I participated in my first ever yard sale this past weekend. I feel like this is a big step into adulthood. I mean, I can’t believe we have accumulated enough stuff on our own to make a good showing at a yard sale. Granted, Ias part of a joint sale with three other women, but as a group we took up a pretty big stretch of sidewalk for our sale.
I’m not claiming to be an expert on garage sales now, but I did learn a few things and wanted to share them with you since June is prime yard sale time and you may be planning your own soon.
1. Bigger is better.
People tend to stop, look and buy more when there is more for sale. If you only have a few items to sell and put them out at the sidewalk all by their lonesome, you’ll most likely get skipped over. Get your neighbors to pull together and have one larger sale, or get some friends to bring stuff to your house.
Turn it up another notch and check if your area is having a neighborhood wide sale. You’re more likely to reach a wider audience if there are 50 other yard sales going on at the same time.
2. Know what your stuff is worth.
Selling some big ticket items or antiques? Do some research ahead of time and know what you should be able to get for those items. Make sure that basket you’re selling for 2 bucks isn’t a Longaberger and double check the brand name on those old plates from your Grandma before selling them for next to nothing.
Selling slightly used electronics or appliances? Search for those items on Craigslist or eBay and see what they are selling for. This will give you a good idea on what you can expect to get for your own items.
3. Keep your money on you.
Some sales have a constantly manned table by one person and then another person is up around talking to people. I did not have that luxury and had to keep my money with me while moving around talking to people and showing them how things work etc. Make sure your money is in something secure that fits in your pocket or tied around your waist so you don’t mindlessly set it down and walk away.
4. Start with change.
You want to be prepared if you sell your first item of the day for a dollar and the customer gives you a twenty. Before the sale, stock your money pouch/apron/box with one and five dollar bills as well as a few dollars worth of quarters.
5. Presentation is everything.
Make sure people can see what you’re selling! I had a comforter for sale that was getting passed by over and over. One of my sale-mates pulled it partially out of the bag mid-sale so it was more visible. Within 10 minutes it sold for my asking price! People aren’t going to buy what they can’t see, so make sure your items are arranged nicely and things are out in the open.
Think of your sale like a department store, and arrange items by type. A couple of us were both selling holiday items, so we put them together into a holiday section. People stopped and looked at things longer when they were organized into larger sections.
So there you have it. My tips and lessons learned from my first yard sale. Have you ever had a yard sale? What tips and tricks do you have? Or, on the flip side, any tips for buying items at a yard sale? Share in the comments!
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