How To Organize a Yard Sale
Yard sales are a great way to declutter your home while making some extra money. The best yard sales don’t pop up overnight and require planning that can span as far in advance as a few weeks.
With a few practical steps ahead of time, you can organize a successful and hassle-free yard sale. Let our team at Five Star Storage guide you through the steps to organize a great yard sale this year.
1. Contact Your Local Government
In order to host a yard sale, you’ll have to let your local government and municipal officials know about your plans. Provide them with as much notice as possible and gather all necessary information to avoid any violations.
Do You Need a Permit for a Yard Sale?
Most neighborhoods do require a permit for you to host a yard sale. Not every town does so reach out to your local government to confirm this information. Permits are usually free or cheap and can help you avoid hefty fees down the road.
2. Ask Your Neighbors to Join
If you have neighbors who also need to get rid of some items, ask if they’d like to join in on the fun. A multi-home yard sale can attract more people to your sale with the appeal of a wider selection of items. The earlier your neighbors join you, the more time you’ll have to divide profits and plan the layout.
3. Gather and Sort Items
The next step to setting up your yard sale is to find the items you want to sell. Go through your home and identify items you no longer need but can be sold. After you gather all these items, sort them into categories, such as media, furniture, and kitchen items. Establishing categories will help you when it comes time to set up your yard sale’s layout.
What Not To Sell at a Yard Sale
Although the lure of preventing clutter from accumulating in your home is strong, there are some items you cannot sell at a yard sale. If an item is broken or unsafe, get rid of it instead of trying to sell it. Some hard-to-sell items are not worth the effort, including shoes, socks, and used mattresses.
4. Clean Everything
Before placing your items out for the yard sale, clean everything. Wash, dry, and iron all clothing you plan to sell. Polish and shine any brass or silver you have, and see that all your plates and cups are in good condition. For glasses and mirrors, wipe them down and clean them to remove smudges and smears.
5. How Do You Price Items for a Yard Sale?
In the yard sale world, there’s an unspoken rule where you never charge more than 10 percent of its retail price. Do some research online and see what each item is going for. From there, the best price can be determined based on the 10 percent rule[1] (the unspoken rule of never charging more than 10% of the retail price) and the condition and desire for that item.
6. Advertise Your Sale
To bring people to your sale, you’ll need to advertise it well! Create eye-catching signs and place them throughout the neighborhood leading to your yard. We also recommend using social media and yard sale searchers to promote your sale.
7. Plan Your Layout
Organizing your garage with a clean layout is the key to a seamless yard sale experience. Keep similar items together and arrange them in a way that allows buyers to browse. Use signs to label areas and categories, avoiding confusion about where each item should be placed.
8. Set Up and Prepare For Your Yard Sale
As the day of the garage sale approaches, you’ll need to stay prepared for whatever happens. Here are some recommendations on how to stay prepared and set up your yard sale.
- Use tables, racks, and other displays for your items
- Ask family, friends, and neighbors to help
- Set up good lighting throughout your sale
- Watch out for impending weather conditions and forecasts
- Have change on hand for cash-paying customers
- Consider digital payment methods
9. Stay Organized Throughout Your Yard Sale
Throughout your yard sale, staying organized helps you stay calm and reduce stress, even on the busiest of days. Keep items in their designated spots until they are sold. Keep items off the ground to reduce clutter. Prepare to negotiate prices with customers and accept their offers whenever fit. Remain happy and calm to promote an inviting yard sale environment.
10. Make a Plan for Leftover Items
More often than not, there will be items left over from your yard sale. Even if you don’t have enough space at home, there are ways to keep them secure for the next yard sale. The best way to store leftover items from your yard sale is with self storage.
The best storage unit will offer you plenty of space to store your belongings at an affordable monthly rate. There are several types of storage units to choose from, each one catering to different needs. One of the most popular options is climate-controlled storage, which are units kept at stable temperatures to shield temperature-sensitive items from the elements.
Declutter Your Home With Five Star Storage
Whether you need to store excess items from your yard sale or need space as you prepare for the next yard sale season, Five Star Storage is here to help! Our self storage helps people across the northern United States boost their yard sales. Contact us or find your nearest Five Star Storage location online to rent or reserve your storage unit today!