by Nikki-AC

Created on: September 08, 2008

Garage sales, yard sales, rummage sales, tag sales, moving sales ... no matter what you call them, they can be a great way to clean out those closets and make some extra cash at the same time. Our homeowners association has neighborhood garage sales twice a year, and I try to participate each time.

Below are a few tips and tricks to help make your sale a success, proven methods to make more money, and some words of caution to prevent potential problems.

1. Be sure to get the word out about your sale. If no one knows, how can they come? In the area where I live, there are always a lot of sales so people tend to troll the area looking for sales, so I generally don't have to put signs up. But if you're in a remote location, or hard to find location, be sure to ads in the local papers and put up plenty of directional signs with the date(s) and time of your sale. Use large clear writing and bold vivid colors when possible. After the sale, be courteous and take the time to remove any signs you put up on street corners. It's also a good idea to check the local ordinances in your city about where you can or can't post signs and whether or not you need a permit to have a sale.

2. If you are selling electrical appliances, have an electrical outlet handy or a long extension cord. Word of caution: pick the cord up out of the way when it' not in use so you don't create a tripping hazard. If you're selling something that needs batteries, have some batteries on hand so people can see the item works.

3. Do not allow strangers in your home for any reason. If they need to use a restroom, give them directions to the nearest fast-food restaurant or gas station. If they want to try on an article of clothing, tell them you're sorry but you don't have a dressing room, unless you've sectioned off a place for that purpose. I don't suggest letting people try items on, but if you're selling higher priced items such as designer clothing you might want to provide a private area for people to slip things on. I would not do this without a trusted helper watching people going in and out of the area though.

4. There's a rule of thumb when pricing items that the price should be "a third of what it costs new", but that is only a guideline. The price should be on top of an item when possible, not on the bottom. Make sure the price is written clearly and use colorful stickers to make the price easy to spot. It's a lot of extra work, but it will save you the hassle of having to answer questions every

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