How to plan a Successful Yard Sale: Fifty Cent Yard Sale

My sister Beth and I had a yard sale last weekend and it was very successful! We advertised it as a Fifty Cent Yard Sale and sold everything that was worth more on craigslist and swap sites so everything else we were eager just to get out of our houses for whatever we could. Here are some tips for a successful yard sale:
#1 Have Yard Sale Prices: We were eager to get rid of our stuff and we had a nice variety of things from cloth diapers and dvds to clothes, shoes and baby stuff. But having everything for sale for $.50 (except a couple strollers and a piece of furniture that we sold for under $10) made it easier to not have to price each item and people were eager for a bargain so they bought several things. Don't forget it's a yard sale--don't have extravagent prices like a consignment store, if you have something you want to see for a higher price use a different method than a yard sale.

#2 Have Good Signs and Advertise Advertising as a Fifty Cent yard sale sure brought in a lot of people but we also made bright signs and had them pointing the way. We also advertised on craigslist and facebook. We had many people showing up before the yard sale was to start and before we had even pulled everything out. We sold a bunch before the start time. Make sure you take down your signs as well!

#3 Host with a Friend: Having the yard sale with Beth and her mother-in-law was so much more fun as we had someone to talk to during down times. We were able to take turns talking to people...and we had a better variety of things to sell!

#4 Have Reasonable Expectations: We were just so ready to get rid of stuff so we were happy to make $20 a piece so we would have money to do yard sale shopping ourselves so imagine our happiness when we made over $50 a piece! And we sold things for other people as well. We also had very little left over and were able to take it to the goodwill on the way home and have it all gone!
#5 Have Yard Sale at Beginning of Season: For us it was also very profitable to have the yard sale at the beginning of the season when people are dying to get out and yard sale! Also there aren't as many people to compete with! It was the perfect timing!