Yard Sales

It is the dreaded thing we all enjoy but hate to do! The work that goes into doing a yard sale is miserable but we do have fun exploring them. Today i am going to give you some tips so hopefully your next sale will be a successful one. The biggest problem we have when it comes to doing our own sales is that it's risky. We want to get rid of some stuff that's lying around our house collecting dust, but at the same time, who would want to buy this stuff...right? Well....when you go to other people's yard sales, i bet they thought the same thing! And most of these people are doing really well with these sales! So here we go.....let's discuss some things that we can do to maybe have a successful sale next time! I'm gonna make this a semi-short list.....I found a really LONG list though of some AWESOME things....to read it go to http://wwww.yardsalequeen.com/ This lady on this site is truly the yard sale queen! She does her own, she shops them, she loves yard sales! I happened upon this site though because i am thinking of doing a sale of my own soon and I was looking for some tips to have a successful sale.



1. Advertise.....obviously! You need to put it in the paper! You can advertise in your local papers want ads section, craiglist, check local news websites for your area. Most, if not all, of these are free. Make signs! Check your area for rules and regulations on sign placement near streets. But you can place smaller signs on bulletin boards at the grocery store and pharmacy. Be consistent in your sign making. Make them legible. Make sure people know each sign is yours, make them all look the same.



2. Make things look neat and tidy. Cut the grass a couple days before. (not the day before....a couple days before) Wipe dirty things down. Put clothes on tables or on racks, not on blankets on the ground. Stack books and cds and movies neatly.



3. Set up a men's area. Men aren't as big on sales as women are. If they have something to look at they are more likely to stop. Make sure they can see it from the road as they drive by. Find something that will grab their attention and make them want to stop.

4. Make prices obvious. Don't put them on the bottom. People are looking at the tops of things. You don't have to price things individually. You can price by table. Or by box, or whatever. Larger items will need larger signs for prices. Don't make people ask you all day. If they do ask you....don't waffle....know what you want for a price and don't be afraid to tell them. But do expect people to ask you for a lower price. People always want a bargain! (The yard sale queen has some other advice on pricing....check out her tips on this area too)

5. Remember adult clothing doesn't usually sale as well. Consider thrift store donations or consignment shops for these things.

6. Play some music. Something general.....not heavy metal or anything that is grating on the general public's nerves! I wouldn't suggest opera, even if it is your music of choice. And not playing too loudly.....just enough that people can converse without having to whisper. They want to talk about your things without insulting you! LOL

7. Dont be insulting or intrusive. If they aren't asking your opinion, they probably don't want it. And if they are looking at clothes that won't fit them.....it's likely they realize the size of the clothes and they aren't for them! (as someone who has been told by another that they had nothing that would fit me, when i wasn't the one shopping, i was with a friend, i can tell you NOTHING makes a person wanna get out of there faster!)

8. Have plenty of change and bags to put things in! Save those plastic and paper bags from the grocery store! Generally....plenty of chang would be a couple of 10's, four 5's, twenty-five 1's, a roll of quarters, nickles, dimes, and pennies. actually, if you just have about a 10-15 pennies (you probably wont need them) and $5 in nickles and dimes total. you will mostly use quarters and bills.

9. Plan your dates! Holiday weekends aren't a good idea...people travel! Whereas, pay day....good idea! If you know most people in your area get paid the 1st or 15th, then the weekend just after pay day would be best!

10. Ask a friend to join you. Takes the pressure off of you to sit there all day. And you can share the responsibility and costs of ads with some one!

If you have any other tips that i don't have here....feel free to share by leaving a comment! I have read many many many more. These are some i have picked up here and there. Some i have implented in my previous sales. Some i will try for the first time this time. We will see how it goes!