Yard Sale Tips: Make a Little Cash Before you Move

Before you move: Ready, Set, Sell Your Stuff

• When organizing for your move,  set aside an area to store  items to be sold. If you can’t group everything together in one area, make a list  of the items you want to sell  so you don’t forget to put them in the yard on the day of the sale.
• Look through purses and pockets — especially coats. You may find cash, keys, or receipts with credit card numbers.
• Do put a price on the items, but be prepared for people to haggle.

Good to Know:  Yard Sale Tips

• You’ll need lots of small bills and coins to make change.
• You can buy pre-printed price label stickers.
• If the sale proceeds are to be split among different people, keep a list of who is selling  what.
• Offer old grocery bags to your buyers for use when carrying purchases home.
• Some yard sale pros will show up early. Just be prepared for them.
• If an item isn’t for sale, make sure it isn’t near the items for sale. Tell you kids to keep their toys put away.
• You can purchase counterfeit detector pens, but some counterfeiters are able to “bleach” a $1 bill and print other denominations. In this case, a pen won’t help. Study “How to Detect Counterfeit Money.”  
• Decide ahead of time whether you will accept checks and the largest bill you will accept.

 Advertise Your Yard Sale

• Call it a “Moving Sale” and you may get a better turn out.
• Put signs out in the neighborhood.
• Post it on craigslist or in your neighborhood newspaper.  List in-demand items in the ad to attract buyers.
• Post flyers on bulletin boards.

Use email distribution lists from church, school, or work, if appropriate.

Security, Safety & Comfort at Your Yard Sale

• Prior to the sale, look around the yard for tripping hazards. Remove sticks and fill holes with dirt.
• If you have a steep hill where children could fall, rope off the area several feet from the edge of the hill.
• If you’re selling an item that could hurt children — anything from scissors to a chainsaw — make sure you place it where a child can’t fall or climb on it.
• Keep the doors to your home locked — especially those not in view.
• Be smart about where you store the money. Just keep a reasonable amount of change available and put the rest in the house.
• Be cautious if strangers ask to use the restroom. Make sure everyone working the sale is on the same page regarding this issue prior to the sale.
• Keep a cell phone with you.
• If you store valuables in the garage or a shed, try to keep these areas closed so no one can see the contents.
• If you have pets that could make buyers uncomfortable, keep them out of sight. Even if your Rottweiler is behind a fence, his barking could scare buyers away.
• Make sure your children stay away from cars.

Yard Sale Leftovers
If everything doesn’t sale, don’t move it to your new home — it will just cost you money and take up space in your new home!  Donate anything that is left after your sale.

• Take it to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
• List big items or groups of items (like clothes of the same size) on Freecycle or the free section of craigslist.
• Other organizations that might need items you have leftover: churches, daycare centers, nursing homes, or homeless shelters.

If you have items that are too valuable to donate, try listing them for sale on craigslist, eBay, or in the local newspaper.  If you use social media, like Facebook, spread the word among your friends.

When you are ready to move, Allconnect can assist by offering free mover quotes, an online change of address form, and help transfer your essential home services. You can also compare services available at your new address to make sure you are getting the best deal.  See tips to help you during your move.