If you have a growing family, then you might find yourself running out of storage space for items that your kids no longer use but are still in good shape. High chairs, toys, and clothes can clutter your home and take up space you may need. One solution for decreasing the mess is to hold a yard sale; however, you may not be sure which items might be profitable. You can increase your chances of making a profit by getting your neighborhood involved and organizing a community yard sale might be easier than you think.
5 Tips for Organizing a Community Yard Sale
1. Hold a Meeting
Because organizing an event of this size can be a challenge, it is a good idea to hold an organizational meeting once you make the announcement. Invite participants to your home and ask them to bring a snack to pass around. Make coffee or have punch prepared so you can all relax and chat casually before you get down to business.
Before the meeting, make a list of factors you want to discuss. You might want to consider talking about which items people should bring and which might be too large to fit in your chosen space, such as exercise equipment or other bulky items. You can also discuss a date and time that is best for everyone. Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons are typically peak times for garage sale seekers.
2. Look Into Local Ordinances
Many cities and towns have regulations regarding the placement of yard and garage sale signs. Some are quite specific, while others have looser laws. However, before you set up your sale, it is important that you take the time to find out the rules. For example, some cities, such as El Paso, TX, allow residents to have three garage sales per year at the same address. To avoid having your sale shut down, contact your local law enforcement or city hall to ensure you are not breaking any ordinances.
3. Choose a Marketing Representative
Marketing your community yard sale can be vital to its success. Free ads online, social media, and flyers can all announce your sale to the public, and it may be helpful to choose one or two people to handle this task. Having a media team means a possible wealth of creative ideas, from making YouTube videos to posting infographics on Facebook. The more people your team can reach, the more collective profit your sale might make.
4. Review Your Homeowners Insurance
If you have a large yard and have volunteered its space for the sale, it is wise to review your homeowners insurance and ensure that you have enough coverage in case of an accident or injury to anyone who comes onto your property. If you want to switch companies, many allow you to sign up online, while others have local offices. If you prefer the latter, simply use Google and search “insurance agency near me” to find agents who can help you face to face.
5. Involve Your Kids
A community yard sale can be the perfect environment in which to teach your kids about the value of money and teamwork. Put them in charge of a water or lemonade booth and have them switch off in teams. You can have an older teenage child monitor the booth in case any problems come up, but encourage the kids to work together and find a common thread, even if they have never met before the sale. Before the end of the day, they might be surprised to have made more than a few friends.
Holding a community yard sale can be an effective way to get rid of the clutter in your home and make a bit of extra cash while you bond with your friends and neighbors. However, careful planning and preparedness can make this experience even more fun and memorable.
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Janine Huldie says
Haven’t had a yard sale in years here. But what great advice. We do have more than our fair share of stuff in our garage right now. So might be time and your advice probably couldn’t come at a better time. So thanks 🙂