Are you planning to move and you need to declutter your home first? Organizing a yard sale might help you with reducing your stuff to only what is necessary. So, start by having a family meeting. Discuss with your household members, what you would like to sell, to keep, or maybe donate. Make an inventory list. It is important to have everything written on the paper. You do not want to sell your wife’s favorite shoes or your child’s favorite toy. After having a conversation with all of your family members, it is time for some selling. When you finish decluttering, all that is left is to call some moving company like movingyourway.com and they will take care of the rest. Keep on reading if you want to find out how to organize a proper yard sale and earn some extra cash.
Pick a Date
The first step when organizing a yard sale is to pick a date. It can not be any date that suits you. You have to pay attention to other factors as well. Try to organize a yard sale that will last for a couple of days. In that way, you are more likely to sell more things. Weekends are always a good choice, however, if your schedule allows it, you can add an extra day – for example, Friday.
Plan your yard sale date well.
Moreover, you should start with your yard sale early in the morning because people do not want to interrupt their day to attend your sale. Also, if you can, try to organize this event when the weather is moderate. When organizing a yard sale, try to avoid extremely hot and cold days. If the weather is not nice, people will not come to your event.
Gather Your Belongings
As previously mentioned, garage sales are a great way to declutter and clean your house. So, what are you waiting for? Grab boxes and bins and go through every room. Everything that you have not used in a long time should be sold. Do not forget to check closets, attics, basements, and garages. Do not underestimate the value of what you find, people will buy anything. The worst case scenario is that something does not sell.
Advertise Your Yard Sale
We live in the 21st century and advertising is everything. If you want to attract buyers and earn a lot of money you will need to use many different advertising tools. Some of the best ways to advertise your yard sale are:
- Create a newspaper ad – This is old school, but it will attract many customers to your home. Check your local newspaper and find out how much space you get for the price you are willing to pay. Remember that you are paying per word, so do not write more than necessary. Include the address and the time and date of your sale.
- Go online – There are many websites that allow you to advertise and sell anything you own for free. There you can describe the items you are selling generously. The good thing is that you do not have to worry about the word count. Simply tell people what you have and when you will have it. One of the best ways to advertise your event is by using Craiglist.
- Make a Yard Sale sign – Before doing this, check the laws and rules in your area. If you are allowed to place a Yard Sale sign in your neighborhood, the only things you will need are a brightly colored poster board and a Sharpie. Make sure to write neatly, and big enough so that everybody can see what is written.
Organize and Arrange a Yard Sale
Now it is time to take all of your belongings outside. However, this is where people usually make mistakes. You can not simply throw all of your stuff on the ground and expect other people to search through. Make sure to have enough tables and shelves to arrange your things. This will make your yard sale look more organized.
If you have a lot of little things made of plastics and glass, do not go crazy with the price.
Price Your Items
Many people think about prices at the spot. However, that system is bad, and you will not earn as much. So, take some time to think how much your stuff is worth. Do not go crazy with prices. After all, you are here to declutter and get rid of your stuff. Moreover, price your items individually, rather than just group them into boxes with one price sign. On the Yard Sale day, everything will get mixed up. And do not increase the prices just because you think everybody likes to haggle. Many people will also walk away if they think the price is too high.
Create a Comfortable Atmosphere
In the end, the most important thing is that you met a lot of people, decluttered and had fun. Do not try to make a business deal out of your yard sale, but create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. You can do that by playing some light music in the background. Moreover, you can serve some snacks and drinks while selling.
In the end, if you have some items that could not be sold, do not take them back inside. Visit a local charity, and donate what is left.
If the weather is too hot, icy lemonade is something that everybody will appreciate. And, if it is a rather cooler day, serve some hot tea or coffee. By doing this you will also become the favorite person in your neighborhood. Now, sit back and enjoy your new beginnings.
