I love ’em.
Maybe you do too.
Yard sales are like a magnetic pull drawing me in when I see the signs. Talk about a great place to get bargains.
You may be considering hosting your very own yard sale soon. Maybe you’re planning to move and need to get rid of a few things. Or like me, you’ve gone through your house and decided it’s time to scale it back a bit.
Hey, a little sweat and planning can lead to more space in your home and money in your pocket. I call that a win-win!
Don’t let the thought or planning a yard sale scare you. It doesn’t have to be difficult. If you a ready to host a yard sale, here are six simple tips to get y0u started.
Know the Rules
You’re gonna put a lot of hard work in to your yard sale. Trust me! But do you know if your city has rules about yard sales?
That’s right. I’m guessing many people aren’t aware that this may be the case. For example, Arlington doesn’t require a permit but does have guidelines. Dallas and Fort Worth require a permit to host a yard sale.
Before you get too far down the path, check to see what the city requires from you (if anything). You can visit city hall or their website to get information.
Promote, Promote, Promote
To have a successful yard sale, you have to…sell it! Inform your neighbors by sticking a flier in their mailbox. If your homeowners’ association has a calendar of events, post it there. Also, share the news via email or on NextDoor (if you’re neighborhood has a profile). know that you’re planning a sale. Create a flier to put in their mailboxes or, if you have their email addresses, send out a group note asking who wants to participate.
While communicating with your neighbors, be sure the share information to the community. Maybe there’s local Facebook group created for sharing news about yard sales. Find out if there’s a Facebook group for yard sales in your area.If not, start one.
Other ways to promote your yard sale include:
- Local newspaper
- Craigslist
Sign It Up
When you check your city’s guidelines on yard sales, you should understand rules arounds yard sale signs. Begin hanging them up in highly visible areas. Look for community bulletin boards at grocery stores, churches, coffee shop for starters.
Ensure your signs are readable. Don’t give someone the excuse of passing by your sign because the font is too small or hard to understand. If you’re not up for the traditional yard sign from your local hardware store, find a artsy soul to create one for you.
Post your signs at the at the entrances to your street and neighborhood. Make sure the arrows point drivers in the right direction and don’t cause confusion. Lastly, hand a sign at the closest intersection or cross streets near your home.
Price It To Sell
The whole point of having a yard sale is to sell items you no longer want or need, right? Price your items to sell. Think about how much a customer will be attracted to your sale items. A reasonable shopper will know that like-new designer handbag will be priced more than old t-shirts.
Determine how you will approach pricing and negotiations with shoppers. Will you have a rock-bottom price for items you won’t dare go below? Or do you want to rid yourself of everything? If going, going, gone is your theme for the day, the phrase “Make Me An Offer” works well.
A Good Display Will Help It Go Away
No reasonable person expects a yard sale to look like the inside of Neimen Marcus. But making it easy for your shoppers to buy items should be in mind.
Work to make your items look good. Dust and clean items so it is visually appealing. Organize your items by style, artists, and/or designer. Using hanging racks, bookcases or a table are great places to start.
If you’re selling furniture, make it drop dead simple for time to try it out. Shoppers may want to unbox items. Just put yourself if the buyers shoes and you’ll make the right choices.
Don’t Forget The Cash
Remember cash? You know, paper money and coins? Don’t forget to stop by the bank prior to your yard sale. Get a couple of rolls of quarters, a stack of dollar bills, and a handful of fives. Most shoppers will want to pay with cash and you’ll probably need change.
Just remember not to leave the money laying out unattended. You may want to keep it on yourself or whoever is helping you.
Photo credit: r.nial.bradshaw