2) One Week Before The Sale
Start planning for tables you will need during the sale. The more tables you have the easier it will be to setup and for the buyers to shop. You should use tables inside and outside the garage. Ask friends and family if they have tables you can use for the sale. Tables can be improvised from upturned boxes, boards, old doors, or anything big and flat. Use saw horses, cinder blocks, or other items to hold them up. Items are less appealing when displayed on the ground and many buyers will not bend down to look or see low items.
Plan on using a patio table or card table as your checkout table. Also, a patio table with an umbrella has the added benefit to protect you from the sun or rain during the sale.
Make signs.
Some cities regulate the size, quantity, or location of yard sale signs. Check your local ordinances. St Paul Minnesota does not have any sign ordinances.
Use 2 ft by 3 ft or larger. An 8 ½ by 11 sign is too small for buyers to see from their car and it will not stick out.
Have waterproof/rainproof signs if possible. Cardboard does not work well in rain.
The wire signs that are white with two wires to stick in the ground work best. If you have old political signs or for any other occasion, you can paint the signs with a white outdoor paint. They work great. Menards, Home Depot, and Staples sell signs.
Make enough signs to cover the busy roads buyers will be using near your sale. This usually means about 6-8 two sided signs or 10-14 single sided signs. Single sided signs are used to attach to poles or trees where you cannot see both sides from the road. Below are where I position my signs.
For signs that are not stuck in the ground, allow a border if using tape to attach to pole or tree.
Make a list of where you will place signs so you remember to remove them after the sale.
Use a permanent black extra wide felt pen with letters about 6” high. Make letters readable so a car driving by at 30 mph can read it from a distance and know where to go.
Make the sign simple and always include an arrow.
The sign should have the word “Sale” at the top with an arrow pointing the way and the address. I like to use wide red electrical tap for the arrow. Add the time you are open at the bottom if you have room. Example: Today 9-3 PM. Anything else on the sign is just a distraction. The text must be big enough for a driver in a car to see and read from the road. Use both sides of the sign.
Be consistent. Use the same colors and writing on your signs so people recognize them at a glance.
If your sale is in the alley, put a BIG sign in the front yard with “Sale in Alley”. If your sale is in the front of the house and other sales are in your alley, put a BIG sign in your alley with “Sale in Front”. Make sure to have a clear clean path from the front of the house to the alley.
Don't spend a lot of money on signs.
Wood stakes don’t work for signs, they are hard to pound in and will fall over. See the tips on the day of the sale on how to put your signs up.
Stop at a bank and get change for the sale. Many buyers have only $20 bills that they got out of a cash machine to pay for items, so you will need to make change for many people. Have at least $10 in quarters, $40 in $1s, and $60 in $5s and double that number if you expect lots of buyers. If you have items selling for $20 or more, you should have $10s and $20s for people who may use $50s or $100 bills. Count and record the total amount you have for change, this will be used to subtract from money in the cash box at the end of sale to give you the total profit.
If you have a SmartPhone or Tablet I recommend you get the free device called Square that lets you scan a credit card and accept payments. Square charges you 2.8% of the sale and deposits that amount into your bank checking account. It is quick and fast and your buyers will love it. Make a small sign that says "Now Accepting Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express" or use the Square graphic to print a sign for your checkout table. PayPalMe, Vemo, and Zelle are also options to have people send you the money from their account. Make sure the transaction goes thru before they take their items and leave.
Plan to hang most clothing on hangers like shirts, pants, coats, etc. Piles of clothing get unfolded and messy in a hurry. Hangers even work for items like purses. If you need extra hangers you can usually buy them at thrift sores if you ask. You can also ask your friends if they have any extra hangers or post a request on Craigslist https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ looking for free hangers.
For the checkout table you should have a:
Cash drawer or box with a lid to store change and bills. Never have an open box that the wind or burglars can easily make withdrawals. You could use a carpenter’s apron or fanny pack if your sale is small and you will handle all the checkouts yourself.
Pad of paper and several pens to record sales. Add columns to the paper if you have multiple people selling items at your sale.
Calculator to add up those large multiple item sales you hope to have.
Small flashlight to add light where needed.
Tape measure and yard stick for buyers to check the size of an item.
Batteries, bulbs, CDs, records, or anything needed to check an item you are selling.
Small trash can, pail, or box to put trash in.
Bags and boxes you have been saving and newspaper to wrap fragile items.
Tape or labels to price or reprice items you may have missed or to mark down during the sale.
Bright paper (orange, red, yellow, etc.) to make small signs for sale items.
Consider a "Pay Here" sign on your checkout table if your checkout table it is not obvious.
Price list for items not individually marked like CDs or T-Shirts.
Sun Screen, hat, and rain gear to wear.
Make a 8½ by 11 sign “All Sales Final” and “No Checks”.
