When you're planning a yard sale, following a timeline and staying organized are musts. Otherwise, it's far too easy to forget something crucial. To minimize the stress and increase your profits, organize your yard sale with this simple yard sale checklist:
To print the yard sale checklist without ads, highlight just the text you want to print and choose "print selection" within the print options.
Three to Six Weeks before the Sale
__ Set the date
__ Purchase any required permits
__ Check local rules or restrictions for yard sale signs
__ Gather definite yard sale items into one area of your home or garage
__ Use the three question test on iffy yard sale items
__ Attend a few yard sales in your area to get a feel for local pricing on common items
__ Research pricing on antiques, collectibles and other items of value
__ Start saving shopping bags and newspaper
__ Arrange to borrow or rent folding tables if you need them
Two Weeks before the Sale
__ Drive the neighborhood and decide where you'll place your yard sale signs
__ Buy supplies for yard sale signs: neon poster board, thick black marker, staple gun or duct tape, and wooden stakes if you can't mount them on telephone poles or street signs
__ Buy pricing supplies: preprinted neon price stickers, or blank neon stickers and fine-point permanent marker
__ Buy or borrow a multi-pocket apron or fanny pack
__ Clean, polish and wash your items for sale, as needed
One Week before the Sale
__ Place yard sale ads in the newspaper classifieds and on Craigslist, scheduled to start running a day or two before the sale date
__ Price and tag every item for sale
__ Make yard sale signs
__ Decide what you'll do with unsold merchandise: schedule a thrift store pick-up or make "Free" signs to place on curbside leftovers
Two to Three Days before the Sale
__ Get change from the bank: 25 - 50 one dollar bills, at least one roll of quarters, and a handful each of dimes and nickels
If you're having the sale in your garage:
__ Move non-sale items out or mark the items with "Not for Sale" signs.
__ Set up your sale by item type
__ Reserve a few showy items for the driveway to attract customers
__ Set up small, pricey items in an easy to watch area or by the cashier's table, if you have one
__ Set up a table or box for shopping bags and newspapers so customers can wrap fragile items
The Day before the Sale
__ Pack your apron or fanny pack with your change and a small calculator
__ Hang or place your yard sale signs
__ Mark or move non-sale items, like planters, garden hoses, and statuary, from your yard and porch
__ Rope off any areas where you don't want customers to go
__ Charge your cell phone
The Morning of the Sale
__ Lock the house
__ Put your cell phone in your pocket
If you're having the sale in the yard or driveway:
__ Set up your sale by item type
__ Place furniture and other showy items nearest the street to attract customers
__ Display small, pricey items in an easy to watch area or by the cashier's table, if you have one
__ Set up a table or box for shopping bags and newspapers so customers can wrap fragile items
After the Sale
__ Gather leftovers for thrift store pick-up, or place them on your curb with a "Free" sign
__ Remove all of your yard sale signs
