Planning a Yard Sale? Here’s How to Make it Successful

Spring is a great time of year to purge your home of unnecessary items and clutter. Why not organize a yard sale and see if you can earn a little money from selling those things? Follow these tips to make sure your yard sale is successful.

Helpful Tips for Making your Yard Sale Successful

Advertise at least a couple of weeks in advance. Most yard sales take place on the weekend – and weekends get busy for people quickly. Make sure to give potential visitors plenty of notice by posting signs in your neighborhood and advertising on social media. Consider asking a few nearby businesses if you can post flyers on their bulletin boards.

Think about joining forces. If you are ready to clean out your home, your neighbors might be interested in selling a few things too. Plan a multi-home yard sale, and you may be able to attract bigger crowds. You can also pool your resources together with regard to things like tables and chairs.

Organize your items intuitively. Many people don’t have the patience to sort through a pile of randomly assorted stuff. Make it easy for people to find what they want by organizing your items by category and price.

Do as much advanced prep as possible. Set up your tables and chairs the night before, if you can, and be sure to have all of your necessities (a calculator, extra price tags, bags for people’s purchases, cash and coins for change) ready to go. The last thing you want to deal with on the day of the yard sale is rushing out to buy essentials.

Things to Consider when Finalizing Plans

Keep the weather in mind. You can’t control the weather, but you can prepare for it. If you have a garage, consider clearing out some space so that you can move your items in there if it rains. (You can also specify a rain date when planning your yard sale, if you have too many items to fit in a garage or under a tent.) If it’s warm, put out a cooler with some bottled water for your visitors to enjoy, or have your kids set up a lemonade stand during your yard sale!

Start early. Give your visitors as much time as possible to browse your sale by starting early. That way, if people have other activities scheduled for later in the day, they have a chance to stop by and see what you’re selling beforehand. (Seasoned browsers tend to want to get to a yard sale as soon as it opens, too, so that they have more to choose from.)

Accept more than just cash. Invest in a credit card reader that you can use with your smartphone (Square is probably the best-known example, but there are others on the market). Payment apps like Venmo, Zelle and Cash App offer cash-free flexibility as well.

Be flexible on prices. Negotiation is a part of yard sales, so don’t be surprised if someone offers you less for something than its listed price. It’s arguably better to get a lower price on an item than not to sell it, so be prepared to entertain these offers.

With a little planning and patience, your yard sale can be a great way to offload some of your clutter and hopefully make a profit – all while having fun with your neighbors.

Trust an experienced real estate agent

Having a yard sale is a great way to get ready to sell your home. By getting rid of all your unwanted items, it will make it easier to keep a tidy home for showings and you’ll have less to pack when the time comes to move. Curious about what your home is worth in its current state? With professional guidance, you can make informed decisions that align with your current wants, housing needs, and long-term goals. At ERA First Advantage Realty, we know experience matters. Connect with a local ERA agent today!