lawrocket 3 #1 May 16, 2005 My wife and I just bought a house. (YAY! Now that I'm landed, I might be able to vote, right?) In prparing for this move we've decided that we don't want to pack up half the shit (yes, shit) that we have. So we'll sell the stuff. First, is a yard sale preferable to a garage sale? Second, should we worry abotu prettying up the displays, or do yard sale shoopers just not care? Finally, how on earth do we go about pricing this stuff? My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antifnsocial 0 #2 May 16, 2005 Okay baby, here you go. 1. if you got rain to worry about have it inside a garage or porch; no rain no worries but you'll have to haul all the shit it at the end of day and it may be easier in a garage to just shut and lock the door 2. no pretty displays but make stuff easy to see and maybe put stuff in general sections, ie. clothing all together 3. two or three big signs, one facing either direction on street, some posted down the street with your address and advertise in the newspaper a week before in the yard sale section, sometimes it's free there too 4. pricing? I got a link I will edit into this as soon as I find it again unless someone beats me to it Please feel free to reply to my posts and pm's, but only if you're smart enough to understand what they really mean. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
socr4life22 0 #3 May 16, 2005 QuoteMy wife and I just bought a house. (YAY! Now that I'm landed, I might be able to vote, right?) In prparing for this move we've decided that we don't want to pack up half the shit (yes, shit) that we have. So we'll sell the stuff. First, is a yard sale preferable to a garage sale? Second, should we worry abotu prettying up the displays, or do yard sale shoopers just not care? Finally, how on earth do we go about pricing this stuff? Yard sales and garage sales are the same thing if i am not mistaken. Just a diffrent name. I wouldnt clean the stuff, most yard/garage shoppers dont reallly care and it will cost you more to clean then you are likly to get at a yard sale Everything is 0-3 dollors at most for almost all items expet for the bigger items. People will set there own prices. The few that i have done i bet over half the stuff never sold for the price that i put on the item. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antifnsocial 0 #4 May 16, 2005 http://www.garagesalebonanza.com/ http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsale.html http://www.ehow.com/ehow/ehow.jsp?id=3327 Please feel free to reply to my posts and pm's, but only if you're smart enough to understand what they really mean. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #6 May 16, 2005 Thanks for the info! My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #7 May 17, 2005 I don't know hnow it is there, but where I'm from you don't put up signs until the morning of or people will actually come by the night before and way too early the next morning to get the good stuff Don't ask me how I knowI am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallinWoman 1 #8 May 17, 2005 We have been thinking about doing the same thing, so here is the advice I have heard repeatedly: 1. Advertise in the paper. 2. Put signs on corners near you....you want people to be able to find you. 3. Go to yard/gargage cales in your area before yours. It will give you an idea of pricing and what is NOT selling. 4. Organize my product type...don't worry about being pretty. 5. Clearly label everything that is for sale. Buy round stickers, put signs for books, clothing.... 6. Be willing to negotiate, especially towards the end of your sale...you want it gone, and you would rather get something for it than have to donate it. 7. Do not bring it back into your house...if it does not sell, store it in the garage or someplace until you can donate it to charity. Good luck...let us know how it goes....I am hoping to pull some of my neighbors in so that we can lure more customers. People are more likely to come to a multi house sale than to just one house.... ~Anne I'm a Doll!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #9 May 17, 2005 I say haul all the shit off to the local landfill. Do you really want to spend your day with a bunch of tightwads haggling over a used $1 gold fish bowl? Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallinWoman 1 #10 May 17, 2005 Yes, Chris, you should want to spend the time....you can turn that otherwise useless pile of crap into cash. You may not get rich doing this, but you can make a chunk of change...to spend jumping...or on whatever....I think it is worth giving up one day and dealing with people haggling over a buck... ~Anne I'm a Doll!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #11 May 17, 2005 I know Anne. That wasn't a crack at you, lawrocket or anyone. Yard Sales are just not my thing.Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,137 #12 May 17, 2005 I used to do that all the time. Good signs. If people can't find it, they get pissed. If they can't read the signs from across the street, they blow off your sale for the next one. Arrows and clear big letters. Clear prices on everything. It pisses me off if I have to ask a busy person what the price is. To attract attention, don't just put signs outside (if it's in a garage), put some kind of bulky, interesting thing outside also. A tent, bookshelves (which are VERY attractive to most people), furniture, stuff like that. Have a little section of free stuff (e.g. McDonalds Happy Meal prize types of things) for little kids if you can. If the little kids are happy, the parents stay longer. Have a cooler full of cold drinks that you sell at a small profit. Sometimes this is the best seller. Make sure you have PLENTY of change -- more than you think you need -- at the start of the sale. The first three people are guaranteed to buy $1.25 items with $20 bills. Don't put stuff out until you are completely ready for hte sale to begin. I.e. everything priced, arranged, and out. Because the instant that garage door goes up, people will be walking in. If you have your address on your signs, they will come in the night before to see if they can get a preview and buy hte good stuff first. If your signs are good, you might have several cars lined up waiting for the garage door to open. Don't be scared to bargain, and don't be scared to say "no, that's my final price." It's your stuff, and your tax deduction if you donate it. And remember that a lot of this stuff is being sold to someone who can, in fact, treasure it just as much as you did... Clothes don't usually sell all that well. Not bad, but they don't move as quickly as some other stuff. Likewise books (hmph!). Good luck, and have fun. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #13 May 17, 2005 Quotehttp://www.garagesalebonanza.com/ http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsale.html http://www.ehow.com/ehow/ehow.jsp?id=3327 Heya girl... where have you been? Haven't heard from you. ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #14 May 17, 2005 Well first of all, congrats on buying a house! My mom had a yard sale when she sold her house and moved into a much smaller apartment. I come from a long line of packrats- all on my mother's side. This was our family home, and all 4 of us kids left stuff behind when we moved into our own apartments and houses. Needless to say, the sale was a nightmare, and I don't think we made all that much money either! In addition to a lot of good info that's already been posted, please keep in mind that yard sales and garage sales bring out the absolute worst in humanity. People STEAL and will try and haggle you down to nothing. No matter how pitiful they look, don't let them into your home to use the bathroom or anything else. Did I mention- people STEAL? And be careful not to accidently sell stuff that isn't supposed to be for sale! (That's why a yard sale might be a little better than a garage sale- you can have a clearly designated area with items for sale!) Have a plan for what you don't sell- charity or garbage dump- and stick with it. Remember that some charities are pretty picky about the donations they accept so you might want to get a commitment from them up front- all or nothing, but they can't pick and choose through your unsold goods! We had the hardest time getting rid of our books and I can't remember what we ended up doing with them! None of us can bear the thought of throwing away a book! Good luck and let us know how it goes. I really need to clean out my attic and do the same thing, but I just dread the very thought of it! (I think I'd rather donate the crap and take a tax deduction!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #15 May 17, 2005 Books usually don't bring much money in a yard sale... The best thing to do is to donate them to a library. I believe you could take a tax deduction on that. Some people have been known to sell their stuff on Ebay just to get more money, and that usually works for some real good quality items. Then again, if you're going to move, you keep the good stuff and put up the scruffy stuff for sale..."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #16 May 17, 2005 We had a LOT of books and I'm pretty sure most did end up at a library, but they wouldn't come and get them. The whole experience was a ton of work and a lesson in just how rotten the human race can be! I DREAD the thought of doing it again! Between the stealing and the petty haggling, and having rude strangers go through my home! Ugh! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #17 May 17, 2005 QuoteWe had a LOT of books and I'm pretty sure most did end up at a library, but they wouldn't come and get them. The whole experience was a ton of work and a lesson in just how rotten the human race can be! I DREAD the thought of doing it again! Between the stealing and the petty haggling, and having rude strangers go through my home! Ugh! Easy solution for the rude strangers... Put everything out in the yard or driveway, and lock all the doors to the house... If you gotta go to the bathroom during the sale, make sure you have another family member or trusted friend hold the fort for you... "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #18 June 6, 2005 The yard sale was a raging success.We woke up at 4:00 a.m. to get things set up on Saturday. We were all ready at about 5:30. I went to go put up the signs at 6:15 and when I got back at 6:30 we had a crowd. First, everyone wanted to buy the shelves and tables. Within an hou, we had everything for sale on the two tables that were not for sale. We still got about thrity offers on each of them. Books did not sell well, though. All the advice was right. So we are donating them. Most of the clothes didn't sell, either. They will also be sent to good will. However, the kitchen set, the coffe table, my bass, some electronics - the stuff went. We actually started closing up shop around 10:30 and everything was packed up and closed up by 11:30. We got rid of a lot of stuff, which means less move time. The next day we spent 450 of it on a baby car seat and a running stroller. Our job to move will be much easier. I got rid of stuff from high school, for goodness sake. It was so cathartic that I was out with the old and in with the new. Thanks to all of you who gave advice. Especially ella - the links you posted were absolutely brilliant! My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsaxton 0 #19 June 6, 2005 Don't know about your situation, but I've had plenty of "yard sales" on the ski slopes :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
