good luck.

-- steve (stevetamara@mindspring.com), April 04, 2002.

We use to have yard sales each summer, sometimes, collective ones with other neighbors. We always posted fun looking signs, let the kids get creative, only request, the information must be visible from the road. We would also take a large piece of furniture out and put a sold/paid sign on it. Folks tend to do slow "drive-by's", but if they see something large, they may stop just to check a price. Also we would have coffee on, sun tea made, juice in the fridge, and lots of paper cups. I guess we made it a bit of a "come out and meet your neighbors sale", and anyone who walked up was welcome to join in conversations. This has worked great for us, and folks tend to come by again to see if by chance you're having another sale! Good luck with your sale and have fun! Toni

-- Toni (anothermother@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.

We did our yard sale last year during our local 'Community Days' - there was a parade, etc. We are a little bit out of town, but on a major route into town, so we put up bright orange posterboard signs in town with big arrows & got lots of visitors. We also sold cans of soda that we bought cheap & sold for a profit. Also, we did hot dogs in the crock pot & sold those.

-- heather (h.m.metheny@att.net), April 04, 2002.

I had not thought of the breakfast items... The auction starts at 10, so I am looking for a lot of people early, and then maybe more after it is over. Usually our fire department has a lunch stand, but I haven't heard if they are or not. But I will definitely have some hot-dogs and some home-baked goods, and maybe some drinks as well. Thanks!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 04, 2002.


Even though it takes a lot of time and effort, try to put prices on everything, and display it as nicely as you can. Some people just put out boxes of stuff and say 'make me an offer'. I don't spend much time at those sales. It's too much trouble to sort through stuff if you have no idea what the seller thinks is a good price.

Putting up plywood tables is a good idea. It's a lot of trouble to have to stoop over to look through things. And I agree, put the big things in conspicuous places, so they draw attention. And move your own vehicles out of the way if possible. Yard sales are a lot of work, but they can also be a fun way to lighten the load. Good idea to have one while someone up the road is:)

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), April 04, 2002.


Don't let people in to use your bathroom--too easy for someone to case your place, or steal something while they're there.

Also, and this applies mostly to people with garages, unless you are a person who doesn't own nice tools (not likely on a homesteader forum, but you never know), don't hold the sale in the garage. Same rules about casing the place apply, not to mention you will forever be saying "no, that's not for sale", or trying to keep the innocent (and not so innocent) from "assuming" that something was just missing a price tag.

Have lots of help--you can't keep an eye on everything by yourself.

I know the above sounds negative, but they are things to consider. Good luck!

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 04, 2002.


Melissa, if there is a local paper to advertise in, if there is enough time, that would be good also, as I peruse the paper first thing for sales. Also, clothes hung on a line, rod, tree limb, or ladder invites more people to look. Set everything out individually with prices marked, I hate to dig through boxes to find stuff, although it has been worthwhile a couple of times. Things grouped together by types, such as all kitchen items in one place, baby items in another, shoes and clothes, decorator items, tools, etc. tend to do better than if they were in several different places. I agree with big colorful signs, that will attract lots of lookers. Most people here who garage sale love to haggle, so you might think about if your prices will be firm or flexible. Good luck!!!!

-- Gina NM (inhock@pvtnetworks.net), April 04, 2002.

Display things well--price everything----& have plenty of change---- plenty of quarters & ones--- & fives!!!! Good help -----& only one person who takes the money & makes change----maybe another to write the prices down for you & sack----another to watch what everyone is doing---if you have enough help to do so--- ask at the auction if you can post signs there about your garage sale also---

Have some one who can take your extra money as you make it out of your money box-(and into the house)---so you don't have a lot in there all the time---nothing worse than for people to see you have a whole money bag or box FULL of money---

We have made as much at a garage sale as we have in our business in a month----it just seems to bring people out when it is a garage sale---

If the weather is like it is here dress in layers so as it warms up during the day-you can shed layers --even if you are BUSY!!!

Have a water bottle for each family member who is helping & also sandwishes --or something fixed so you can eat when you get a break-- (or with one hand as you are busy)--when you do have a break---go to the bathroom & anything else you need to before you get swamped again-

We always have a tape player with Christain tapes playing quitely in the back ground---seems to set the mood for the day---& helps us- also!!!

Have fun-----& I hope you have a great day!!

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), April 04, 2002.


Forgot to say----have plastic sacks---& newspaper to wrap glass ware-- & breakables---etc------have sacks/ or bags /or boxes to put things in you sell---

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), April 04, 2002.


Thanks for all of the tips. I probably won't advertise in the paper, but will hang some signs at the local store and at the end of the road. The auction will be held at the end of our road and it is a dead end, so everyone HAS to come past our house to get to the auction.

I am not too worried about people stealing, everyone around here is generally pretty honest and laid back, but I will keep the safety precautions in mind.

I have going to be very flexible with my prices. Since this is all stuff I am going to be getting rid of anyways, my prices will be very low!!

Thanks for the tips about change, bags, and food to sell. I will certainly use them all... I think it will be a lot of fun!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 04, 2002.


Melissa, since you mentioned that there was an auction, I was also thinking about trip and fall liability, since you may have more visitors than you ordinarily would.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 04, 2002.

True GT, we have very good coverage so I am not too worried about that. Our place is completely flat here. NO steps etc... when you get out of the car in the drive it leads directly to the porch and there are no steps or anything anywhere. We designed it with old age in mind!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 05, 2002.

I wish you lived closer!! I am also having a yard sale tomorrow (Sat.). Put your stuff out, relax and enjoy. It's fun if you make it fun or hard if you make it hard. I love haggeling and being haggeled. I also know I don't want to bring anything back into the house, but don't sell to cheap to soon! Good luck

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), April 05, 2002.

My mom's friend has a yard sale every year; it is almost a tourist attraction. She is famous in the area, and people drive far to get there. Several ladies go together on the usual stuff, and some of her friends set up craft tables and vendor stands. Also, the pies go really fast.

I sold a lot of our clothes by grouping them by size and sex. I sold them for 50 cents or less an item, because I wanted to make sure I got rid of them! I was surprised to find that even some things with holey knees sold well; one woman wanted the jeans for cut-offs and the sweats for pyjamas. "Who sees the clothes while they're sleeping?" she wanted to know.

I have been to some sales where they have one area marked "fill a bag for a dollar". Usually this is where you find outdated or worn clothing.

Also, I had my yard sale at the same time that I had a lady selling vegetables in my yard (prime location: busy intersection with plenty of parking). She paid me $10 plus veggies every day to "rent" my yard.

It seems that the best yard sales are the ones that are extensively advertised (ad in the paper and plenty of signs all the way out to all the main highways around), have a variety of items for sale, and are actually manned. I never stop at a yard sale if I can't see the people who are running it.

-- Cathy N. (eastern Ontario) (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), April 05, 2002.



I had my garage sale yesterday. It was wonderful, I didn't have a whole lot but I sold out and made over 300$. My sister went in with me and at noon, all my stuff was gone, but she still had a small table left. There where about 5 people there and we gave out walmart sacks and said anything that would fit in the bag for 3.00 a bag. Needless to say it lasted about 5 minuets and she made over 200$ overall.All we had to put up where the tables! It feels so good to have an empty shed again. Good luck!

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), April 07, 2002.

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