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I know that I've been gone for a while -- my mother passed away on June 6th, and I've been absolutely overwhelmed dealing with everything. I'm just about ready to return to my normal life, and that means that my blogs will be returning too. I look forward to reconnecting with my site visitors -- keep an eye out for me in late September!

When you have a lot of items to sell -- household goods, clothes, toys, tools, things that everyone can use -- a garage sale is an affordable and effective way to make a little cash as you clean out. But a successful yard sale involves more than putting out a few tables and some signs...

Begin By Preparing Your Sale Items

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  sort items into logical categories -- kitchen, books, kids, clothes, etc.
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  clean and repair items as you go -- it's worth the time and you can get a higher price
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  price items and label with a description when applicable
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  generally, you can sell items for 25-50% what you paid for them if in excellent condition
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  the price goes down from there for older or more worn items
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  be sure to have "try-before-you-buy" accessories -- extension cords, batteries, bulbs, etc.

Clarify Yard Sale Regulations

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  call your city or county government to find out the local yard sale regulations
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  find out if you need a permit to hold a yard sale in your area
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  find out about "signage" rules -- acceptable size, shape, and placement
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  some cities require signs to be so many feet from the road
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  some cities prohibit signs anywhere but your yard

Decide On Your Advertising Methods

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  call your local newspaper for prices and deadlines -- don't forget "free" and local papers
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  include the date, time, address, directions, and items of interest
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  run your newspaper ad at least one day before and the day of your sale
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  include ads in online listing services like Craigslist
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  also check out dedicated yardsale sites -- free listings only
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  plan to put out flyers in local stores, laundromats, and churches
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  send out an email letting all of your local contacts know that you're having a sale

Determine Your Yard Sale Policies

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  set the length of your sale -- how many days and which hours
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  weekend sales get the most traffic -- multi-day sales can expand your buyer base
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  decide if you will allow early birds
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  decide if you will accept checks cash only
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  decide if you will hold items for people to come back later -- pay first, put a deposit, or not
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  decide if you will let people into your home -- for the phone, restroom, etc.

Don't Forget To Ask For Help

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  recruit a few helpers to assist with the sale
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  can invite friends or family to help with sorting and pricing before the sale
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  need at least 2 people to stay the length of the sale to answer questions, check people out, etc.
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  good to have some assistance cleaning up after the sale, too
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  make arrangements for a charity to pick up your leftovers

Multi-Family Sales

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  ask friends, neighbors, and family to join in -- or consider a church, school, scout, or other group sale
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  have each participant mark his or her items differently -- different color tags, initials on the tag, etc.
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  keep track of each person's sales in a notebook
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  tracking option 1 -- remove the sticker from the item and put on that person's page
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  tracking option 2 -- write down each person's sales on their list as you check out customers
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  more sellers equals more stuff to sell -- more attractive to buyers, leads to more traffic

Putting Up Signs

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  put posters at major intersections and along your road
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  choose a bright sign (white or yellow) with black lettering -- high contrast, easy-to-read
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  write in large, thick block lettering for better visibility
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  include your address and arrows -- don't worry about directions
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  put up a sign at every major turn if it's not a straight shot to your house
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  include the days and hours of the sale
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  put a big sign with balloons on your mailbox to let them know where to stop

Setting Up Your Checkout Area

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  put together a "cash box" with plenty of change -- at least $20 in coins, $50 in ones, $40 in fives
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  create a list of "minimum prices" you will accept for each item
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  explain how low you're willing to go to any "helpers" so they can negotiate with buyers on your behalf
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  make sure you have plenty of "checkout" items -- bags, tissue or newspaper to wrap fragile items, etc.
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  put your checkout area near the natural exit from your sale
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  set up a table and a couple of chairs -- you'll be there a while!

Setting Up Your Sale Area

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  make sure nothing is blocking foot-traffic flow -- people should be able to move easily between tables
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  display like and complementary items together -- all cookware in one place, toys in another, etc.
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  it's like the departments in a store -- think about grocery and discount stores
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  make sure everything is clearly visible -- shoppers shouldn't have to dig through boxes or piles
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  use racks, tables, hangers, tree limbs, ladders, porch railing -- whatever you have for display

Timeline -- One Week Before The Sale

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  put up flyers in public areas around town
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  place your newspaper ad
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  gather your yard sale supplies
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  price and sort your merchandise
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  get change at the bank
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  confirm your yard sale "helpers"
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  find a charity to pick up your leftovers

Timeline -- The Day Before The Sale

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  put up directional signs around your neighborhood
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  block off any areas you don't want shoppers to enter
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  get a good night's sleep

Timeline -- The Day Of The Sale

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  start setting up 1-2 hours before the sale is scheduled to start
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  put one person in charge of the cash box -- never leave it unguarded
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  have fun -- let your kids sell snacks and play some peppy music!

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