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Holding a Yard Sale
The evidence is plain in many neighborhoods across the United States; the traditional yard sale continues to be a popular weekend occasion for homeowners and for recreationalists alike. Many people make a hobby out of cruising neighborhoods on the weekend in search of yard sales, to kill time and on the chance that they might find an item that fits perfectly with their own decor, or even a rare item they have been looking for a collection. Homeowners can use a yard sale to reduce the clutter in their house without having to take it all to the dump. This gives people who are planning to move a chance to reduce the load and even make a little bit of money in the process. Here are some tips for holding a good yard sale.
1) Make sure your neighborhood allows it. Some city ordinances regulate against yard sales, so it is in your best interest to be aware of the bylaws and how they might apply to your sale. If they are banned outright, you might want to get together with a friend in another location and ask them if you can sell your stuff from their yard.
2) The success of any sale is in the amount of traffic it can attract, and yard sales are no exception. The idea of a community yard sale has seen an increased popularity. Blocks or whole subdivisions get together and many houses within the area hold their sales on the same day. These sales tend to get a lot of business, as they are well advertised throughout the whole town and often become annual events that people look forward to. If you do have such a sale, a great way to attract people to yours once they are in the neighborhood is to fire up the barbeque and throw on some hot dogs. The smell always drives business up from 11 to 2, and you can make a good profit besides.
3) Be discerning when it comes to pricing out your goods. It is rare that any person going to a garage sale will drop more than $30 on a given item. Part of the reason for this is that people tend to carry cash only to yard sales, and most people have a certain amount they take out for the day. They do not want to spend it all in one place, on one thing. Also, keep in mind that this is not Antiques Road Show. You are trying to clear your load, and the money is really secondary. If you need to get rid of something valuable, do not use the yard sale to do it.
4) Practice good awareness of your goods and your cash. All your good should be easily visible for the people coming to your sale; stuffing everything into boxes will mean that nothing gets sold. Cut your lawn and clean your sidewalk before the sale; people will notice the appearance of your house. Remember to keep a close eye on the items for sale, but an even closer eye on your cash box. There will probably be a lot of activity, and a quick hand could make off with the day's proceedings while you are talking to a friendly shopper.
With some effort and by following some good advice, you can be sure to have a yard sale that satisfies all of your requirements.
GBrey
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