For the purposes of this article I am including the experiences I have had with a yard sale which is basically the same idea. These are wonderful vehicles to de-clutter your attic; basement closets, storage building or whatever holds the excess we all seem to accumulate. Anything you have that is usable is a potential item for sale. People are willing to grab almost anything if they believe it is a bargain.

There are some essentials you must have for a successful garage sale. Some of these things are within your influence, while some unfortunately are not. Your situation as far as physical set-up will be one of the most critical things to guarantee your success. If you are not in a high traffic area, you will be hard pressed to generate any income from your sale.

Weather can be your greatest asset, or your fiercest foe. Normally people plan a yard sale for a time when the temperature is not an issue. My experience mostly stems from a large scale yard sale which involves a sizable group of people and items requiring weeks of planning and set-up. With this comes the hope that the weather will cooperate on the appointed day. For the most part we have had warm weather, but there have been days when a fire was necessary to keep warm.

Our recent history has taught us to find a covered area to protect from sun or rain and the location we used had a fire pit built in for the late fall early spring sales. With this covered are we were able to lay out clothes and other items and leave them without fear of moisture.

If you can work out the high traffic location and the weather, another VITAL need is good signage. I shake my head in disgust when I pass a yard sale with no signs, maybe a balloon (which could mean about anything), or a sheet of notebook paper with Yard Sale written in pencil or pen. Get real people! Make a large sign with permanent markers that get attention. Put neon signs (with regular size neon paper) on every sign leading to your location. People look for these on the weekends around my neighborhood.

Another critical component is to have plenty of good quality items. Do not drag out the coffee table missing a leg or a couch that has settled to the floor. We always make sure we have electricity to allow potential customers to try out electrical items. Clothes will sell, but cannot be worn beyond use. Kitchen items are always sought after as well as tools.

Next is the issue of pricing your items. Don't expect to get store prices, even

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