10 Tips to Have the Best Yard Sale Part 1

Spring is the perfect time to downsize some of that stuff around your home with the age-old concept of a yard/garage sale. The spring time weather will have buyers ready to find some great deals after being cooped up inside all winter.

Yard sales are a great way to declutter your home but for all those items you need to hold on to, think about investing in a Cook Portable Warehouse. Our buildings can be delivered right to your backyard in as little as 7-10 days after payment.

And here are our first 5 of 10 tips to make your yard sale one to remember, help purge your home of unnecessary stuff and earn you some extra summer spending money.

Have the right location

You need the location for your yard sale to be on a popular and accessible street. If your home is hidden away from those drive-by customers, then talk to friends and family about using their place.

Or think about making your sale a multi-family or block sale to draw more visitors. Make sure to post signs that direct drivers to the location of your sale. Make it easy for people to find you!

Pick the right date

Not surprisingly, weekends are the best days to have yard sales. Saturday sales tend to be the most popular but a Sunday sale could also work especially during a holiday weekend. If you have a lot of stuff to sell, a multi-day sale will provide the best opportunity to get rid of everything!

Remember to pick a date when good weather is projected and have a back-up plan in case of rain. Spring is the perfect time of year to rid your home of all the clutter before the brutal summer heat starts.

Choose the right time

Expect an early and long day when planning a yard sale. Those early bird shoppers will most likely start showing up around 7 a.m. and want to get to shopping, haggling and buying. Most sales end my mid-afternoon (2-3 p.m.) but if you have a lot of stuff try to stay open as long as you have customers!

Get the word out

Sings are a big part of spreading the word about your sale so make sure they have the location, time and date and list any big ticket items. Put them on heavily trafficked streets the day or night before your sale.

Advertise your sale on free websites like Craigslist and other Find Yard Sale websites or pay for a newspaper advertisement if the sale will be very large. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) are also great, free avenues to publicize your sale.

Spend time preparing items

During the few weeks before the date, start gathering all those items you plan to sell together. Then, about a week before, organize items into similar categories and price them. The day before (weather permitting) move things out to the garage, driveway or backyard. Consider how many clothes racks, folding tables, shelves, etc. you will need to showcase your stuff properly.

Put a price tag or sticker on every item but anticipate bargaining. A good rule of thumb for pricing is 50 percent retail cost for new items, 30 percent for slightly used and 10 percent for used. Also, think about buy one, get one deals to help entice customers.

Looking for more tips on hosting the best and most profitable yard sale? Then, read our next post. And for more great storage tips download the FREE guide from Cook below!