Its Yard Sale season

Sale contents

I’ts now spring and that means that it’s any form of Sale season (you have around your house (Garage Sale, Yard, Sidewalk, and for those that rent… Tag sale)

I will cover as much as I can on this page, with maybe some help from a couple of outside sources.

Some of what I will cover here will be:

When to have your sale (Ideal days & times)
Must have supplies
Organizing Tips
Pricing your items
how to price those handmade items YOU made (even those that others give you to sell)
What to sell
Presentation
set up
Marketing
item suggestions to help you with your sale!
Templates
Handmade/Crafts Tips & pricing

What to sell at your sale

Clothes -these go pretty fast
Toys
accessories
tools – These People show up early
jewelry
handmade items- don’t sell yourself short. Check out the ‘equation card’ or download the craft calculator from Amazon
books
music- (Vinyl & Tapes are making a comeback
movies- Do you have a hidden gem esp. of VHS casettes?
video games- I’m looking for some PS & PS 2 & Sega Saturn ones oh & Nintendo DS
High end items like vases, candelabras, computer equipment, Furniture, Bikes, electronics,exercise equipment

Checklist printable

When should I hold it?

The best months to have a ‘Garage’ sale outdoors is from May – September (Though you MIGHT be able to get away with October/November if its still warm)
Best Days Most people Hold them Saturday & Sundays (Some I’ve seen on Fridays) If you live near a Church (or few) then Sunday is a better day to have one, Just be sure you ask a priest or someone there if you can post a sign (if they have a community Board) or if you can donate for them to post it in their newsletter. (Likely needs to be done a week or 2 ahead of time)

You need to give yourself at least 2 hours to set up! (Unless you have a few people helping you)

I’m usually ready within half to a whole hour from waking. So for my Sale at 10 am I’d wake up at 7am.

start Times have your start time as 9 or 10 am (which will give you about 2 hours to set up depending on the amount you have)

Closing Times from 3 to 5 pm is best.

Mine I started at I think 8 am (when our start time was supposed to be 9) and went until 3pm (You need to remember the clean up time.)

be sure to have a rain date or 2, (this could be the next weekend) you could also have alternate plans for rain.

Here’s an article I came across that can help

best time to have yard sale & Don’t forget to check out their other Pages

Must have SALE Supplies

Grocery bags for sales of a few items

boxes for bigger items or fragile ones

Packing- for fragile items with so it doesn’t move around.

Blank or pre-Priced tags

small tags on string for the jewelry

Pen and marker

pieces of cardboard or card stock

Tarp – For anything you will put on lawn

Extension Chord(s) – to test that it works & show how it does

*Balloons (optional)

*Almost forgot the MOST important… TABLES and somewhere to hang clothes

Save money with this supply kit

Yard Sale Sign Kit with Pricing Stickers and Change Apron (A504Y)

This is a good quick way to get all that you need at one time, no paying a ton of money in gas prices running around to find the supplies. This even includes a money apron so you don’t have to go figuring out what to use, or buying something just for this. Consider what the cost would be of purchasing supplies separately for signs, as well as the time making them plus, price labels, wood to stake the signs in the ground (if you go that route) and should you choose to use some balloons on the day to mark your yard and street. This kit ends up being a bargain.

This kit not only is a money saver but also I believe has a sheet of tips and tricks (but when I bought mine a few years ago, the tips didn’t come with it or the apron)

There are enough of signs to put up around the neighborhood, especially if you follow my suggestions of where to put them (if you have these places close by to you)

There’s also a kit with signs for Garage sale as well as one with Tag Sale Buy Now

Pre-‘production’

ADvertise

Online, Community newsletters, local groups, etc.

Check with your city (Bing or Google ..Anytown, Anystate Tag sale permits.

If its easier just call City hall to direct you to the right place. to find out what is aloud as far as legal for tag sales.

Where I am we are

aloud to have 2 sales per calendar year

IF one plans to have more then that, they need to get a Vendor’s License (which is good for 6 months) which costs $150 as far as I was told, but when I looked to see if I could find the form… it said $300 on it!

see if you need any sort of permit to hang signs or anything of that sort.

Make your stuff more sellable.

Clean it up Dust it, wash it with proper cleaner or better yet just use a bit of dish soap (or vinegar and water)

Display it well Group it with like items. Make a floor plan, Put clothing (like T-shirts etc) as well as Large tools sports equipment paintings should be as well in view of the street. Clothes to be hung do so further in (the driveway garage whatever) so they have to pass your other stuff. Purses on a fence (or the nicer ones (with box of wallets below)

dressing area if possible.

Upcycle turn something old into something new. Some t-shirts into a quilt

Refurbish worn wood coffee table? Sand it and re-stain it

Price is Right Research Prices. (I have one or 2 lists below) I’ve read 20% off the retail price or 50-90% off of original Retail price

Demonstrate HOW it works I think that’s pretty self explanatory but this is mainly for things like Electronics, Appliances, Machinery (my Aunt has a Shark vacuum that sometimes I can figure it out, other times I’m lost. I may vacuum with it, but I forget how to empty it that sort.)

Bargain bin/Freebies some things don’t sell well at sales like promotional items.These can be free or for a small price (maybe even a few items 2-4 for $1)

change you want to start with at least $50 say $20 in singles (the least) a few $5 bills and a few $10s. (I’m trying to keep from using pocket change.

Drinks & Snacks buy a case of spring water (I think the Dollar Tree near me sells them) just give them away as a welcoming gift if someone is thirsty! You can also sell a bottle for anywhere from 25 cents each to a dollar) If you can find a package of snacks that come 5 or more to a pack (especially when it gets close to lunch and toward the end. Be sure its something you would eat as well in case you get stuck with it. It is something nice to offer. (Honestly I’ve wanted to offer tea & Coffee in the morning but I don’t have a way to do that, and I don’t want to take the chance if I might need some permit or something to just offer it.

Remember whatever doesn’t sell You can try Consignment shops, Pawn Shops, Flea Markets,or try local shops etc.

If selling ONline

Take Great Images (if selling online) USE Natural Light and take pictures from front, back and INSIDE and other angels. (especially if its purses, bags and wallets

Good Description use bullet points Key words etc What its good features and flaws are.

Sample Sign

TAG SALE

DATE + START Time

ADDRESS

types of items for sale

RAIN DATE

Advertise: Making a sign

First and foremost.. check with your city to see if you have to have a permit or anything to hang signs. While posting a few signs for my 2019 sale (just a little over a week from) They took them all down the next day. (and that was ONLY in the area of my house, either end of the street. (Note this is also from the city that TOOK away public garbage cans like near bus stops)

If you find out you are not to post signs.. do like I did… Post them in stores like the local (mom & pop) Pharmacy, & convince store, Salons, and Restaurants (Pizzeria) you frequent.

Not sure of the cost but You could always get a quote for how much a few reusable signs would be to be made but its an investment for a few uses (instead of having to find cardboard, or spending money on paper and ink or copies.) You can even find them at the Dollar Tree these can be for the main road that leads to your street especially if its one of those community areas that’s hard to find. If not:

Make signs at least the size of standard printer paper (when you write better yet set it up in word and print out the information be sure that you have it length wise. You can space and fit more information this way. Include

‘TAG SALE’ (in big letters…best in red) Your address,The date(s) and start & End time if there’s room maybe some of what you are selling. & if Possible RAIN DATE

Sign must be CLEARLY LEGIBLE from 7 Yards away!

Another idea would be including a list of the prices (Instead of separate price stickers) this way your customers can’t pull it off. For example this time I’m going to try for $3 pants with NEW being $5 If you want You could even try to make fliers for when customers arrive or include the price list on a business card. Make a few of them and place them on your tables (include one for the table or area you are sitting at)
set up something nice on a print or paint shop program and Print them out yourself or print one and make copies at staples or from Vista print, Moo or one of those sort of sites. (check on prices) If you cannot hang signs on poles ask restaurants and stores if you can on their door or even make business cards or post cards to hand out!
Cardboard Be sure to use a new Permanent marker (maybe one red and one black)

Where to hang the signs

If allowed Hang Signs at busy walk ways near churches, Community centers, bus stops, restaurants/stores, corner telephone poles (if it’s aloud). Sometimes Restaurants or stores MIGHT let you put your sign in their window, ask someone especially if you have frequented their business for years! (Like my pharmacist, has known me since I was a baby.

You can invest in a few BRIGHT colored signs at a Dollar store. (I’ve found some of these at a dollar tree) These are best for directions (especially as it has a line and you just have to put the arrow pointing the right way. You can even reuse them for the next time. So far I have 2 but I was planning on a 3rd… 1 for the main street to show where to go, one for the fork at the road, and the last for the house. (though I just thought one or 2 more might be good for the top of the hill and one other area.

REMEMBER TAKE THE SIGNS DOWN after the sale and net week (if you post more than just at either end of your street)

Other ad Opportunities

Post an ad for your sale on your Facebook page as well as twitter, and any physical local community boards as well as your town’s community social boards

See if there are any facebook ‘tag sale’ groups in your area, these are normally sold on but you could always announce that you are having a real one, and include your ad there.

Maybe you can include an ad in the neighborhood church and school’s paper, as well as in your local paper, and I remember my cable provider had a station they included these on for free. If you have to pay for the ad ( One paid ad might be good though but as I said no more than $5)

Neighborhood/Block & Multi-family sales

these increase traffic.

Maybe you can organize a block sale, if people see that more than one house, especially in an out of the way area is having a sale then you will get more foot traffic.

If this is an idea you’d like to do, once you know the definite day(s) you will have your sale, why not write up a few notes for your neighbors those you know and maybe even those you don’t (maybe you’ve just ran into them a time or two) but announce that You are letting them know you are planning a tag sale on whatever date, so that if they have anything to get rid of they can join in. (or if only have a few items… You would be willing to do so for them)

You can also send a note that you are planning to have a tag sale and would like to know if they would be interested and what days would be best for them. Sort of like a save the date but you are trying to find out what date to have it.

If you do something like this… be sure to let them know maybe a month or 2 ahead of the date. Say you plan on a July date (say the 7th) then then you would make this announcement no later than the 2nd week of may. This will give them time to see if they can participate as well as get some items together.

If you are able to get others on your street/neighborhood to participate ask them to let you know so that when you make the signs you can include Neighborhood tag SALE (or something of that sort) on the sign as well as any other form of advertisements you do (like facebook, facebook sale groups), twitter, and so on.

WHERE to advertise your sale

*IF ALLOWD Posters in high traffic areas around neighborhood. If not, then Advertise a few weeks to a month ahead. Ask stores if you can post a sign in the window/door

*On Cable public bulletin Board

*Facebook tag sale groups, City & community pages)

*Twitter, Instagram, misc. social media

*nextdoor.com (under the garage sale section for ‘greater area’)

*Church/community newsletters/bulletin Boards

*Business or postcards cards to hand out

*Local college

Rain or shine you will do fine!

Quictent 10′ X 20′ Party Wedding Tent Gazebo Canopy with 6 Removable Side Walls

If you want to have the sale even if it rains, then a canopy is a good idea.

I know people who have used a canopy instead of making a rain date. They had more foot traffic during the nice weather than open set-ups at the flea market did, and when it rained that day… where do you think everyone went to take cover which turned into shopping?

This one is a great price for how long it is (you might be able to have at l;east 3 long tables on each side if not more. .

If you can set it up where the opening is close to your gate… that would be good. Also If the sun is out full blast, remove the sides (or just one) side so passersby can see and you can save yourself from getting burned. If you have a house or even if not, one of these is a really good thing to have on hand. Family picnics, reunions, or just use as a food tent, craft fairs, flea markets it can be used for anything, maybe even a temporary shed. Also I saw the price of some of the smaller ones, some of which cost more! Buy Now