Seven Secrets to Making More at Your Yard Sale

The following is a guest post from best selling author Jamie Novak founder of BiteSizeLiving.com

When you’re ready to put together a yard sale here are seven secrets to bring in the bog bucks! With just a little extra effort you can double your profit. Try these insider tips to make your clutter, I mean treasures; so irresistible buyers will pay more to take them home.



1. Set aside a collection of items and make a sign that reads, “free with purchase.” Everyone loves to get something for free, that’s probably one of the reasons you need to have a sale in the first place. By having a “free” table you can make signs that read “free stuff” and bring in a lot more traffic.



2. Go big. Plan one with the neighbors. The larger the sale, the more people you will attract.



3. Place “man stuff” near the curb, think golf clubs, workout gear and power tools. If you can catch his eye with stuff he’ll be more likely to stop and browse, giving his wife even more time to shop.



4. To entice buyers to stay around a little longer, offer popcorn and lemonade. The longer shoppers browse the more stuff they’ll find to buy.



5. Make items look new and shiny! Run a towel with Amoral or another polishing cream over plastic items to make them shine. Place new batteries in battery-operated items. Plug in electrical items and attach the instruction manual to it.



6. At a garage sale, you need to have some change on hand to start with. A good amount is two $10.00 bills, six $5.00 bills, twenty $1.00 bills, and $10 in assorted change. Placing the coins in a muffin tin or egg carton to make it easy to grab the right change.



7. Set up shop by grouping items together and make a little sign with a suggestion. For example, tie a few board games together and add the popcorn maker then place a sign that says “family game night.” Take a picnic basket with a throw blanket and a cutting board then make a sign that reads “great for a day at the park.”



Most importantly, schedule a charity to come pickup the unsold items to prevent them from reentering your home!



Jamie’s newest book Stop Throwing Money Away is on shelves now and she hosts an online community at http://www.bitesizeliving.com/