Lessons Learned from Yesterday's Yard Sale

[barbeml]

Trends seem to change yearly when it comes to what works and people are looking for!

Yesterday was the "big" commuity yard sale in my DB and DSIL's neighborhood. Residents who participated chipped in $10.00 for "advertising."

Lesson #1: Do not trust community advertising. The signs were terrible--really unreadable from a car. Also, they did not advertise in the major area newspaper. However, I took out an ad just for DB's address. We had more traffic than anyone and it was a steady stream from 7:15 AM to 3 PM (sale ran from 8-1).

At one point my SIL's mom took my nephew for a walk through the neighborhood and no one had as many shoppers as we did, so my advice is run your own ad no matter what. Next year we will make our own signs too.

Lesson #2: Definitely sell refreshments! My SIL is known for her homemade cinnamon scones. We set up a table selling the scones for $1 each and fresh brewed Starbucks coffee at 75 cents per cup. We sold out early. So many people said they had started out so early that they had not eaten breakfast, so they bought from us. For later on, my nephew set up a lemonade stand and I sold home-baked brownies (sold about 30 at 50 cents each), and the leomade sold out in an hour.

Lesson #3: Take the time to make good signs and price tags. I used the computer to make large price tags in all denominations. They could be easily read from a distance, and dozens of people commented on it. My SIL also made some very clever signs that described large-ticket items with humor and "appropriate" fonts.

Well organized merchandise with visible pricing is eye-catching.

Lesson #4: Books sold big, but not housewares. All the "experts" say housewares are big sellers. We sold a lot last year, but not this year. I had tons of stuff in good condition priced dirt cheap. Not much went, with the exception of baskets.

Lesson # 5: Package sets! ZipLoc bags are a lifesaver. SIL packaged nephew's baby outfits as sets in ZipLoc bags. Everything was visible, but it all stayed wonderfully organized. I did the same thing with Barbies, clothes & accessories and sold many bags. Plus, whatever does not sell can be neatly stored from next time.

At the end of the day, I made $125 for WDW (did not have any big-ticket items), DB and DSIL made around $300, and nephew made $11 selling lemonade. Plus, I got some exercise cleaning out my attic and I have freed up lots of closet space! So to me it was worth it.


I hope this was helpful and wish everyone luck with their summer yard sales!

Barbe

 

[momxx5]

Thanks for all the tips.

We average a yard sale every-other year and we are due. My attic is overflowing. I agree making easy to read signs is very helpful. I sell alot of my DD's clothes. I put them togehter according to size and season and then put up big signs "Toddler 2T - Summer" and all around the sign I list the names brands "Gymboree, Old Navy, Gap, etc. It really brings people into look. I can easily get $3-5 for an outfit in excellent condition. Of course all the good clothing is on hangers. The play clothes are also sorted and usually sell for 50cents.

DH sets up a table with all the electronics. They seem to sell really good too.

Last time I put up a sign "If you don't see what you are looking for...ASK, we might just have what you need". A lady asked DH for a certain computer cable and sure enough he had it in the house - sold it to her for $5. Another man was looking for guns - sorry but since we don't have any we weren't able to help him. It made us chuckle.

Usually baby furniture sells but last time the crib was left until the end and went for $25 - crib only used for 9 months in excellent condidtion. You just never know.

Well, I think you have given me the kick in the bum I need. I'll head to the attic this week and at least start organizing things.

Thanks and congrats on making some Disney spending $$.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Those are excellent suggestions, very practical! I like opening early and enjoy baking, so I may try having a little breakfast table next time. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[barbeml]

We had a guy ask for guns and swords! He didn't look like the type, but you never know!

I always try to greet folks and ask if they are hunting for anything in particular.

 

[momxx5]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the children set up a game/prize booth. They put happy meal toys into brown lunch bags and put color dots on the bags. They charge 10cents for a spin, using the Twister spinner and whatever color it lands on the person gets that bag. They make a few $$, but mostly its to keep them busy at the yard sale.

Sometimes they just sell the bags as grab bags.


I may get a case of water and sell that w/snacks.

 

[madison66]

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[piglet33]

Our local newspaper sponsored a large yard sale last weekend. They took out full page ads in their own newspaper advertising the sale so I didn't. I brought all my DD's outgrown clothes. I separated them by size and put them in large Rubbermaid containers (31 gallon ones). The sets I banded together with rubberbands. I taped signs to all the containers with what was in them and the price. We wound up making $320 just on baby clothes! Our "booth" had so many more people at it than the other ones selling baby clothes. It could be because I sold everything for $1.00 except the banded outfits that were $2.00. My goal was to get rid of as much as I could and make money for Disney!

Reneé

 

[decker96]

1. We put all the Happy Meal type toys in a shallow box, price it 10 cents and set it right next to the table where people pay. While mom or dad is paying the kids look through the box. Parents almost always will give their child a dime to buy a toy. We sold out almost the whole box in the first half of the day doing this!
2. I agree with organizing things by size and by boy/girl. My pet peeve is going to a garage sale and having everything be in a huge pile on one table with nothing sorted, kids and adult stuff thrown in together. I turn around and leave without even looking when I see that.
3. Also, old shower curtain rods hung from the ceiling work great to hang clothes on. DH put up two bicycle hooks on the ceiling of our garage and we hang the shower rod on rope from the hooks. It's very sturdy and clothes don't slide to the middle like they do when you just hang them on a rope.
4. Price things to sell! I had a garage sale last month and made $400. Everything was under $5, except for 3 -- $10 items. Most things were under $2.
5. Have a FREE box and put it near the front entrance of the sale (ours was at the end of our driveway). This draws people in to look what's in the free box and they will be more likely to shop the rest of your sale.
6. If it's a little rainy, have it anyway (unless it's a thunderstorm!). We had our sale during our neighborhood sales this year for 2 days. The first day it was drizzling and pretty chilly. We opened up anyway and many people that came said alot of people had not opened up yet (there were maps with all the houses participating on them). We highly increased our traffic that morning! (This of course, depends on your town. In ours people garage sale no matter what!)

 

[ceecee]

We have tons of unopened Happy Meal Toys I have grouped some together (ie: Barbie, hot wheels, Disney) What do I do with rest? .25 or what? One year I sold a lot at .50 but they were the more popular types.
I have about 50 ziplocs full of little toys and other junk, we'll see how that goes. I also ziploced DD's Barbies...never played with in great shape...how much????

 

[hercamore]

HI all,

Thanks for the sale tips! Having a sale this Friday. We have had SO much rain this spring so hoping for ONE nice day.

herc