Alt Guide: Yard Sales

By: Cindy Whitt

For as long as I can remember my mom went to yard sales every Saturday morning, but it wasn't until I moved out on my own that I started going with her. I had a big apartment with very little furniture and I couldn't afford to buy new items, so I asked if I could tag along one morning. One Saturday turned into every Saturday and over the course of six months I furnished my apartment with inexpensive chairs, tables, paintings, and lots of other items. It satisfied my need to shop, everything I bought fell well within my budget, and I had lots of items that I wouldn't be able to find in a retail store.

I learned a lot about yard sales that summer, so I think it qualifies me as somewhat of a yard sale connoisseur. I noticed a few things that people planning yard sales should avoid as well as things that will help potential sellers have a successful venture. So, if you're planning a yard sale this season, keep these tips handy.

1. Check your local newspaper to see what their deadlines are for yard sales classified ads and purchase one the week before your sale. Be sure it will be in the Saturday edition because most people use that as a guide for their yard sale outings. List the time you plan to start, your address and any big items you have for sale like furniture, appliances, or specialty items like collector's dolls or costume jewelry. A lot of shoppers go looking for specific items and if they see you have what they want, they'll stop by and maybe even find something they didn't know they wanted.

2. Location is key in real estate and it also helps in having a successful yard sale. If you live miles away from town, consider asking a friend who lives in a busy area if you can have it at her house. Put up signs leading to the house so people unfamiliar with the neighborhood will be able to find you. If you place an ad in the local newspaper, most will give you a package that includes yard sale signs that are permissible for hanging in certain areas. But be sure to check your local laws to see where you can hang your signs before stapling them up to telephone poles.

3. Plan to start your sale at around 8 a.m. Watch out for the early birds, though; they may show up half an hour early and try to look through your stuff before you even get it out. Most people start closing up at around noon, but you can keep selling as long as you have shoppers.

4. Most people don't like having to dig through boxes to see what you have, so borrow tables and clothing racks so you can display your items. If you can't get your hands on tables, throw down some old blankets or buy a couple of cheap plastic tablecloths and organize your items on those. If you have lots of stuff, separate it into different sections - have a table of baby items, a rack of kid's clothes, a table of household items and a rack of adult clothes. Your customers can go straight for what they want without giving up midway because they were tired of looking at the stuff they aren't interested in.

5. Price your items the night before. You don't have to tag every single item, but at least have an idea of how much everything will cost instead of making someone wait while you run ask your sister how much she wants for her Duran Duran cassette tape. How much to price? If you live in a mid-sized city or smaller, most of your shoppers are going to expect low prices. You can probably ask for more in larger cities, but regardless of where you live don't expect to get a lot of money for your items. Set reasonable prices but be willing to go lower if you haven't sold much two hours later. A good guideline is to go lower than prices at your favorite thrift store.

6. Beware of the price hagglers. Some people are always going to try to get you to go lower than your asking price. Most of those people are just trying to get a good deal, but some of them are buying to resell. You can never tell the difference between these people, so stand firm if you believe that vintage lamp really is worth $5 because it's likely someone else will come along and happily pay your asking price for it.

7. You can sell almost anything at a yard sale but there are some things you should probably just throw away. It should be pretty obvious, but never try to sell things like used underwear and socks, worn out bed linens, half empty containers of health and beauty products, or any kind of medicine.

8. All those plastic grocery bags you save because you feel guilty throwing them away? Take 'em out of the kitchen cabinet and have them on hand for those shoppers who buy lots of stuff from you.

9. Many people don't think to bring their own change to yard sales, so have lots of one dollar bills, fives and quarters on hand for those people who only have a twenty and want to buy something that costs 50 cents.

10. More than likely you're not going to sell everything. Decide beforehand if you want to keep it for another yard sale or if you want to get rid of it. If you're going to keep it, box or bag it up and put in it a dry place in your house. There's no reason to keep it if it'll just get ruined before your next sale. If you don't want to keep it, and the stuff really has value, call a local homeless shelter or a thrift store. Many will come and haul the stuff away for you in exchange for your donation, and you'll be free up to count all the money you've made.

Cindy Whitt lives in Virginia and is currently planning her own blow out yard sale.

See Also

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Seeds of Inspiration
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