Yard Sale Suggestions

[LWatson]

Okay so I want to have a yard sale in October when the post here does their Post Wide Yard Sale and everyone from the area and the Mexico city across the border comes (That is when we had our fall Post Wide Yard Sale last Fall and I'm hoping its then again).

Well, I want to know what things sell really well and what doesnt. I'm going to be getting rid of A LOT of baby clothes (like I have 2 big plastic tubs full of them), infant/pretod/toddler toys (my youngest is 19m and shows no interest in them only wants to play w/ the big kid toys), Books, Some clothes of mine that I have undergrown (lost 40lbs), a formal gown (too big), some yard toys (the ones that my kids dont play with EVER), some Christmas stuff, stuffed animals, and probably a stroller that my kids are too big for (they prefer the umbrella type).

Are these okay things to sell????

Also, I was thinking of having my kids set up a lemonade table or soda table to keep them occupied (okay so this will probably be for my oldest mainly...youngest will be 22m...oldest almost 4). Is this silly???

Also any suggestions on things to make sure I do, things NOT to do etc would be appreciated.

 

[malibuconlee]

I would think those things would sell.

Also, just wondered about the post-wide sales...they had them at Ft. Riley and I got lots of things from their sales, but when I have asked people say they don't do them here

We just moved to El Paso at the end of April, my DH is managing one of the big projects on the East side of the loop. He's civilian, but we have a similar lifestyle as military when it comes to moving a lot.

As for the lemonade stand, if your oldest is 4 I would thing that's a bit young to be handling money and you'll be busy enough with people coming to your sale to have to watch what they are doing. But that's just my 2cents worth.

 

[LWatson]

Oh they do them. They have one in Oct and one in April/May usually. They have them right b4 the big PCS time frames.

I forgot to mention I'm putting hubby on children duty so he would be helping our oldest w/ the money. Its kind of a way on teaching Corbin adding and subtracting. The price would be very small (like $0.10-$0.25). But I may not do it though. It was just a thought to keep the kids occupied and away from the stuff.

 

[malibuconlee]

Great, thanks, I'll have to keep an eye out when the time comes.

Oh and congrats on the weight loss.

 

[phred52]

1...I suggest smallish 5 ounce cups and price the lemonade @ 10 cents a cup, 3 cups for 25 cents. We've found by pricing low, there is a LOT of business at the lemonade stand. And our kids got a LOT of satisfaction by doing so much business.

2... Neatly display items and make sure EVERYTHING has a price. People will be hesitant to bother to ask, or they may put you on the spot when they do ask for a price. Those little stickers you can buy are great (but I recommend the plain ones not the pre-priced ones).

3..... When trying to think of a price, think of what you would want to pay for it if you were the one shopping. One rule of thumb I've heard is to price things @ 10% of what it cost new. My goal is to get rid of clutter, so I want things to sell.

4..... Be open to offers, depending on the types of things you are selling, and how much time is left for your garage sale. I price things at what I consider a fair price, but rarely accept a lower offer in the begining of a sale.

5..... If you have a bunch of random, little things, throw them in a box for one price (like a box where each item within costs a quarter or whatever)

6..... White sheets / tablecloths draped over all the tables help things to 'stand out' on the table. Also, group similar items together. Place larger items (furniture, etc..) outside closer to the street to get people's attention.

7...... Make sure to have PLENTY of change and small bills to make exact change. (I wear a cheap carpenters canvas belt with pockets to hold the $.. or one could wear a fanny pack to hold onto your $$.

8..... ADVERSTISE in local papers. Also place BIG signs on major streets with plenty of smaller signs pointing the way to your house at EACH intersection inbetween. We pull in traffic from 4 heavily traveled streets surrounding our house....with all the intersections covered with neon colored signs pointing which way to the sale.

9...... At the end of the sale, go back to EVERY sign you placed....and remove it. We save all these signs up in the rafters then pull them down every couple of years when we hold a garage sale.

10.... Set up ahead of time so the night before your sale, you can sleep and not start out exhausted.

Good luck!!

 

[mjkacmom]

I couldn't give stuffed animals away at my last garage sale!

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

don't put anything out you're not ready to part with...people will talk you down to nothing, and you have to be just happy that it will be gone, not worry about making huge profits.

I had a little boy's 2 wheel bike for $5 and someone asked if I'd take $2. yikes. and yes, I took it. More room in the garage and someone will use it

what sold: cooking/kitchen stuff, books, large furniture pieces, decorating stuff like framed prints, stuff to put on shelves

what didn't sell: clothes, stuffed animals, games

I had a "free" pile by the street - that worked out great - again, it was nice to see things go to folks who would use them.

Donate what's left after the sale. Save receipt for taxes!

 

[VBAndrea]

Follow all of Phred52's tips. One other thing I did with my last yard sale was to post pictures of the larger, pricier items (such as pack n'play, high chair, etc) on Craig's list. I said the items would be available at the yard sale starting at whatever time and date. We had tons of people come requesting the items they saw on Craig's list and I even had two people who begged to come to my house the night before to pick up items.

And I likewise had no luck with stuffed animals, but I occasional buy them for my daughter if they are really cheap and are horses.