Big Bill Love's Tips For Having a Successful Yard Sale

We've had some cool weather now that fall is finally here, and it's time to get started with the fall yard and garage sales. To help you make the right purchase or have the best sale, here are some of my tips from many many years of attending and having yard and garage sales.

TIPS FOR HAVING A SUCCESSFUL SALE:

Be sure shoppers can find your sale. Go to Wal-Mart and get a few big colorful blank posters. Be sure they are all the same color. Get a thick black magic marker and print a few words directing lookers to your house. I just put YARD SALE SAT. with a big black arrow pointing to our house. Place the posters at the nearest cross street. Remember the passing cars will only have a few seconds to read the sign so just print three or four words on it. Folks won't come to you if they can't find you.

If you are in a heavily traveled area, you may not need to advertise. The yard sale searchers will find you if you have good signage. If you need to advertise, put an ad in Craigslist and Facebook. A few photos of your items for sale will help.

If you advertise a starting time (such as 7:00AM), be prepared to have your biggest crowd in the first hour.

Place some of your most attractive items in front of your display. Many folks will drive by and slow down to see if you have anything that interests them. Get their attention with bikes, furniture and other high demand items.

Be sure to put a price tag on each item and the size if it's clothing. If there is any question as to how the item is used, put that on the tag too. (example: "6 inch lid for Corningware dish").

Don't price your items too high. Most folks are looking for big bargains. Be prepared to come down in price a little. I usually have some "wiggle room" of about 20% but if the buyer is interested in several items the price may drop even more. It gets real low near closing time.

Most yard sales start about 7:00AM on Saturday and end about noon. You won't get much action after noon. You will see a few start Friday. I see very few on Sundays.

The items that seem to sell best are children's clothing. The little rugrats have a way of outgrowing their stuff by the minute. Unless you intend on handing down clothes to younger siblings, sell 'em. Furniture always sells. Put it out where folks can see it. Many used furniture dealers will drive by to see what you've got. If you have any items that require electricity, you might want to run a power cord to your display so a potential buyer can check if the item works.

Have plenty of change. Someone is going to whip out a $20 bill to pay for a fifty cent saucer. Keep your cash on your person or in a safe place where a potential thief can't grab it and run. If you suspect a shoplifter, just stay near them and ask if they need assistance. Let them know you are watching.

Bill Love photo

I hope all this helps you plan a successful sale. Please check this site Saturday morning after 6:00, and I'll give you some tips on shopping at a yard sale.

Categories: Do It Yourself, Shopping

Big Bill Love’s Tips For Yard/Garage Sale Buyers and Sellers