Organizing a Yard Sale:

Yard sales are a great way to get rid of all the stuff that you don't need anymore, all while making some extra money. They can turn into a real nightmare, though, if you don't put enough effort into preparation. Believe it, when it comes to yard sales, every detail matters if you're to have a successful and profitable day, and the key thing to achieve it is to plan ahead.

From advice on prices to some simple tips on how to boost your sale, here's our guide to a successful yard sale.

Decide What's For Sale

First, you should separate the things you're certain you want to sell into one area. If needed, dedicate a whole room for them, or even better - put them in a garage. Now for the iffy items, how will you know if you want to sell them? Well, for starters, if you're imagining a perfect buyer for your stereo, you're most probably not ready to part with it. The easiest way to decide if you want to keep something is to switch roles. If you didn't have it and you went to a yard sale today, would you buy it? If the answer is no, sell it.

Set the Date

You'll probably think you can organize a yard sale for this weekend. Instead, you should give yourself some preparation time and schedule it for the beginning of next month. This is the best time to organize a yard sale, for the simple reason that most people will be cashing in on their paychecks around that time. So, with the date set, you should check if you need a permit for a yard sale. Some cities require it, some don't. It's important to get the permit if it's required because you don't want an unpleasant situation destroying your yard sale.

Set the Prices

Make sure you've put a price on everything. You'll want to avoid answering questions about prices as much as possible. Whatever color you pick for your price signs, make sure it's clearly visible on a sunny day. If it rains, you'll probably have to reschedule your yard sale anyway.

Don't go too high on the prices. Those items might hold some sentimental value to you, but not to your customers. After all, you're there to get rid of the stuff, not to keep it. If you're having difficulties setting up prices, you can visit a yard sale in your city and see how it goes. If visitors aren't buying a lot, the prices are too steep.

Day of the Sale

By the morning of the yard sale, you should've already prepared a lot of change money. Don't rely on your customers to bring it, because they might just back out of a buy if you can't return the change. Try not to get too chatty with a customer while your other shoppers are trying to catch your attention. Be pleasant, of course, but always keep in mind that you're there to do business. And if you haven't already, get some tips on how to handle money transactions. It will make your life much easier.

Some Stuff Just Wouldn't Sell

Don't worry, it's perfectly normal. The real question is, where are you going to put all the stuff that you didn't sell? You can always put it back inside your home, but that's a bit anticlimactic if you were looking to get rid of it. Not to mention that you probably already planned the space for something else. If you're up to it, you can organize another yard sale soon, and find yourself a supercheap storage unit to keep your stuff tucked away in the meantime. It's actually really affordable, and you just earned some money today.

Start Selling

Having a yard sale is a unique opportunity to get rid of your stuff in a fun and profitable manner. There's a reason why people visit yard sales, and it's mostly because they can find good stuff at a low price. No one likes to throw away things. Through a yard sale, you're giving your stuff a new home. While you will earn some money, the bigger satisfaction for you will be to see that people are prepared to pay money for the stuff that was a part of your life.