Tips for an Organized Yard Sale
One great way to help get rid of that clutter that lingers is to plan a yard sale. Sometimes it’s hard to donate items when you don’t know where they’re going and if they will really be used. It’s easier to get rid of things when you know your items are going into the hands of someone who does want them. Sometimes a yard sale can be more work than it’s worth, so you need to be organized and efficient in the process. Here are some tips to help keep it simple and successful:
- Contain: When clearing out clutter, have an extra bin for yard sale items. Keep dot stickers and a black permanent marker handy to price things right away as you’re clearing through a cluttered place. When you’re motivated about a sale, you’re more likely to sell what you can.
- Don’t go it alone: A sale is a big undertaking, make sure you have someone to help out, there needs to be at least one person on duty at all times. The best option is to have a multi-family sale. Combine your efforts with a friend or neighbor, you’ll have more items to attract customers and more people available to staff the sale.
- Price to sell: Yard sale items are typically priced lower than at a thrift store. If something is labeled for $8.00 at a thrift store, tag it for $5.00 at a yard sale.
- Price by bin: Rather than tagging every item, label bins with a price and toss items into that bin.
- Get the word out: Post signs, place an ad in the local paper and list in online classifieds. There’s even an app for that: Garagesalestracker.com
- Pick-Up: The most important part of having a yard sale is making sure that the items ALL go. When your planning, call and arrange for the pickup as soon as possible after the sale ends. Itemize what remains and you can even take a tax deduction so you’ll still come out ahead!
Having a yard sale is an undertaking, but if you plan it properly, its a great way to streamline, get rid of excess clutter and feel more organized.