5 Fundamentals of a Successful Yard Sale

There are few things more satisfying than turning your unwanted clutter into cold, hard cash. Despite what it may seem, this doesn’t actually require the swish and flick of a magic wand to accomplish. Instead, a good old-fashioned yard sale will unveil the hidden treasures of your home and generate a little extra income. Just follow the 5 yard sale essentials below to make the experience as easy and as profitable as possible.

1. It’s all about location

Holding your garage sale in a location with high visibility is your best bet for attracting a lot of traffic. You’ll catch passersby and won’t take anyone out of their way to shop. If you live on a dead-end, a low-traffic road, or in an area with minimal parking, see if you can set up with a friend or family member in a better location. Then you can make it a multi-family yard sale which tends to stir more interest and attract more shoppers.

2. Set the date and time

Most yard sales are held on Sundays, so consider if you want to stick with tradition or try an alternative time like Friday to reduce competition with other sales. You can hold a multi-day sale to get as many customers as possible. You’ll also want to consider what times you’ll be selling. Many garage sale devotees like to start shopping early in the morning, and traffic usually peters out in the afternoon when other activities are scheduled.

3. Pick the right price

Your yard sale could be stocked with great items, but they’re only going to sell if the price is right. The general rule for pricing is 50-30-10 with unused items priced at 50% of their retail cost, slightly used items at 30%, and used items at 10%. Also, consider pricing smaller items like books, CDs, and DVDs as “Buy 1, Get 1” or a similar package deal. Customers will feel like they’re getting a good deal, and will likely buy more.

4. Get the word out

Getting the word out is critical to a successful yard sale. Post an ad on Craigslist with pictures of your hot-ticket items. Similarly, check to see if your area has websites or Facebook groups devoted to yard sales or if there’s a section in the local newspaper you can advertise. You’ll also want to create bright and clear signs to hang out around your neighborhood with arrows directing towards your sale.

5. Make it eye-catching

The more care you put into setting up your yard sale, the higher the value your customers will perceive the items to be. Rather than covering every inch of your yard with the things you want to get rid of, put out a smaller selection of high-value items. Make some items highly visible from the road, too, to attract drivers.

Garage sales can seem like a big undertaking, especially if you’re not used to organizing them. But with these 5 fundamentals in mind, you’ll score big and rake in the cash. (We hope.) Good luck out there!