Calling all yard sale experts!

[MeanLaureen]

I need your help!

Matt and I want to have a Yard Sale this Saturday and would like your hints and tips to make it successful.

It's been a long time since I've had one so fill me in!! We have a TON of stuff to get rid of!

Also pricing how much would you charge for Movies (VHS) - we have over 100 movies that we are getting rid of - good stuff too.

Any help would be appreciated!!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

If they are VHS I would go abotu 2.00 each and cut them a deal if they buy 10 .

 

[snoopy]

When I had my yard sale last year I priced the newer movies at $3, older ones at $1. I sold most of them.

 

[dina7]

I would charge $2 each for movies. Make sure all your items have prices on them. It makes everything run much more smoothly, rather than having to come up with a price on the spot and selling yourself short. You might want to mark things slightly higher than you would actually want for them. Some people automatically offer you half of the price marked. But then again you could just be firm on the price. It's up to you. Another item that I found to be a good seller is children's and baby clothes, if you have any. I was surprised how many people buy kid's clothes at yard sales. I priced the clothes at $1 a piece. It really added up when people came up to me with a nice stack of clothing. I also arranged the clothing on a table in piles according to size. That seemed to help. Also, make sure you start the day with plenty of change-lots of singles-also some quarters. Put up lots of signs in the neighborhood, too. Good luck!

 

[tiggerlover]

I just participated in a community yard sale this weekend. I sold my VHS for $1.50 each, the guy at the next table was selling his for $5.00 each, I sold most of mine, he still had a lot left. Certain items I priced higher because I knew people would haggle, then there were certain things I just wanted to unload so I priced them to sell. There was a decoder and satellite dish that we were selling for $350 (received american TV in Italy), a guy offered us $200 for it, we said no to that, how about $300, he then said $250 and we said our final would be $275 and he took it. I wasn't really expecting $350, but was expecting to bargain so that is why I priced higher and I am happy with what I got. I do agree with the clothing prices, I priced most things at $1 or $2 and it does add up when they sell. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Shugardrawers]

Here's a couple that have worked like charms for us

Have someone stand out on the nearest busy corner with a sign (like the kids do for car washes) directing them to your yard sale. The sillier they act the more traffic you'll get. The sillier they dress the more traffic you'll get. Try it, I guarentee it really does work! My grandparents lived a bit off the beaten path and had a garage sale in preparation for moving to an apartment from their home of 50 years. A few people trickled in from 7am till noon, traditionally the bulk of your sales are then. Goofing off, I put on one of Grandmas old dresses, stuffed it in the chest hideously and put on a cowboy hat and boots. I still don't know why or quite how it happened but the next thing I knew I was standing a few blocks away on a busy street corner dancing in that outfit while my Aunt held a sign saying YARD SALE 2215 192nd Place. Between 7am and noon we made $80, between 12 and 5 we sold all but one small box and made $700. I'm not kidding. It's worked at every sale we've had since.

Price ONLY the items you are fairly firm on. Everything else, especially the things you want to just get out of the house leave unpriced. Put up a BIG sign saying "Make an offer". If the offer's reasonable take it. The "pros" will haggle but a lot of people will just walk away if they think you're asking too much.

Organize like a dept store. Towels together, clothing together, toys together. Put the nicest and most desirable items closest to the street in full view of people driving by. They are more likely to stop.

If you want a good price for it, clean it up well. If it won't clean up it likely won't sell. Don't make the mistake of thinking "I can't get out this grease stain or fix this major hole in these jeans but I'll bet someone out there can." You'll waste precious time and energy hauling it out and pricing it and most likely have to haul it back in. Don't price it according to what you paid when you bought it, price it according to what you'd be willing to pay at a yard sale for it. My mother once bought a towel set for a LOT of money. A few years later she tried to sell one of the used hand towels for $3. She wouldn't bargain on it either. She wound up sending it to the thrift store. She priced my 1988 wedding gown at $200 (it was $500 new ten years earlier). It's been through 3 yard sales and I finally gave it to the thrift store not long ago.

Ditto horribly out of style clothing or home decor that isn't considered vintage yet. Some things are just better off in the trash or the thrift store.

 

[C.Ann]

Put a clearly marked price tag on EVERYTHING.. I turn around and walk out of yard/garage sales where items aren't priced.. I don't have the time or the patience to keep tracking down the seller and asking, "How much is this?" - "How much is that?"

VERY annoying and unnecessary..

 

[sunni]

Originally posted by Shugardrawers
Price ONLY the items you are fairly firm on. Everything else, especially the things you want to just get out of the house leave unpriced. Put up a BIG sign saying "Make an offer". If the offer's reasonable take it. The "pros" will haggle but a lot of people will just walk away if they think you're asking too much.

I would only do this if you have more than 2 knowledgeable adults during the busiest part of the day! People don't want to wait or track you down just to offer you .25 for something. There will be times you will be busy with customers, helping to load large items into trucks, rearranging messed up stuff, going to the bathroom, fixing lunch, etc. If all you have is an older child (or an adult not in the know) to take money during those times, not having prices marked will make it difficult.

 

[lynxstch]

we are having one this coming weekend also
1....make sure there are plenty of signs at all crossroads and major streets leading to your house..I also put some balloons at the smaller streets..makes it easier to find the way
2...make sure all items are clean and are priced..nothing worse than a seller 'making up' the price as you ask what it is
3...if you have electrical items for sale..it helps to have an extension cord plugged in so they can try the items
4..if you have larger priced items..put a price OR best offer on them..tell the people who are interested to stop back at the end of the sale..then sell it to them at the best offer!
5...make sure you have plenty of change available..lots of ones, fives, and tens..quarters, nickels, and dimes..I went to a yard sale with only a $20 in my wallet..and the seller didn't want to make change cause all she started with was $20 in ones!
6...if you don't want early birds..put this on your sign and stick to it..there's nothing I hate worse than trying to set up while there are vultures hovering..I have found putting sawhorses across the driveway with a closed sign on it helps till the appointed time arrives
7..if possible..and if you have a lot of small items for sale..have plastic bags or empty boxes for the people to haul away their items in
8...I try and group all 'like' items together..put cds, dvds, video tapes all on the same table..put all games, toys, etc...at another..I put down plastic tablecloths on the ground if I run out of tables..
9...I try and keep all 'higher priced' items right by the cashier's table..it's easier to try and keep an eye on them if they are right by you..and it's also helpful if you can have 2 or 3 people helping you out..prevents items from 'wandering away'!
10...most important..lock one door to your house (the one away from where you are having your tag sale)..and stay close to the other one..prevents unwanted visitors..also keep your change box/or whatever you are keeping your cash in..right by your side..don't leave it unattended!
Good luck..have a great yard sale!

 

[pjlla]

I am attaching a couple of links on this topic from the Budget Board where I shared my "superior yard sale knowledge" . Hope they help...............P

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=555113

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=550767

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I have always wanted to tell someone this.....PLEASE make sure your signs are legible from a reasonable distance and at a GLANCE. USE ARROWS...and as little info as necessary. Don't use a cut up brown cardboard box with an ink pen-no one will be able to read it....use contrasting colors, and a nice thick black marker. And please, please make sure you remove all of your signs the day after.

Movies-I'd say about $2 for VHS, I paid $3 for classic Disney (can you believe they were selling those???) and didn't bat an eyelash..

If you don't want to drag all the stuff that you don't sell back into the house, the Salvation Army will happily come and tote off anything you want to give them.

Good Luck.....

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Shugardrawers

Price ONLY the items you are fairly firm on. Everything else, especially the things you want to just get out of the house leave unpriced. Put up a BIG sign saying "Make an offer". If the offer's reasonable take it. The "pros" will haggle but a lot of people will just walk away if they think you're asking too much.

----------------------------------

I would walk away from a yard/garage sale that was conducted in this mannner - and I have seen many others do so as well.. There are far too many other yard/garage sales out there where the sellers have taken the time and made the effort to clearly mark all of the items they are hoping to sell..

The ONLY exception I would make is if items were being offered by the "box" full..

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

I am a huge yard sale patronizer. Currently outfitting a ski condo in VT on the cheap.

I would say SIGNS!! Make them big, white with black block letters and brief. Time, place and arrows.

I found one last weekend with an obscure location because they had a sign every 100 yds or so with a separat large ARROW pointing the way.

Prices shoud be negotiable. My big pet peeve is dusty, dirty items. Give them a quick wipe down, those packs of baby wipes work great.

Good Luck - if I lived near you I would be there!

 

[BethanyF]

Perfect timing for this thread....I just came in from my garage where I was starting to price my stuff for my sale coming up this weekend.

The one thing I always do is price and sell everything in .25 increments. Makes the math and change situation a lot easier.

If you have friends selling stuff at your sale, use differnet color tags. That way only one person has to work with the $ and they can keep a tally of who sold how much.

I slightly overprice everything knowing people are gonna haggle. So if I know i want $5, I will price it at $8. If I get the $8, wonderful; if I get the $5 tyhats great too.

If at all possible have another adult there with you. I am starting to panic because both of my helpers may not be able to make it on Friday. So I might be doing it on my own.

Money box....either wear a fanny pack or stash some of the big bills in the house. Just make sure nobody can get in the house.

Stuff in the garage not for sale....I will either make a big X over the shelving units with masking tape or I will drape a sheet over it.

I will follow this thread for the next few days as I price and organize my stuff.

 

[MerryPoppins]

My last sale I color coded what I was selling. For example, green tags were $1 items, yellow tags were $2, orange tags were $5, etc. The few items that don't fit my price scale I actually tag with white stickers and price them.

This saves time, because you don't have to write on every little tag and sticker. Then I put big signs explaining the pricing. This way, you can easily slash the prices by marking down the prices on the chart.