Everyone has their own preconceived notions and expectations of what a yard sale should be. Whether you see it as a place to buy junk or a plethora of treasures, I think we can all agree that they are an effective way to get rid of some of the clutter in your house.
We just hosted a yard sale and got the whole neighborhood involved. (This was a big hit when posting about it. People like to know that they can hit multiple houses close to one another!) My boys had literally been dreaming and begging to do a yard sale for years, and their dreams finally came true. They LOVED selling their toys, and they even set up a lemonade stand!
But, you might be wondering, how do people actually make money from a yard sale? How do people know you are having a yard sale? Isn’t it a ton of work to gather all of your stuff and sit outside all morning?
Well, I’m here to tell you that you CAN make some good money if you are willing to put in the work. (And if you have a lot of clutter to sell.)
Here are my top five tips and tricks on how to effectively host a fun, worthwhile yard sale.
Tips for a Successful Yard Sale
1. Set aside some time to really declutter your house.
You might think that pulling out some unused items and setting them on a table might do the trick, but for an effective yard sale, you have to have tons of stuff. Take a day to clean out your shed, your attic, your kids’ rooms, your closets, your kitchen, and even your beauty supplies. Pull out anything that you don’t use or that you want to get rid of. You can even ask your friends if they have anything they want to add to your sale, and you will give them their cut! The more stuff, the more likely people are to stop, get out of their car, and take the time to look through everything.
2. Promote your yard sale by putting up signs.
You have to have good signage. If people can’t read your signs, then no one is going to know that you are having a yard sale. I suggest using bright signs, like a neon poster board, and putting up a few around your area. You will definitely want enough so people know how to navigate through your neighborhood, but you will also want to put some up around major intersections a week or so before so people can take note and be aware of your sale.
3. Post your yard sale on social sites like Craigslist and Facebook.
Craigslist has a specific listing location for yard sales, and I like to post in my local swaps on Facebook as well. Be sure to include what you have for sale, what hours and days you will be having your sale (Fridays and Saturday mornings are the most popular), and your location. You can add catchy phrases or information about any lemonade/bake sale that will be happening at the same time to attract more buyers.
4. Post your big items on Marketplace on the day of your sale.
If you have big-ticket items, like car seats, baby equipment, video games, appliances, furniture, or anything that you plan to sell for over $10, make a post on Facebook Marketplace the day of your sale. Once you get all of your items outside, you can pass the time while waiting for buyers to come by posting these items. You can also let people know on the Marketplace post that you are having the sale and encourage them to come pick up their items during your sale hours.
5. Sell your items at drastically low prices.
You won’t sell anything if you price your items too high. Some people like to put price tags on items beforehand, but I think this is an unnecessary and very time-consuming step. In my experience, people will ask how much things are. My favorite price to sell things is under $5. You aren’t looking to make money off of one item, but the dollars do add up. Think low; if you price something too high, you will not sell it and you will end up giving it away for free. GO LOW!
That’s it! You’ve completed a successful yard sale. You have some money in your pocket and less junk in your house. WINNING! And if you have items that are left over, post them on your local Free Swap on Facebook, or donate them to a local organization that might need them.
Go forth and YARD SALE!
