Okay…this may be a stretch but I’d consider a yard sale a party. You?
* You work really hard beforehand preparing & planning
* You send out the invites via road signs & newspaper/craigslist etc
* You perhaps provide refreshments
* You’re completely exhausted afterwards
* It’s always rewarding b/c you get rid of stuff & make some moo-lah
I’d say that about constitutes a party. 🙂 However, my yard sale party wasn’t as giddy exciting as I would’ve liked. More on that later…
As for every party…there are helpful tips & suggestions. Getting ready for my yard sale, I picked up a few I thought would be helpful to you. 🙂 See…I’m a sharer.
ADVERTISING/INVITING
Since we do things on the cheap around here on PartiesforPennies…here are several websites to advertise your site that are totally FREE!
* Craigslist
* gsalr.com
* tagsellit.com
SIGNAGE
This is a VERY important thing to keep in mind with signage. Put your address & the exact date on your signs. Mine were actually stolen this past weekend. Yeah, I know! Who steals a yard sale sign?? I had spent hours on those signs making them bright, easy to read & colorful. Apparently (at least around my neck of the woods) people will steal them if there isn’t any specific information b/c they can use them for their own sale. What is this world coming to????
Helpful Sign Tips –
1) Bright Pink posterboard (I found) is the most attention grabbing
2) Keep It Simple Stupid…people don’t have time to read a novel on your sign. (I wasn’t calling you in particular stupid…its just a phrase. Love ya) Key information – SALE, Direction, Day/Date, Address or Cross Street & Time (of importance in that order)
3) Stakes! In most places it is illegal to attach anything to city poles/signs etc. I got my stakes at Home Depot for about $3 for 12 stakes
4) Check with your local city government to see if they have any limitations (i.e. the signs have to be so far from the road, etc)
5) Use Balloons attached to the signs or something different to grab attention. My next door neighbor used bright pink paper plates, attached them to the top of a white poster board & with black letters (one in the center of each plate) spelled out Yard Sale. It was creative & different.
6) Post sale info at your local Starbucks or Caribou…or even your local grocery store (wherever there’s a community bulletin board)
7) TAKE DOWN YOUR SIGNS IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU’RE DONE. It’s just being a good community member! 🙂
THE DAY OF THE BIG SALE
Refreshments
Kids lemonade = Good & you can teach them a little about business. Dunkin Donuts Coffee = Bad…unless you want to only sell 2 cups. 🙁 My sister had a great idea to sell coffee (I was going to pick up some donuts but got too busy) but it didn’t go over too well. Just keep in mind the climate during this time/temperature & the clientele. I think most of our customers had already had their morning cup o joe by the time they pulled up our driveway.
Pricing
I searched ALL over for pricing guidelines. There are several of them out there & all say something different. I do creative things, crafty stuff…I am not an accountant so the less amount of numbers I have to remember, the better. This was the best pricing guideline EVER & so easy to remember –
Items Price = 10-30% of their original value
There were a few things I made an exception for…like clothes. I did $1 for most shirts, pants, etc & $0.50 for tee shirts.
DISPLAY
* Speaking of clothes…I almost rented a clothes rack! Gasp! I know! I’m preaching….cheap, cheap, cheap…work with ya got…but have no fear…I gathered my brain power & came up with this contraption. It’s two ladders (one I borrowed from our neighbor) & the rod in between…it is our shower curtain rod. I tied some rope to secure either end…and voila…call me Yard Sale Macgyver! I know you can do it too. Always hang up the clothes. I guarantee you’ll sell more if you do. That was our biggest seller – clothes. (And the majority of those clothes came from that rack)
* This may be a “duh” tip – but organize items categorically. These were my home items.
* Cover tables with table clothes or old sheets. I now wish I had covered mine in brighter tableclothes. It just helps to catch the eye.
* Display toys & baby clothes toward the back of your sale. (Or whatever you think will be your biggest seller) This way people will have to walk by everything else.
* The exception to this is…if you have really nice furniture or something that catches the eye, put that close to the road or at least at a distance where people can see it. That way they’ll put on those brakes & grab their pocketbook. 🙂
* Another tip regarding labeling items – If there is information about that piece that would help sell it, make sure to include it on the price tag. (Ex: Works great, Used once, Brand name, etc) I even included things like….”Would look great in a kids room.” “Cute outside on a patio table.”
* Provide access to an outlet for people to try electronics. I actually set up a lamp & had it on (even included on the price tag the fact that I had just put in a new energy efficient light bulb). The lamp sold within the first 20 minutes of the sell. She didn’t even try & haggle with me.
Do these look familiar? :p I used the balloon/streamer lanterns on the mailbox to get peoples attention!
Even with the live model (aka my fiance), my blond wig didn’t sell! Can you believe it?? Maybe it was this pose that scared people away…
Like Dad, like dog…
And here are some last minute tips –
* Always keep the money pouch/box with you at all times. Don’t leave it unattended for 3 hours while you nap after the sale is over. (Yeah, that was me)
* Always connect with your customers & be friendly but don’t hover. Allow them to look in peace without commentary over everything they glance at.
* Don’t insult your customers. I heard a crazy story about someone telling a woman that the clothes she was looking at would definitely not fit her. (She was looking for her niece) Ouch.
Are you planning a yard sale/garage sale anytime soon?
You have some great ideas! Yard Sales can definitely be a party or at least that is always the hope because we always want a lot of people to come! I hope your sale was successful! 🙂
You have some great ideas! Yard Sales can definitely be a party or at least that is always the hope because we always want a lot of people to come! I hope your sale was successful! 🙂
You have some great ideas! Yard Sales can definitely be a party or at least that is always the hope because we always want a lot of people to come! I hope your sale was successful! 🙂
The lemonade stand is such a great idea for the kids to do to keep them busy!
Saw you @ CG…
The lemonade stand is such a great idea for the kids to do to keep them busy!
Saw you @ CG…
The lemonade stand is such a great idea for the kids to do to keep them busy!
Saw you @ CG…
Nicolette…True true! 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by! I'm such a newbie & I so appreciate you commenting & visiting the blog! Hope you have a great weekend!
Nicolette…True true! 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by! I'm such a newbie & I so appreciate you commenting & visiting the blog! Hope you have a great weekend!
Nicolette…True true! 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by! I'm such a newbie & I so appreciate you commenting & visiting the blog! Hope you have a great weekend!
Wow! You've got so much creativity and I'm admiring them all. Can you please share your creative posts at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop? Hope to see you there at the party 🙂
Wow! You've got so much creativity and I'm admiring them all. Can you please share your creative posts at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop? Hope to see you there at the party 🙂
Wow! You've got so much creativity and I'm admiring them all. Can you please share your creative posts at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop? Hope to see you there at the party 🙂
Thank you so much SJ! I checked out your blog & I have to say the same! Love it! Do you do your "Party & Hop" every week? You know I can't pass up a good party! 🙂
Thank you so much SJ! I checked out your blog & I have to say the same! Love it! Do you do your "Party & Hop" every week? You know I can't pass up a good party! 🙂
Thank you so much SJ! I checked out your blog & I have to say the same! Love it! Do you do your "Party & Hop" every week? You know I can't pass up a good party! 🙂
Hi, I just had a yard sale this weekend but was too lazy to put up signs. I figured that putting a last minute sign on the mail box would be good enough. Boy was I wrong!! This coming weekend I am so following your tips and advice. I had my daughters sell homemade popcorn but they were not very successful. I will try selling sodas with the popcorn. Thanks for your tips!!
Hi, I just had a yard sale this weekend but was too lazy to put up signs. I figured that putting a last minute sign on the mail box would be good enough. Boy was I wrong!! This coming weekend I am so following your tips and advice. I had my daughters sell homemade popcorn but they were not very successful. I will try selling sodas with the popcorn. Thanks for your tips!!
Hi, I just had a yard sale this weekend but was too lazy to put up signs. I figured that putting a last minute sign on the mail box would be good enough. Boy was I wrong!! This coming weekend I am so following your tips and advice. I had my daughters sell homemade popcorn but they were not very successful. I will try selling sodas with the popcorn. Thanks for your tips!!