How to Have a Successful Yard Sale

Having a successful yard sale is not that difficult. For cryin' out loud, I sold rocks that I picked up in my yard when I was a young boy! I think a lot of that had to do with my curly-haired cuteness, but either way...I made money.

Going to look for yard sales, or yard sailing as I like to call it, is a fantastic weekend activity. My numerous voyages have given me the insight as to why some yard sales are successful, and others are not. Having a good yard sale is not rocket science, and my degree in business did not help me with my yard sailing skills. You don't have to have a college degree to have a good yard sale. You don't even need to be educated; you just have to know a few key elements that will make your yard sale profitable!

In order to have a successful yard sale, you must be offering a good product. The old saying, "One man's junk is another man's treasure." is true, however the term "junk" must be given some serious consideration. Used coloring books, and last week's newspaper is not junk. They are trash and belong in the recycling bin. Stuff like this will never sell at a yard sale because people don't want to buy something they can't get any use out of!

Clothing - Clothing is not always something people look for while out yard sailing. In fact, you will fail in your attempt at a yard sail should you decide to have only clothing. Some clothing can sell, while others will do nothing more than collect pollen in your yard.

• Underwear is never a good idea to sell at a yard sale. Nobody wants to put on your old tighty whiteys, and no one wants to put on your old athletes foot, fungus infected socks! You may find a person here or there that will buy a bra, but don't sell under garment at a yard sale. It is gross and you won't sell any! Just throw them away!
• T-shirts/Pants are almost as bad as underwear. They have been worn and sweat into for long enough that you don't want them anymore. Why would anyone else want to buy them!? You're better off tossing them in a trash bag and dropping them off at your local Salvation Army or Goodwill. You'll probably get a bigger tax refund than you will sales on t-shirts.
• Sweatshirts can be a decent seller. As long as they are clean and in pretty good shape, you can make some money selling your old sweatshirts.
• Coats/Jackets are not bad to be selling at a yard sale. Again, if they are clean and in decent shape, money can be made.
• Shoes/Sneakers are sometimes a good idea, but only if they aren't smelly, ripped, or holey.

A good way to decide whether or not clothing will sell at a yard sale is the skin check. If it touched your skin, people will probably not buy it!

Games - Almost any type of game is good to have at a yard sale. As long as all the pieces are included, people will buy games. Board games, card games, and video games are always good sellers at yard sales. Even if they are old, someone is bound to stop by and say, "I used to love that game!" and take it off your hand.

Kitchenware - There is a constant need for kitchen utensils, dinnerware, silverware, pots, pans, and casserole dishes. Your old sets will make perfectly good first sets for a college student or young couple entering their new home.

Tools - Men love tools, and the opportunity to buy them at a yard sale for a cheap price is ideal. They may be a bit older and even rusty, but the chance to save $50-$100 is just something that can't be passed up!

Toys - Toys are another popular item at yard sales. If there are families out driving around, and you have toys at your yard sale, the kids are definitely going to beg to stop and look! Not only that, but when they do get to look, they are going to beg to get something, and since the prices are usually reasonable, the parents will cave! Similarly to clothing however, a yard sale of only toys is not going to draw people.

DVD's/Movies/CD's - Movies and music are great products to be selling at a yard sale. Nowadays, VHS movies are probably worth more in recycling materials than in yard sale profits. You will be able to sell CD's and DVD's pretty readily.

Furniture/Appliances - Because of the sheer size of most furniture and appliances, these products are tough to sell. However, they can be your most profitable if the right person comes along. It is a good idea to have some quality pieces of furniture at your yard sale. If they are falling apart, or don't work, do not bother selling them. It just won't happen.

Your yard sale should be diverse with products. Yard sales catering to one market will be much less successful because you are essentially shutting out most of the people that drive by! I have learned my lesson...if all I see is clothing or toys, I will keep on driving. No matter what.

Organization at your yard sale is important. When everything you are selling is just thrown into boxes or spread out on the lawn with no particular order, it is tough for people to make sense of it all. It can be overwhelming and send people the other way. Here are a few tips on how to organize your yard sale:

• Set up tables for specific groups of items. For example, set up a table with DVD's and CD's. Keep them all together in an organized box so that people can read the titles without having to dig through them. Another table may be dedicated to kitchenware, in which all of your plates, cups, silverware and pots are located.
• Garage sales are okay, but you must make sure the garage is welcoming and not jam packed. Nobody feels comfortable squeezing through someone's junk in the garage. It gives off the impression that you didn't want to do the work to get anything out.
• If you are selling furniture, keep it together. Much like the tables, it is easier to look through furniture when it is in one spot. Don't leave it tucked away in that garage, and don't pile other items on top of it. Pull them out, dust them off, and let them stand alone in order to allow people to inspect them before purchasing.

Basically, the more organized you are, the better.

The success of your yard sale will depend largely on the signs that you place to help direct traffic your way. The more successful yard sales that I have ever been to, have been the ones with bright neon signs guiding me directly into their driveway.

The keys to good signage:

• Bright neon background, with BOLD black writing.
• Information should include the address, the date of yard sale, and the time of yard sale. (start and end) The writing should be big enough for people to read from at least 20 feet away.
  
• Signs should be placed strategically on back roads connected to main roads with a sign and ARROWS at every turn necessary to get to your yard sale. The easier it is for the yard sailer to find your yard sale, the more chance you will have of them stopping by.
  
• Put up signs at all possible inlets. If you have two main roads connecting to your road...attract people from both ends!

Ultimately, the more signs you have, the easier they are to read, and the better they guide the way, the more successful your yard sale will be.

In our new day and age of Internet connectivity, advertising your yard sale online is also possible. Post it on Craigslist.com for free! Put all the necessary information into your ad, and go the extra mile to tell people some of the products you will have!

This is one of the most obvious aspects of having a successful yard sale. If your products are too expensive, you won't sell anything!

• Be reasonable when pricing items. Ask yourself, "How much would I pay for this if I was out yard sailing?"
• It is okay to aim high for some products, but be prepared to sell it for less. Remember, you are trying to get rid of this stuff, and any money is better than it just sitting in your house collecting dust for another year.
• Create "deals". Perhaps you are selling DVD's for $4 each. It may be helpful to also offer 3 DVD's for $9. You are effectively taking $1 off of each DVD, but you are still making money and are getting rid of your stuff.
• Be prepared to bargain. People will inevitably offer you less than the asking price for almost everything you are selling. It is okay to say no to their offers, but it is also okay to counter offer. Be confident when bargaining...it can lead to a much more successful yard sale.
• Finally, take the time to mark everything with a price. It is such a pain to have to ask the seller how much each item is. If you take the time to tag each item, you will find yourself with more buyers as well as a much lower level of hassle.

Pricing is important, but you must always remember to be flexible.

You are now ready to have a great yard sale! Follow these tips and you can't fail. One more thing....It might be nice to offer some kind of cold beverage on a hot day! Maybe your child can even sell some lemonade at your yard sale!

Good Luck.