From antiques, vintage clothes and typewriters to garage tools, Tupperware and grandma’s dishes, yard sales are as unique and diversified as the people who hold them. Yet, there is one common denominator. . . they are a lot of work.
A sale done right is a great way to rid yourself of unwanted items and put some fast cash in your pocket. A yard sale done poorly can be a nightmare. So, here are some tips to make it worth your time and effort.
It is very disheartening to watch people pull up to your sale and then drive off because they don’t consider it worth getting out of the car. Look carefully in the attic, closets, kid’s rooms, garage, and any storage areas that you might have. If you doubt that you have enough to make a good sale, invite the neighbors or members of your family to join in.
You will need to have a small bank available to make change. Keep the size of your bank to a minimum and keep it in a safe place. In the past few summers we have seen a growing trend towards teams of thieves targeting garage sales. While one distracts, the other grabs the cash. The larger the crowd at your sale the more apt you may be to fall victim, as they just take the money and blend right back in with the crowd. Try using an apron to keep your money on you, or assign one person to the cash box and make sure they don’t take their eyes off of it.
Price your items to sell. This isn’t Macy’s, it’s your yard. You can hope to recover 15-30 percent of retail on new/in-box items or those in good used condition, 10 percent for worn items. It is often a good idea to offer items like pots and pans, towels, or sets of dishes in groups or box lots at one price for all. Don’t hesitate to set out incomplete sets of glasses, silverware and dishes. Someone else may welcome them as replacement pieces for their like set.
Protect your property. If your home sits back from the street you may want to rope off or block your driveway to the main flow of traffic and only allow it to be used for large item pick-up. While most people are considerate I did see a yard badly messed up last spring when an impatient man made a U-turn in wet grass!
Antiques and collectibles are a great draw to a sale, but keep high ticket items to a minimum. Half refinished tables, chairs in need of reupholstering, and pieces that can only be saved by painting or refinishing sell well, as do small collectibles. Just remember, overly ambitious pricing will most likely result in hauling everything back in the house.
Advertising is a must for a successful sale, but keep it simple. Place, time, date, and a few categories of the more desirable items you are selling. Don’t go into detail and don’t ramble! The most effective way to get word out about your sale is a combination of newspaper advertising and social media. Online I recommend posting on Facebook and Craig’s List. For newspaper ads, stay with your local area paper. Many of these will have special garage sale rates. While online sources are helpful remember this: many people who love to garage sale are not on social media so go with a combination of online and hard copy for the best results.
Signs directing people to your sale are a must. When my company liquidates a home by means of an estate tag sale, I often ask our customers how they heard about us. Six out of ten people tell me they saw our signs. With your signs, as with your ads, keep it simple. “Garage Sale,” date, address, time, and an arrow pointing which way to turn. If your sale is Saturday, get your signs out by Wednesday, especially if you live near a highly traveled street. I have discovered some great Saturday sales while sitting in traffic on Thursday! Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com.