I hope I put this on the right board, if not I'm sure the nice Moderator will move it where it belongs!

I'm currently trying to empty out the contents of 2 houses over the next year while we get ready to move from one house my parents own, to another house they own. Besides sifting through all of my stuff to sell, I've also got to help clear out the house we're moving into since the elderly gentleman who lived in it died, and his estate decided they'd rather let us clean it out then pay to have it done. I've signed up for our huge community garage sale thats held in a field near my house and I've got roughly 2 months to sort through everything, make it clean and shiny, price it and pack it away for the sale date.

I've "borrowed" my craft show trailer to store the boxed items in until the day of the sale, and I already figured out the only way to do this is to price the items BEFORE they go in the trailer. Now comes the fun part?

What on earth sells at garage sales anymore? I haven't been to very many since we furnished our home as newlyweds some 12 years ago. In part because I knew I couldn't afford to see more stuff I wanted

I've got my boxes ready to be loaded, my price stickers ready to be written out but I don't know what will sell and for how much. I know I'll do a bit better with it being a huge, advertised, once a year neighborhood sale - at least in the sense of traffic. But at the same time, more competition when it comes to prices. If anybody can give me some ideas for general prices on items, what sells and doesn't etc that would be very helpful! I'm hoping to get rid of a lot of stuff I no longer want and hopefully earn enough money to be able to buy some "new" items later. The new house is bigger and has more rooms so we're hoping to sell off some stuff now, save our taxpayer rebate check, plus a few other loose bits and then hopefully we'll find some good deals between now and when we move in a year.

I have a LOT of cookbooks, kitchen equipment, and home decor items. I assume late May is too late to sell my surplus winter plus sized clothing and thats better suited for a fall/late summer sale. I also have quite a lot of vintage houseware stuff from the other house - I've been checking to make sure nothing is a hidden gem (found one pre 1970 fenton art glass bowl ). Is vintage in this year?

Thanks in advance for any help!

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!

I am a garage sale fanatic. Unlike Ebay, you probably aren't going to know what is hot and what will sell ahead of time. I have held several yard sales in my time...and when we are setting up, we always talk about what we think will sell first, won't sell, etc. We are always wrong! There isn't rhyme or reason to it. FWIW, my mom is a garage sale queen and even she fails at playing our game! I can offer these tips though...

Baby/kid things are always in need by somebody...

When pricing, choose a price that you would be happy with, but not your bottom dollar. That leaves room for haggling, which will invariably happen.

I don't think a lot of people will truly comparison shop, because you can't put things on hold to go check out the other sales!

Remember that just because you see no use or value in something doesn't mean it won't sell. It might just be the exact thing that someone is searching for!

Have a charity of some sort lined out to come get what you don't sell (unless you plan to have a sale later this year to include the fall/winter clothing). That way, you don't have to worry about where to put the stuff that doesn't sell AND you get the tax break for your charitable donation. Most areas have some sort of charity that is willing to come pick up the stuff. If not, there is usually somebody advertising in the paper (classifieds) that they will come get your leftovers...and sometimes they are willing to pay for them.

Have lots of change, plastic bags and patience. People will try to get you to go lower on everything (including .10 items!). Make sure you have larger items in the driveway to attract people. If everything is in the garage then you can't tell if it is a garage sale or not.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

As one who goes to a lot of sales, I am always impressed with organization and putting like-things together. Last year I actually went to a sale where they put everything on the ground in the driveway. You would think common sense would have told them that you must have tables. Couldn't believe it! Also, have something very eye-catching from the street, whether it be a brightly colored tablecloth or like a bright sun umbrella; something that catches the eye.

Also, if you have a lot of vintage items, advertise that as people love to look for antiques.

Good Luck.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

I have found that adult clothes don't sell, so I wouldn't even spend the time with them. I have all of our winter clothes that we're getting rid of, packed in a box in the garage, and will donate them when the shelter starts asking for winter clothes.

I like to make things cheap, so they move out.

I also put things on tables, as I personally don't like to squat on the ground if I go to a yard sale.

I have a few empty boxes ready as I'm pricing. I pull an item from one box, price it, and place it in the appropriate box (housewares, toys, tools,,etc). Then when the box is full tape it up, and load it in your trailer. Come sale day,you can pull the box to the area you want to display it, and VOILA, it is all together with like items.

Good Luck.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

If people dont have tables to put things on to be at arms reach then what?

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Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com

My other favorites
www.paperbackswap.com
www.wheresgeorge.com
www.geocaching.com

I started last year having a yard sale almost every week end. My town loves it because I always have something different.

All of the above things are what I do. I`m very organized and like my stuff on tables. If you dont have tables (which I dont) I make them out of milk crates and plywood.

I put all the same things together. You would be very surprised at what sells. I make good money and sell alot of bargains I got at target. Have fun.

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When you don`t know what to do-Walk fast and look worried.

Make sure you advertise it! You might want to call it a moving sale or estate sale - multi-family sale if there are lots of people pooling their stuff - these are some of the favorite titles either for the newspaper ad (if you're doing one) or for the signs. Have LOTS of good, easy-to-read, attractive signs up!

Also - I notice that the earlier my tag sales / yard sales start, the more the stuff moves! Serious tag-salers and yard-salers come super early. I used to run my tag sales from 9 - 3, but I have figured out that people were getting out of their cars and checking out my stuff by 8:15! Nobody seems to come after noon. So now I run my sales from 8:00 to 1:00, and I do much better!

Final little tip: We have found that it gets the real serious shoppers excited when they see the statement "NO EARLY BIRDS" - they think they have to be there on time to compete with the people who are otherwise going to get the bargains from under them. It also suggests that you have a lot of goods to grab. Good luck!

Different neighborhoods sell different things and even different years I have been able to sell different things. It's strange. As far as tables, I have used upended garbage cans with plywood on the top, I have used 2 wooden sawhorses with wood on top.....even large upended cardboard boxes.
For the items I am going to display nicely and hope for a better price I even cover the "table" with a sheet to look like a tablecloth and it looks neater and makes the items look better.

For cheaper items like books, I place them all in a box (one layer only) and place a large price that would say maybe "50 cents each or 3 for $1" something like that. Same with small clothing items, or shoes. I often have children's clothes sorted age and sex and type like GIRLS TOPS 3-4 50 cents each.
Everything should be priced...I hate garage sales where I have to ask for each item.

Also if you have very expensive items, keep them near where you will be, or have a companion keep them near them and always in sight, it is amazing what people will steal. I have had people steal dime priced items and then 1 silver earring when I wasn't looking....strange.

Finally, I have people bargaining ridiculously all the time....some actually pick up a giant armful of things and say "$1 for everything." If it is just worthless to me, and they are nice, then fine take it all, I am happy to give it to you. Near me everyone wants it for 25 cents! lol
But if it is actually hard for me to part with, or is valuable I have learned to say "...the price....yes you are right, that is too high, you don't want it, it's ok, " you should see the look on their faces!

****O..and as far as time...like Devinsmom says above.........that depends on where you are also. My gf in PA is having a sale this weekend---it starts at 6 AM and ends at 10AM! The farmers in her area are up at dawn! But in my neighborhood, I am near a jail and a hospital. My sales only start around 10 and I get lots of business around 4-5 when people get out of work. It makes for a long day I can tell you.

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If you're a smoker, don't smoke in front of your "customers." Maybe it's just me, but when I walk into a yard sale and the owner is a chimney stack, I turn around and walk back out.

Also keep CDs, video games, jewelry, etc. near the check out. We've had several things stolen.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

boxes turned upside down with a board on top of them works. Also, just the box itself, if it's big enuf. As njfl said, plywood on some overturned totes. I put a vinyl (read: cheap) table cloth over my tables, it just seems to look nicer, and on the plywood, it eliminates any splinters.

Always fill in your tables with other things....keep it looking like you have a LOT of stuff.

If you have any "big" toys, like the Little Tykes things, place them close to the curb to draw people in.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Dust off things ! I hate to see a dirty, greasy item at a yard sale.

I agree with the above poster..there is no rhyme or reason to what people will buy ! From my own person experience, I've noticed CD's. DVD's, and videos sell well.

Have an extension cord for people to check out plug in items.

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Live, Love, Laugh

everything and anything goes at yardsales you never know what someone is looking for.
im with the above posters CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN.I hate dirty stuff why would i pay X amount of money for your "priceless" doo-dad when its covered in dust.another thing please dont say thats brand new i paid X.XX amount of money for that that erks me.i dunno maybe its just me.LOL
i laways put toys out low maybe on the ground to the side alot of people like it this way that way thier kids can look at toys while thier parents look at other stuff.Prices are important.and signs if you have to many clothes or dishes make a sign that reads clothes 0.50 each or something like that same with dishes.

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i'M THE TYPE

OF GIRL WHO WILL BUST OUT

LAUGHING ABOUT SOMETHING

THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

Little tykes type stuff clean up really well with a Mr Clean magic eraser. Have someone there with you. It'll keep you from getting bored during lags, and extra hands when you have people wanting to pay or want questions answered about stuff.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

Well, the sale is going to be held in what I guess you'd call my town's "commons". Its a large field we have in the centre of town near one of the community buildings and a playground. Its reasonably well advertised, although if I don't see enough signs up the week prior I do have some signs I got with a yard sale kit (bought it for the price stickers that swore they wouldn't damage the items).

Luckily, owning a craft business I've got folding tables out the wahoo, plus lots of vinyl tablecloths to put over them. I'm currently sorting through stuff and cleaning everything as I go. Also with the craft business I've got the cash box and lots of change although I guess I'll need more coinage. Good thing for me the local bank has free coin counting services for afterwards - my craft business does't work with change smaller then a quarter except for rare discounts on huge purchases etc.

Going through the other house I'm finding all sorts of things I just don't know about - it might be too high end? There's lots of silverplate flatware, there's a couple sets of china -some everyday and some fancy doulton etc. I thought about maybe keeping the higher end stuff and having a house sale at that house later on and arranging the pricey stuff including some of the furniture inside the house and having a checkout at the door. Anybody had any luck selling china and silver for decent prices at a yard sale or is it all haggle, haggle, haggle?

Thanks for all the advice and info so far..

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!

You do not put high end merchandise in a garage sale. In general, these people are on the cheap looking for deals. If you have enough items like this, have a separate estate sale and advertise it as such. People that go to these expect nicer things and are willing to pay more.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

I agree! These items should be sold in an estate sale/tag sale or on ebay or consignment shop. Garage sales would not get you the price you are looking for on those items.

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The best advice I've had on having yard sales is to keep all prices in increments of 25 cents.. it make adding up the totals so much easier!

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There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one!
-Harry Chapin

For your nicer items like silver, china, etc....go with Ebay! Also, if you don't feel like messing with Ebay but want to get the most out of your item without as much work (packing for shipping, etc) then you can try a company that sells stuff on ebay for you. We have one in our area and they charge 30% of your final selling price...but you would still profit more by doing that than by putting it in a garage sale!

For pricier items, you could also just list them individually in your local paper classifieds or on craig's list.

Again, I am a garage sale fanatic. Here is how I show when it comes to garage sales vs ebay. For garage sales, I always make a lower offer on price. Always. I go to the sales with an open mind...I don't go with a list of items I want...I am just out to find unexpected bargains. I have also been known to get some really good deal on kids name brand clothes and then re-sell them on ebay. I spent $22 at a recent sale for books, kids clothes, and a pair of shorts and work overalls (garden) for myself. Just one piece of the kids clothing sold for nearly 2/3 of what I spent at the sale! When I am looking for something specific (such as a specific piece of clothing, kitchen stuff, etc) then I turn straight to ebay!

Hope that helps!

Ok, so china, silverplate, and the higher end furniture save for an "estate" sale or house sale later on. I've found 3 drawers of silverplate so far and I am NOT looking forward to cleaning it all but I know that if I want the price, I've got to. I figured I'd need to sell that stuff separate. Anybody know an easy way to clean lots of silver?

I'm boycotting ebay from a seller's prospective right now, I just can't stand what they're doing with the ratings. It makes my 250+ 100% positive rating either worthless or at risk depending on how you want to look at it.

How about kitzy vintage stuff - non-professional artwork, 50's and 60's decor, stuff like that? House sale or garage sale?

TIA!

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!

Can't help ya on that most recent question, but thought of one more thing that might be good to know....

If you plan to sell cd's, tapes of any kind, electronics, etc...when storing them, keep in mind that they WILL melt at some point of heat. If your trailer isn't stored somewhere cool, then I wouldn't put these items in it! Also, when displaying them at the sale...direct sunlight can warp, melt, etc these type of things so plan to have some way to shade them a bit if its going to be warm!

HTH!

First I would decide what your main goal is -- getting rid of stuff or getting top dollar. If it's top dollar, then an estate sale, Ebay, Craigs List or something like that would probably be better. If you just need to get rid of it then price it to sell at the yard sale. If you're somewhere in the middle, price it a little higher. Don't be afraid to price some things high if you know you can get top dollar for them or you don't mind taking them back home if they don't sell. You would be surprised at what people will buy and how much they will pay. Whatever your goal, keep in it mind as you price things. It's easy to get caught up in how much you'll make and start pricing things high, but really, if your goal is to get rid of it, that's not the smartest move. Some money and the stuff out of your house is better than no money because you priced things too high.

I think selling at a large community yard sale is a fantastic idea -- you'll get a lot more traffic and people ready to shop. Make sure everything is as clean as possible and sort like items together. Nothing bothers me more than dirty items at a yard sale, especially those that could easily have been cleaned, but the seller just didn't want to take the time.

You'll probably be surprised at what sells first and what doesn't sell at all. You just really never know.
From my experience, adult clothing does not sell very well. I usually just donate it because I don't want to deal with it. Plus sizes tend to sell better than smaller sizes, however. Childrens clothing tends to sell well as does baby gear, toys & books. I think it really depends on your area too.

Sarah..........mom to Jason & Devin

I think people have already mentioned most of these things but anyway...from a yard sale lover...(I have never had a yard sale myself, but I know what I like!)

I also hate it when everything is scattered on the lawn, I'll just leave or might look at a few things, and then I'm outta there. I don't have the patience and I have a bad back so I don't like that..

Put prices on everything! I hate hate hate when, there are no prices on anything. I don't like to haggle or guess prices...if there are no price tags at all I will leave and find another sale.

Keep expensive/small stuff right in front of you, or have one of your helpers 'guard' it. Almost everyone I know who's had a yard sale, also has a story about small/electronic/expensive items being stolen by kids, by adults, by their own next door neighbor..Someone on this board years ago posted about a bunch of people pulling up in a church van and stealing several of her things.

And be careful with the money box! Once at our next door neighbors I grabbed a fishing tackle box I wanted to buy for DH, I carried it around for like 5 minutes and then set it down and opened it up to look at it..it was full of money! Man was my face red..I kinda gasped and gave it to the neighbor right away and explained...I was kinda embarassed lOL But they hadn't even noticed it was gone. Yikes.

If your goal is just to get rid of stuff then make the rule that after the sale is over NOTHING that was to be sold goes back in the house.

After our last garage sale we loaded all the leftovers up and took them right to the Salvation Army when the sale was over.

Let you neighbors know when you're having your sale in case they want to have one at the same time. More people usually come if there is more than one sale on a street/in a neighborhood.

If you have kids, let them have a refreshment stand during the sale. Sell pop and bottled water and pre-packaged goodies such as chips and granola bars. I'm a gargae saler and I love it when I can pick up a nice cold bottle of water while out. Plus, kids just such a big kick out of making some money.

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Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

---Just did a big garage sale this weekend at my gf's house. I think the most important thing is KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. Many people above said they didn't do well selling clothes.
This was an entire developement yard sale. Everyone was selling clothes and my gf made over $150 selling her clothes. They were all neat and clean and hung up on a clothes rack. They were all according to size and all priced.
One neighbor didn't even sell anything but FOOD! He sold hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries (big seller), home made whoopie pies, and soda. He really made out great.
Their hours were 6am to 11:30 am.

This is the entire opposite of my neighborhood. I have already mentioned that above in another post. But I did want to say it is important to know your audience to see what sells and what doesn't.....pricing as well. I have to sell clothes for 25-50 cents, but my gf could sell in her area for $2-3 dollars for pants. Since this is your first, ask your friends and neighbors who participate regularly just how it works in your area. Their tips would be really helpful.

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I'm sorta hoping that since I live in a bohemian, utopian, former artists colony type place - that folks will buy weird stuff just because its from here (lol). Top dollar is nice, empty is nice too - tough call on that. Probably I'd say if its worth less then $25-50 then empty wins, over that - dollar. Thanks so much for the advice and help.

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!