by Deborah C. Washington

Created on: July 17, 2010   Last Updated: July 19, 2010

There’s not a better way to clean out your house and make a little money at the same time, than having a garage sale (or tag sale or yard sale, as they are also known). It is true, that such a sale does require a bit of effort on your part, but the rewards can be great, not only in making a little money, but finding good homes for your belongings. Depending on how many hours you have to devote, it will take you approximately a couple of weeks to get ready.

First Step: Gather the “stuff”. You probably won’t want to have too many tag sales in one year, so it is best to gather as many items out of your attic, garage, basement, and house that you no longer want or need for your sale. Put them in boxes and other containers to be able to move them to the sale area easily. Have a separate box for items to be thrown away that are not salvageable and another for items that are not worth trying to sell, but someone just might take for free. Putting a free box as they enter the yard will attract their attention.

Second Step: Pricing. Not having prices on the items will have a negative effect on the customers. Many are too timid to ask and will just walk away. There are a couple of pricing methods. Many department stores sell stickers now with prices printed on them which are easy to stick on each item. There are also blank stickers for other prices. If you want to simplify, some people buy 5 different colors of blank stickers and place a sticker on each item and make a couple of posters that show the price that corresponds to the color: example: yellow sticker = 50 cents, red sticker = $1, etc. For items that you have many of, you can make one sign “paperback books 50 cents, hard covers $1, DVD’s $1”.

When pricing, keep in mind you are not a store selling new items. These are used items. The buyer has to feel they are getting a bargain and you need to be happy for making a little money and getting rid of something, which are the two key reasons for having a sale. If you don’t really care about getting rid of the items, then price high, but expect to be hauling it all back into your house or to a charity.

Third Step: Advertising. This is a key ingredient to getting people to your sale. Newspapers and local fliers are a good way, but can be pricey. If you have neighbors willing to have a sale the same weekend as yours, you can not only share the cost of advertising, but will attract more customers. You can also check on line

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