July 28, 2010

Tips for having your best yard sale ever

By Lisa M. Petsche

Hosting a yard sale is a lot of work, but the more you put into it — especially in terms of planning — the more successful it will be. Follow these tips to make the most of your time and effort.

Preparation

• Choose a Saturday, but avoid a holiday weekend. One day is almost always sufficient (you’ll be exhausted at the end of it), unless you’re moving and have a lot of stuff you must get rid of.
• Consider approaching your neighbors about holding a street sale — these attract more people than single-family ones, plus you can share advertising costs. Or, discuss with friends or relatives holding a multi-family sale at one person’s home.
• At least a month in advance, begin sorting through the kids’ toy boxes, closets, drawers, basement, attic and garage, looking for items that are no longer needed or have never been used. Have several boxes ready and labeled so you can do some initial sorting. Put toys into one, books into another, and so on. Keep a separate box for items that require cleaning, and another for those that need repair. You can decide later if you will do minor repairs yourself, or sell broken items as is, at a lower price. Discard items beyond repair.
• Once you have finished the cleanout, sort through everything with a critical eye. Subcategorize items as you see fit — for example, you may want to separate children’s books and adult books into two different boxes.
• Price everything in advance. Use pieces of masking tape as inexpensive price tags; for items where it might leave a mark, use easy-to-remove stickers (found at office supply stores and many dollar stores) instead. If you have a group of items that are the same price — for example, paperback books — put them in a box and post a large sign on the front indicating the price per item. If you’re not sure what to charge, go to a couple of yard sales or a secondhand store to check prices. When deciding on an asking price, allow room for negotiation.
• Figure out ways to display your goods that make it easy for people to see and sort through them. For example, a shoebox is good for holding cassette tapes. Clothing should be hung if at all possible. Plan to display as much as possible on tables — patio tables, picnic tables, card tables and TV trays. For a makeshift table, place a sheet of plywood or an old door between two crates. You can also use patio lounge chairs and camp cots to keep items off the ground so they’re more visible and accessible.
• Package items into sets to make them more appealing — for example, a bag of play food and dishes. Use clear plastic bags from grocery store produce.
• Start saving store shopping bags for packaging purchases.
• Recruit several helpers so you’re not run off your feet during peak times, and also for security reasons. If your children are too young to be of help, make babysitting arrangements.
• Use public bulletin boards in grocery stores, community centers, your workplace and local Catholic newspaper to advertise your sale a week or so in advance. Consider your location when deciding how much advertising is needed. If you live across from a shopping plaza, for instance, you may not need to do any advertising because of your high visibility. If you decide to advertise in a daily newspaper, run the ad on Friday, since many people plan their route the night before so they can get an early start on Saturday. Indicate if there’s a rain date.

The day before

• Obtain plenty of “float” money — primarily quarters and small bills — for making change. You’ll need at least $100.
• Plan the layout of display tables and large items in a way that will allow for the best traffic flow.
• Post signs on telephone poles in high-traffic locations if this is allowed in your community. Make sure the lettering is large enough and dark enough to be easily read, and include all pertinent information.

The day of the sale

• Allow ample time for setting up. Don’t be flustered by early birds — just be sure to have everything ready by the starting time you have advertised (8 a.m. is common).
• Arrange everything neatly. Keep like items together. People are more likely to stay and really take a good look if your stuff is organized and looks appealing.
• Place your most appealing items near the curb, but only those that are large and can’t easily be stolen, such as furniture, baby equipment and large toys.
• Have an extension cord handy if you are selling anything electrical, so people can try it out for themselves to ensure it works.
• Keep all cash on your person, in a belt pouch. Wear clothing with deep pockets, so you can transfer some cash or coins into them if the pouch gets full.
• Accept only cash. If someone doesn’t have enough on hand, ask for a deposit or give them a time limit to return with the money. Meanwhile, take the name and phone number of anyone else who expresses interest, in case the first customer doesn’t return within the specified time.
• Use your best salesmanship and hospitality skills. Walk around and greet people. Ask if they’re looking for anything in particular. Point out unique goods or special bargains. Explain or demonstrate how items work.
• Be prepared to lower prices towards the end of the day.

Don’t forget to have fun. Many people enjoy the social aspects of hosting a garage sale — meeting interesting people and exercising their negotiation skills. Then, too, there’s the satisfaction of getting rid of excess household contents that have been causing clutter, and putting extra money in your pocket in the process.

YARD SALE

Place an ad for your yard sale in the Denver Catholic Register (for as little as $35). Contact Linda Engel at servicedirec tory@archden.org or call 303-715-3212.