Garage Sale Updates!

Whew! I have been slaving away all day long clearing out my cluttered garage! I have finally gotten some of the tables up and table clothes on them! Some stuff is laid out already but I have much more to go! It's amazing how much we accumulate in so little time!

I am on a "no clutter" mission! This is the first yard sale I have had at the house this summer. Usually I do 3 or 4 due to buying storage units! This year I've only bought 1 unit but I have tons of stuff to sell! I am getting rid of it all! I just wanted to share with you guys the way I do a sale!

First of all I love to GO to yard sales. The perfect yard sale for me to shop at is one that is very orderly with prices and a motivated seller. This is where I get my inspiration!

1. I have 11 tables. (Four 6', one round, one 5' and the rest are pieces of plywood that I had split in half!) For the plywood I use a total of 4 plastic bins to set the wood up to table height (two on each side). I then place plastic table clothes over all of my tables for better presentation and to hide items under the tables that I don't want to sell!

2. I PRICE EVERYTHING! This way the buyer knows what I want for an item and can purchase it for that price or negotiate with me! I am always open to all offers. After all, we are selling the stuff for a reason right?

3. I organize the items on the table. I put toys together, kitchen items together, and so on!

4. I have 4 clothing racks! There's nothing like a yard sale where someone has just thrown all of their clothes on a tarp for you to get on your knees to dig in! I hand up and either price each individual item or make a sign to go on the racks that shows the price I would like for each item on that rack!

5. I advertise. I place an ad in the local paper (where your most serious yard salers look!), online in different yahoo groups that I belong to for my town, at my coupon club, etc. I even make up fliers to hang around in stores (with their permission, of course) and to give out to the neighbors. My husband will even take one to his job and post it up there for me! The more people that come the merrier!

6. Always have plenty of change. I keep an over-the-shoulder bag on me with my money in it! It never fails that the first couple of people give you a $20 bill for $2 worth of items. So...I make sure I am prepared with 10's, 5's, 1's, quarters nickels and dimes!

7. I always have plenty of walmart bags for their purchases! That way you are not sending them off with an armful of stuff that could drop and break! I also keep plenty of newspaper for the breakables! (Since I have so many from getting coupons!)

8. Street Signs. There nothing like mapquest giving you the wrong directions. I strategically place 6 signs at various roads for my sales. This way, not only will the ones looking for you, find you...but those that are passing by can easily follow them to your sale! I make two sided signs and use 1 sheet of poster board for each sign. I write in BIG BOLD BLACK LETTERS...easily legible!

9. I am prepared for the whole sale by the end of the night before! Yes, in the past I have stayed up until 2am, but over the years I have figured out that doing it a little at a time until you are done is way easier and a lot less stressful!

10. DAY OF THE SALE. I like to play music! I bring my radio down and turn it up loud enough so that people can hear it but not blaring! It's kinda like being in a retail store. Music makes people feel better...there's no question of that! It's uplifting and help avoid silent moments while you are walking around and people are shopping!

11. I always set up a "PAY ME" table. This way everyone knows where to go when they are ready to pay! Sometimes I even have spare bins for individuals to use, if there hands get full, until they are ready to pay!

12. Always be cheery and bright! SMILE SMILE SMILE! Even if someone doesn't buy anything tell them thanks for stopping by! I always say thank you when I go to someones yard sale if I walk off with or without buying anything! It's just pure manner's! They put a lot of effort into making that sale (I know first hand) so "thank you's" are always welcome!

13. Sit back and make your spare change! Gotta love the rushes...yes it can get hectic but most people are patient and will wait their turn to pay. Some try to interrupt you while you are counting up items for someone but if you just politely ask if they can hold on just a minute, they usually don't mind! I have mastered this balancing act and am able to answer them and not loose count! It took a long time for me to get that way though!

I hope sharing my yard sale with you will give you an inspiration to have one yourself. They really are fun!

Be sure to check back over the next few days for Before-During-and After Pictures!

Have a wonderful day! If you have any tips that work for you...be sure to comment and share them with us!