Is your home bursting at the seams with clutter-filled closets, corners, drawers and cabinets? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The typical U.S. household builds up so much stuff that figuring out what to keep and what to discard is no easy task.
Home sellers who hire a home stager regularly ask what they should do with all the stuff not being used to stage their home. It’s important to have enough time before a showing to assess the items in the home, determining what can stay and what should go.
Consider some of these scenarios: If you need the item during the sale, then find a place to conveniently store it in your home. If you can still use the item, but don’t require it during the home sale then pack it away — store the items in an attic, basement or in an off-site storage facility. If you no longer need the item, plan a yard sale to make some extra cash.
While one person’s trash is another’s treasure, you can’t just put your stuff out the lawn and automatically expect a successful sale. A yard sale is hard work, so here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re planning one for your home.
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Do some prep work. A few weeks before a yard sale, go through the entire home and start putting aside items you plan to sell. Make sure to put similar items together, and price them at this point as well. Keep these items organized in boxes and bins out of the way of daily life until the sale.
Advertise, advertise, advertise. In order to have a successful sale you must have shoppers, so advertising is key. Plan on putting a classified ad in your local newspaper and see if they have a community calendar to add the sale to the events section. Use the internet to post an ad on Craigslist under the “garage sale” category in the “for sale” section. Also, post on your local community websites, forum and groups.
Foot traffic can come from Facebook too, so spend some time doing research to look for local buy and sell groups on social sites.
A warning about signage: While posting colorful signs on telephone poles can be an easy and effective way to advertise, there are laws that can limit where you place signs. “Post no bills” laws forbid the posting of handbills or any type of signs on public property. Staples can damage the poles, and make walls look ugly, so check to see what your local laws are first.
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Schedule strategically. Avoid holding a yard sale during a major holiday weekend. Try collaborating with other neighbors or sales in your area to create a larger event that can direct customers to your sale.
If you have a lot to sell, try holding a two-day sale to get rid of more items. Also, plan ahead of the sale to make sure the area where you’ll be holding the yard sale is cleaned up — for instance, your driveway should be swept or the grass in your yard cut.
Put items on display. Attempt to set up items the night before or in early morning, so you’re ready for those early-bird customers. Use a combination of tables, bins and boxes to display items. Use ample space and take your time setting up items so customers can see exactly what you have to offer. Display some of your more interesting pieces close to the curb so it lures customers into the sale from the street and sidewalk.
[See: 10 Unorthodox Ways Your Real Estate Agent May Market Your Home.]
Make change, recruit helpers and take safety precautions. It’s important to have enough change to break big bills. You don’t want to get caught off guard with your money or else you may have to lower an offer or take a deal that you weren’t expecting because you don’t have the proper change. During the exchange try to have bags or boxes to pack items up for customers for convenience.
Recruit family or friends to help customers and keep an eye out for thieves. Remember to keep windows and doors of your home locked to eliminate customers from wandering in.
One final thought: Have fun. Put some background music on low, be friendly to the customers and help them help you make a sale.
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6 Successful Yard Sale Tips to Get Rid of Clutter originally appeared on usnews.com
