…and where to put the stuff that doesn’t sell
Whether you’re moving or simply want to de-clutter your house, you may decide that a yard sale is a good idea. You can make some extra cash, plus get rid of the junk that’s been plaguing your property for years. From old clothing and toys to lawn equipment and construction material extras, you may not have a use for them anymore, but someone else might.
That saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” can be very true. But then again, there’s some stuff that nobody wants. Sometimes one man’s trash is, well, just trash. We’ll tell you what to do with all those leftovers too. Hint: it involves a dumpster. Check out these tips to holding an efficient yard sale.
1. Pick a Date
Choose a date and time for your garage sale. Friday and Saturday mornings are best, say 6 a.m. to noon. It’s good to be done with your yard sale before the heat of the day really starts to get going. If you can choose a nice May or September day rather than the oppressive heat of summer, do so.
2. Gather Your Goods
Yard sales are a great opportunity to declutter and downsize your home. Take a box and go through each room, adding anything you don’t want, anything you haven’t used in at least a year, and anything that’s just plain unwanted junk. Hit up all closets, attics, basements and garages. Don’t underestimate the value of what you find, as people will pay dearly for old CDs and even outdated bottles of perfume.
3. Advertise Online
From craigslist to GarageSaleFinder in Chicago, there are many places online where you can advertise your sale for free. Be simple and to the point. Give a broad overview of what you’ll have, where it will be, and the hours. Use your social media channels to advertise as well. Make physical signs, too, and post them around the area.
4. Gather Supplies
Make sure you’ve got everything you need for your yard sale. You’ll need chairs, tables, and a flat surface on which to take payments. Speaking of payment, make sure you have plenty of change. Use any card tables and patio furniture you can find. You can even use milk crates. For clothes, hang them from the top of your garage door.
5. Sort and Price Your Items
Sort before your price so you can stay organized and make the process easy on buyers. Price your items individually, using painter’s tape and a marker.
6. Organize and Arrange
Arrange your tables the night before and store them in the garage. You’ll be too busy in the morning to do anything other than haul stuff out by the curb. Make sure you display everything in a logical and organized fashion.
7. Work the Crowd
Expect to haggle with customers. Be friendly. Don’t be unrealistic or pushy. Greet everyone as they walk up. Make people feel comfortable.
8. Deal with the Leftovers
There’s no doubt about it: you will have leftover stuff. Anything that can prove of some use to someone could be donated to a local charity. But there will invariably be stuff left over that is just junk and should be trashed. That’s why it’s wise to have a dumpster rental on your property so you can just toss everything that didn’t sell in there. While you’re at it, use this opportunity to fill the dumpster with that leftover siding from your shed project a few years ago!
Contact Big Box Disposal
We have the perfect dumpster size for your needs. Contact us at 815-205-1730. We’re open seven days a week, which coincides perfectly with your weekend yard sale.