Do you have a bunch of stuff piling up in your home that you never use? Are you in need of some extra cash? Maybe it’s time to host a yard sale! If this sounds intimidating, don’t worry. We’ve summarized Dave Ramsey’s article “Best Tips for Having a Successful Garage Sale” so you feel confident in your ability to throw a successful yard sale that is worth your time.

1. Clean, Organize, and Sort

The first step is to go through your closets, garage, storage rooms, etc. and pull out any item that you do not love or haven’t used in a while. While you’re at it, go ahead and make three different piles: keep, sell, and trash. Throw away the items that you don’t want and aren’t worth anything, place the sellable items in a box, and reorganize all of the items you decide to keep.

2. Prepare for the Big Day

Try to hold your yard sale on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. These are the days and times that buyers are willing to go hunting for a good deal. To advertise your sale, make a local event page on Facebook, create signage to place near your home, and even place a personal ad in your local news journal. Price your items reasonably… not too high or too low. For a good guide on how to price your items, visit Ramsey’s article mentioned above. Make sure to have tables to place your fragile items on so that they have a safe place to be displayed and have newspaper and grocery bags ready for your customers to wrap and carry them home. Bring out extension cords for your customers to test out products that they find interesting. Have a pitcher of water for buyers to have something to drink while they shop. Create a small at-home bank with extra bills and coins for your customers incase they pay more than what is charged and need change. Another simple option would be to allow your customers to pay by using an app such as Venmo. These gestures may seem small to you, but they will be greatly appreciated by your customers.

3. Plan for after the Sale

Have an idea for what you want to do with the unsold items after your yard sale is over. Some of the best options out there are to donate the items or sell them on eBay. If you do not want to have to bring any items back inside, load up your car with the leftover items and take them to Goodwill. If you think you could make a good amount for some of the items, write up a post with a photo of the item and post it on eBay. Even if it doesn’t sell right away, you will eventually get your money’s worth.

Hosting a yard sale can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Going in with the mindset of getting some extra cash will help make the effort worth it. Consider placing the money you make in your Gulf Winds checking or savings account, depending on what you want to use that extra dough for! Don’t have an account with Gulf Winds? Become a member today!