A Better Yard Sale Experience For Everyone
Thinking of hosting a yard sale?
I’ve had SEVERAL garage sales and yard sales in various states across the U.S. And I’ve learned a few valuable lessons and clever tricks along the way.
Before you host a yard sale, you might want to check out these very small (very “extra) things you can do to make your sale more successful for you (profit-wise) and more enjoyable for your shoppers (comfort-wise).
12 “Extra” Things To Do Before You Host A Yard Sale
In my other yard sale articles, I’ve talked about the lengths I go to to PREPARE for my sales way ahead of time, DISPLAY items at my sales in unique and clever ways, call ATTENTION to my sales with goofy signs & creative ads, PRICE items so that I’m able to sell almost everything, and make things EASIER FOR SHOPPERS who attend my sales.
In this article, I’m going to share 10 specific ways that I like to go “above and beyond” what most garage sale hosts do at their sales in terms of:
- Making the yard look nice before my sales
- Providing food & beverages
- Pricing items for less than what they’re worth
- Having a way to “clean up” messes
- Showing what items look like “in use”
- Setting the mood at my sales
- Taking care of early bird shoppers
- Having shopping bags on hand
- Taking pictures at my sales
- Giving away free things
- Paying attention to who visits my sales
Following are some of the exact things I do at my yard sales — just because. And I think your sale will probably be more successful if you do these things too.
#1 – Make your yard look nice.
Before you host a yard sale, mow your lawn the day before. First impressions do make a difference. If your yard sale space looks neat and tidy, you’re likely to attract a few more shoppers than if the place looks like a dump (or like you just don’t care).
#2 – Sell snacks and beverages.
Sell pre-packaged (store-bought) snacks for 25-cents or 50-cents apiece. At my last yard sale, I had Snackwells cookies (4 in a pack) and some of those cheese & cracker combos, as well as some Wheat Thins in snack size packages.
Bottled water for 50 cents apiece was also a hit.
Some of these food & beverage items sold better after 11AM — because many people said they were hungry & thirsty after many hours of yardsaling.
In the past, I’ve sold cans of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi (whatever I happened to have in my fridge at the time) for 50 cents apiece.
#3 – Have a way to clean your hands.
Have wet wipes or hand sanitizer within close reach at your sale.
You never know when something will spill or explode, or when you realize that you need to “clean up” an item you’re selling a bit better.
Lots of moms will appreciate this, too. And those who’ve visited many yard sales before yours, without taking a break.
#4 – Show what items look like when being used.
For items that are in a box, folded up, or deflated… tape a picture of you or someone else actually using the item.
That way, people can see what it really looks like.
I did this with an oversized pool float and some camping tents — and they sold!
#5 – Set the “mood” at your sale.
I think it’s a nice touch (though completely unnecessary!) to burn a nice-smelling candle inside your garage. There’s just something pleasant about it.
Most people DO notice it and comment on how nice it smells.
Some nice music in the background will help customers feel comfortable, much like in a grocery store. It’s just nice to have that background noise and it helps friends or husbands and wives are able to discuss purchases in sort of a private environment.
–Rhonda E.
I always thought it would be nice if I invited a friend who knew how to play the guitar — to strum and sing (very low-key) during my sale. Just to be unique and have something a little different!
#6 – Take care of early bird shoppers.
The morning of the sale, brew a large pot of coffee and as you’re carrying items out to the lawn & driveway, invite all of the Early Birds to help themselves to a cup of coffee.
Most appreciate the invite. They usually stick around until they think I’ve put out the majority of my items — and many will linger even longer when they have a cup of coffee in their hands.
(Be sure to place a garbage can in a prominent location for all of the empty cups — and more.)
#7 – Have plenty of shopping bags on hand.
I always have some plastic grocery bags, as well as some big paper shopping bags on hand.
It doesn’t happen often, but when someone buys a lot of little stuff, a shopping bag makes it easier for them.
Plus, if I see that someone’s got their hands full with a few items and they’re still shopping… I offer them a shopping bag to hold all of their stuff before they pay for it. (And chances are, they’ll buy even more, now that their hands are free!)
#8 – Take pictures.
Have a camera on hand at all times! You just never know who (or what!) you will see during your yard sale.
Plus, I take pictures of my best yard sale displays and set-ups that I’d like to replicate at future yard sales.
At my last yard sale, I had a list of cell phone numbers for people who said they’d like to make an offer on some of the larger items — if they didn’t sell. I ended up texting them each a picture of the item, so they’d remember what they were bidding on.
#9 – Give away “related” items & accessories.
The more small items you can “throw in for free” (OR “for a few more dollars”) with each sale… the better!
Maybe, you’ve got some extra charging cords, or smaller sample sizes of the same item, or the same thing in different colors.
Do you keep extra buttons and those little thread packets that often come with coats and nicer garments? (I do — I keep them all in one container, so they’re easy to find right before my yard sales.)
Try to think… “If they like X, then they’ll probably really appreciate this other thing too!” And grab anything else that’s related (or similar) to throw in for free. Or, to include for a little bit more money.
When you include those items as part of the sale, it shows prospective buyers that you have an eye for detail and you really know a lot about the products you’re selling!
#10 – Have some FREE stuff available.
At each of my yard sales, I make it a point to always have some fun freebies on hand!
#11 – Pay attention to who’s at your sale.
If you think outside the box a bit, watch how different people shop, and pick up on different personality cues, you’re likely to find some new “friends”.
For example, I found two great teenage pet sitters this way. They were over-the-moon about all the old cell phones we were selling for a dollar apiece!
We also found a mom & pop plumbing company this way. The owner stopped by our yard sale when he noticed all of the “guy friendly” things we had for sale. He ended up buying something, and we struck up a conversation about the hot water heater in our garage — and how we had been thinking of upgrading to a tankless water heater. We liked him and asked for his business card. Fast-forward 6 months later… we just called him yesterday to install our new system!
#12 – Accept credit cards or Venmo, if possible.
The times they are a changin’ — it’s time for yard sale hosts to accept payments digitally!
Square and Venmo are the two most popular options right now. But the idea is just starting to catch on, so I’m sure we will all be accepting many other forms of cashless mobile payments at our yard sales before long.
If you’re going to host a yard sale, you should definitely look into accepting digital forms of payment. Your sales (and profit) will surely be higher.
Here’s how to use Venmo (for cashless mobile payments) and Square (for accepting credit cards) at your yard sale.
