Even though we haven’t quite left winter yet, it is still a good time to start preparing for your yard sale. Having a yard sale can bring you in some extra income that you can use for bills, for paying off debt or for something fun like a vacation! Here are some steps that you can take to plan for a successful yard sale.
Set Your Staging Area
Before you get started, designate a room, part of a room, a garage, a porch or a basement to be your staging area. This is where you will sort, price and store your items for your yard sale. Having a designated area will make things go smoothly.
You should select a space that is relatively clear with good lighting, so you can inspect and clean items if needed. Ideally, it should have enough space to allow you to group like items together, making prep work on the day of the sale quick an easy, which is important if you get early birds.
Set Your Time and Your Goals
Since gathering enough items for a yard sale can be time consuming, it is important to figure out how you will be managing that time. You can attack it all in a weekend or set aside 10-20 minutes each day for a week or two. Mark this time on your calendar and get the whole family involved for the best success.
Make It Fun
Challenge family members by giving away bragging rights and a small prize, such as a cupcake, to whomever get rid of the biggest item for the yard sale, the funniest item or strangest, whomever fills a bag or box the quickest, etc. Remind everyone that getting rid of something means that there is room for something better.
If you are organizing your yard sale on your own, build in your own small rewards to keep you motivated.