by Viviana Victoriano

Created on: July 12, 2008

Tips for organizing yard and garage sales

Do you know that
* 1.4 million Americans can't stop cluttering and stockpiling junk?
* On average people spend about 55 minutes a day looking for stuff?
* We don't use approximately 80% of what we have?

Can you relate to that? If you do and you feel the need to simplify your life and clear out your home, then it is time that you set up to organize a yard sale.

INVENTORY
In each room of your house, get three boxes so that you sort everything into three piles: what you want to keep, what you can donate or sell and what just has to go to the garbage.

I know it is hard to get rid of things. Here are a few reasons that should convince you why you should donate, sell or throw those things away

* It has no value whatsoever, either sentimental or monetary
* It has been there more than a year and nobody has used it
* There is no place for it in your house
* It just doesn't work
* What's the worst that can happen if I get rid of it?

Once you've sorted things out, store the items that you are going to sell somewhere close to where you are going to hold the garage sale. It can be the garage, covered porch or basement if you have one.

CLEANING AND CLASSIFYING

Before storing the items that will be sold, make sure they are clean and ready to be put on display. It is not a good idea to wait until the same day of the garage sale to start dusting and polishing objects.

As you store the different items, make sure you sort them in different categories: clothing, appliances, toys, books, etc.

PREPARE AHEAD

A few days ahead, start saving some plastic or paper bags. It is a good idea to have them handy the day of the sale to give out to customers so they can take away the things they buy.

Buy or borrow a dolly or wheelbarrow, which comes in handy when you have to move things around.

Decide on the prices and make ahead the labels. For clothing items, remember to write on the labels the sizes.

If you are selling large items, like big pieces of furniture that cannot be taken outside or are stored at another location, take photos and make a poster that shows the details and prices. That way you don't have to carry them and you will avoid unnecessary traffic of people into your house.

A garage sale always has an "everything for a dollar" table. Start thinking which items could be put on this table.

If you are selling electronic items, make sure they have batteries and they are charged. You don't want potential buyers having to guess if the item works or not.

Find out

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>