Hosting a Yard Sale

Clutter seems to plague us no matter what we do and we all tend to accumulate so much "stuff" that a periodic "cleansing of the clutter" is necessary. Hosting a yard/garage sale to get all that clutter down to a manageable amount -and make a profit doing it-is one of the best ways to kill two birds with one stone (especially if one of those birds is green and yellow and made of ceramic and stands 28 inches tall and clashes with the new couch).

Hosting a successful yard/garage sale takes a little bit of planning and a little bit of work but the results can be well worth the effort.

Planning should begin at least two weeks before your sale. Ads in local papers are a must. Start separating your items and price them as you go, if possible, then pile them together in a corner of the garage. Set aside a few empty boxes and start gathering plastic bags from the grocery store.

Customer service and customer satisfaction are no different for yard/garage sales than they are for other retail events. Some garage sale veterans will walk away from any poorly organized sale, even after getting out of the car. Set up your sale so that it is inviting to customers.

A short list of suggestions includes:

1. Display items in ways that make them easy to see and handle. Use tables, even if you have to borrow them.
2. Price each item or group items on tables marked with a common price and sign (Everything on this table $1.00 each)
3. Have plenty of plastic bags and wrapping material for breakables.
4. Do not try to sell broken or otherwise unusable items. Have an extension cord plugged into an outlet and ready for "testing".

Displaying items on tables is important. Most items will sell better that way. Only some toys, stuffed animals, and hardware can be "dumped" into big boxes for people to look through. In general, customers don't like having to stoop down to pick things off the ground. or root around in boxes of "stuff." Grouping sale items into categories ("kitchenware", "books", "crafts", et al.) is even better..

Some hosts get away with "ask me the price" but it always looks like a scam to veteran garage sale-ers, like price depends on whether the host thinks you look wealthy.

Giving customers bags for their purchases is a necessity. Extra plastic bags can be used to cushion breakables.

Lastly, there's nothing worse than trying to make a buck at someone else's expense. It's the most common complaint in retail-being sold useless or broken merchandise-and yet the very same people who complain the loudest often do it themselves when it comes to their own yard/garage sales. The Golden Rule is again the best advice: If someone sold you a stereo that only worked while you held in the knob, how would you feel? Yard/garage sales are an opportunity to get rid of unwanted items but cheating to do it is never wise. If you have appliances and electronics that are quirky or don't work, put a sign on them saying so. Garage sale-ers are an eclectic and creative bunch. I've seen TVs, lawn mowers, and other electronics bearing big signs that read "Broken" fetch good dollars at sales. Some people can fix them; some want them as planters or art. If it's broken, put a sign on it saying so. It still might sell.

Lastly, a short list to make your sale more successful and easier for you:

1. Set up a small table and chair for yourself. You'll be more comfortable with somewhere to sit and put your coffee cup and sandwich. Keep your money with you and a box full of plastic bags underneath the table.
2. Advertise your sale in the local newspaper and community bulletin board
3. Put up signs the night before the sale. Write your real address (not just subdivision name) in thick marker so it can be read from passing cars. Provide an arrow at intersections. Nothing is more irritating to would-be customers than signs they can't read.
4. Use cardboard boxes or other stiff material for signs so that wind and rain don't bend them and make them unreadable
5. Get at least one other person to help you out during the sale. It makes bathroom breaks and negotiating with customers so much easier. Invite a neighbor to share the sale with you if you don't have anyone else.

Finally, when the sale is over and there is still some "stuff" left, resist the urge to keep it or junk it, and separate out the useable items and donate them to your local resale shop. You'll be doing a good deed and making someone's day in the process. And you won't have to re-stock all that clutter in your own house or garage.