Just as planned, we held our first yard sale this weekend. It was a lot of work, but also a complete success: we cleared out almost everything and made exactly $425. Cha-ching. (I’m trying not to think about how much some of those items originally cost—though many were handed down or gifted, which softens the blow.)
We couldn’t have done it without the great tips we received from readers. Below is a concise rundown of the advice we followed and a few lessons we learned along the way:
- Start Early: We started prepping two hours before the 8:00 a.m. start time so we were ready for the inevitable early birds at 7:45. They showed up in droves.
- Advertise Smart: We posted the sale on Craigslist several times in the days leading up to Saturday, and that morning we placed a bunch of hot-pink signs around the neighborhood. People complimented the consistent look and bright color; the “multi-family” note (my sister joined in) also drew more interest.
- Look Big: We spread items across the entire driveway so the display looked full. Large pieces went closest to the street, with smaller items laid out deeper inside.
- Categorize: Grouping like items—furniture, clothing, books and DVDs—made browsing easier for shoppers and helped us sell complete sets.
- Set a Goal: We agreed beforehand that our main objective was to get rid of stuff, not to maximize profit. That mindset helped us accept low offers and meet our decluttering goal.
- Prepare to Negotiate: When we held firm on price, some buyers walked away and we regretted it. Accepting fair offers quickly kept items moving and avoided lingering inventory.
- Expect the Unexpected: Shoppers bought some surprising things: fishing line, tarnished silverware, and pilled towels sold faster than several items we expected to vanish first.
- Stay Late: Although we advertised 8:00–12:00, sales continued steadily past noon, so we stayed until around 1:00.
- Don’t Take It Back: To ensure the basement stayed emptied, we loaded leftovers into the car and drove them straight to Goodwill—no temptation to bring things back inside.
Of course we have an “after” photo—taken before we packed the car for Goodwill and before a neighbor returned to pick up a patio set. Only a few books, clothes, and shoes remained; none fit Sherry’s size 5, so those were perfect to donate.
Beyond the cash and an emptier basement, the day brought a couple of memorable moments.
First, we sold our old yellow screen door to two guys who are building an eco-friendly home using mostly recycled materials. They planned to design part of the house around the door’s cheerful color. It felt great knowing the door would be reused in a purposeful, environmentally conscious project.
Another highlight involved Buddy, a large, friendly dog that escaped from his owner and wandered through the sale, delighting and mildly alarming shoppers. After some running and rolling, Sherry coaxed him into our backyard while I went looking for his family. When I returned—accompanied by a neighbor who seemed remarkably unfazed—I found Buddy cooling off in our sunken bathtub pond (the cover had been in place until he decided otherwise).
A somewhat soggy Buddy was safely reunited with his family, the sale wrapped up without further incident, and we were pleasantly surprised at how much fun the day turned out to be. That said, we’re not in a hurry to accumulate that much stuff again.