Need yard sale help!

**daddys3chicks** · 06-01-2005, 09:02 AM

If this is not the right place for this please move it.

I am considering having a yard sale the weekend of 6/11. Several reasons - we are over run with junk we need to get rid of. We are going on vacation the following weekend and could use the cash.

But, I have had 2 previous yard sales - one I netted $95 and one I made a paltry $20.

I will advertise in the local paper and get signs out early. Any other advice to get more buyers?

How do you price things like movies, cds and books?

What are the big draws?

Can I get ready in a week?

Dh has an old car (1991 Dodge Spirit) in the garage - it runs and would be good for someone who needs not so beautiful transportation. Think we can sell that at a yard sale?

Any other words of wisdom are appreciated!

**mtjsmom** · 06-01-2005, 09:14 AM

Definitely put a sign on the car and mention it in yourr ad. i know alot of people look for baby/kid stuff and household items..I would have beeen mad if i only made 20.oo..lol..I made 200.00 and was disappointed, because for a good sale I can usually pull about 250.00-300.00..and thats for a 1 day sale..Me and my neighbors are going to have a sale the last weekend of June. i will be pricing things from now til then..lol..Surprisingly enough i will have a bunch of baby stuff because i think these 2 seasons will be off so i dont think new baby will be able to use alot of my stuff..

Carol

**TwirlingRainbowSky** · 06-01-2005, 09:17 AM

We had one Saturday. Our grand total in sales was $65.50. No one stopped for th first hour. Then people slowly came for the last 3 hours we were open. I have so much stuff left.

Everything was in fine working condition and the prices were reasonable. Two people asked for lower prices. They wanted a desk for $10 and a brand new vacuum for $10. I give up.

We did not start getting ready for ours until the Sunday before. I had hoped to get enough money to buy a couple things but not with that amount.

**daddys3chicks** · 06-01-2005, 09:27 AM

I am glad it is not just me that had a dud sale. We are kind of off the beaten path so I really think advertising might help.

**daddys3chicks** · 06-01-2005, 09:29 AM

So far we have the car, a twin bed with mattress and box springs, an exersaucer, some pots and pans, kids clothes, books, cds, I will have some rubber stamping and scrapbooking stuff.

**Heather** · 06-01-2005, 11:15 AM

Good luck with your sale

I know when we have one I price things really cheap as I want to get rid of it. We had a church yard sale a few weeks ago and things were going for 50 cents, a quarter, some things a dollar.....and it was amazing how much stuff we got rid of and still made $615.00. I'm not saying everything should be priced that low though. To make things less complicated and less work for you ticketing items, have a table with everything for $2.00 and a table with everything for $1.00, that kind of thing.

Hope you get lots of customers! (paying ones

)

**madkat2618** · 06-02-2005, 08:47 AM

I found that at our garage sales, books and CD's were good sellers. Paperbacks, I would see 3 for $1, hardcovers, maybe $.50 - $1. CD's would be $2-3, each. Kid's clothes I would separate into like items, and price them that way. Say, T-shirts 50 cents, pants $1, etc. Outfits would be hung up, and priced on their own, usually anywhere from $1 on up, depending on what they are, and what kind of shape they are in.

Also, make sure your signs have arrows on them, pointing the way to go, it makes a big difference!!

**daddys3chicks** · 06-02-2005, 11:26 AM

I had a thought of doing a table of clothes and making it "Fill a bag for $2 or $3" or something like that. I am thinking people might think they are getting a better deal that way and I can get rid of more. I would put the nicer stuff on hangers and price them, but that would save me and make figuring totals easier.

**Jerseygirl** · 06-02-2005, 08:28 PM

I love going to sales where the baby clothes are organized by size and sex, in bins that are raised up, so I'm not bending over looking at each piece with my bottom in the air, the bins are marked and clothes are no more than .50 each-I went to one last week that was so pleasant I nearly bought her out, sspent much more than I had intended, but she had safety pinned sets together, nice outfits and dresses were pressed and hung, it was more like going through the clearancwe racks at a store than a garage sale. I would also make a sign noting what is on tables, when people are driving by and considering stopping, they may not notice flat cds and dvds on a table. Definately mention the car in your ad, that is exactly how I bought my convertible.
Good Luck!

**baxjul** · 06-02-2005, 08:49 PM

We made $600 on our garage sale. I priced everything kind of cheap. DH had some tools and such that sold for higher prices. Make sure to list most of the items in your ad.

**i.m.cheap** · 06-18-2005, 11:28 PM

I never make less than $300 at my one day sales. The one I had last month (on a Thursday, from 7am-1pm) netted me a little over $400. I advertised only in the free weekly "shopper' paper. The ad cost nothing. I use the same signs every time, just don't put the dates on them.

I price everything pretty cheap, almost all clothing is $1 for each piece, t-shirts and shorts are 50¢ each. Books are $1 for hardcover, 50¢ for paperbacks. I make sure most of the clothing is on hangers, and everything is on attractive displays. I use tables with inexpensive, solid color plastic tablecovers to display most items. I will even sometimes sell some of my "health and beauty" or "household cleaners and paper" stockpile. Sometimes I just have so many packages of soap or napkins, or whatever, that I have gotten free or VERY cheap with coupons. If I display one table of these new items, it seems to draw people to the sale. I love holding yard sales. The first two hours of my sales are always very hectic, with alot of customers. I like to start early, especially when the weather is warmer. It also helps to attract people to your sale first, if you open an hour or so before most others. I find that many people will stop at sales on their way to work.