1. You only make money on the really big items, the really nice items, and the collecter items that are currently hot.
2. Time is money and you're better off donating things like used clothes, kitchen gadgets, and other odds and ends.
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3. It's better to sell something for less than you had hoped and move it along rather than holding out for top dollar.
4. If at all possible, do not let your children see what you're selling.
5. Have a firm rule that your children can not buy anything at the rummage sale.
6. Have an even firmer rule with your spouse that he or she can not buy anything unless you both agree on the purchase.
7. Do not bother pricing anything. If you're only selling the big stuff, you're going to haggle anyway. Know your starting dollar and your bottom price. (Be sure your spouse knows!)
8. Get to the sale long before it opens. It always, always opens earlier than stated.
9. Have a runner; someone who'll fetch you coffee, food, extra cash, a marker, scissors, etc.
10. Have a plan with what is left over so you do NOT bring it home with you.
Okay, so that's a bit tongue-and-cheek, but it's also true! My point for today isn't to write an exhaustive post on how to do a successful rummage sale (or garage sale), but rather how to avoid one altogether. Yes, indeed!
Now that I've hauled off several small truck loads of clothing, old games, odds and ends, etc., I'm going back through the house and purging again. Seriously. I'm amazed at how fast this stuff multiplies! Who's bringing all this junk into the house? It's like guppies in a small tank or rabbits in the hutch! Babies are being born every minute!
Time to create a Donation Box. I've read about this on a couple of organizing websites and I think it's a grand idea. Rather than letting items pile up throughout the house for months on end, when you come across an item that is worthy for donation (instead of the trash), you'll have an immediate home for it until it goes to the thrift store.
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Creating A Donation Box
1. Select a large sturdy box to receive items.
2. Place the box in an out-of-the-way location, but still easy enough to access. Be sure it's some place that is clean and where the family pets won't use it as a sleeping spot.
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3. Label the box clearly so everyone knows what it's for. (Okay, if you have small kids, you may not want them to know everything in there is leaving the house for good).
4. Each day, try to find at least one item to go into the box. Two items, it's a good day! Three... you'll earn the "Super Organizer" award for sure!
5. Either once a month or when the box is full, bag it all up and make a trip to the thrift store. Be sure to call in advance so you know the hours they receive items. You don't want to be hauling everything around in your car for two weeks (I've been known to do that more than once!).
6. Start filling the box again.
It's that easy. So much less painful than a big 'ol 6 a.m. rummage sale with no breakfast and two days of work ahead of time. Of course, that means you'll need to be purging your drawers and closets regularly.
Uhhh... you will be purging, right?
I have my box sitting in my "creative room". I add things as I find them. There are a couple of organizations that have a truck come through our neighborhood throughout the year. I go on line and check to see when they will be in our area and schedule a pick-up.
ReplyDeleteAustin and I LOVE purging! Oh my goodness...we might even be able to put it on our hobby list, considering all these moves we make. :) Keeping things simple and having less stuff is always better.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning.. thanks so much for such a great idea.. This house contains a pack rat (no names) smile... This could help solve the problem..
ReplyDeleteBlessings..
First of all, I just have to comment on your sunflowers in the header. Absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI so agree with the donation box idea. We have a designated area in our spare room and we frequently take our items to a local thrift store with all donations going to help battered women. It feels good letting go of things and knowing that you are helping someone as well. Energy needs to flow, otherwise there's no room for new experiences! Great post!!!
The last "yard Sale" as we call them here yielded me a whole $8 and I had to drive a total of about 60 miles back and forth for 2 days to the sell. That I vowed would be my last. Keeping a donation box handy is a great motivation to get rid of stuff as you run upon it.
ReplyDeleteAmy, just a technical note. The grey you're now using for the text is a shade too light to read well. Not enough contrast with the white background. It may just be my monitor, but it's really pale. Love your site!
ReplyDeleteLoved the list of what to or not to do you shared. The only one I disagree with is not pricing the item. I found that a majority of the people around here want to know your asking price before they will even haggle. So if I price the items they can see if the price is somewhere in the neighborhood of what they want to pay/haggle for. Some people will walk away if things aren't priced and I am guilty of not buying things because nothing is priced. I hate to keep asking the price of each item I am interested in.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, can you ask her if this is better? It may be the font and size. If so, she can increase the size of the text on her screen - on a Mac, it's under the "view" tab.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a donation box. We also have a pack rat in the house. It was easier to purge through things when he was traveling for work but now sometimes I have to be creative!
ReplyDeleteI keep two boxes in the laundry room. One is for donation and the other is for storage. Then as I'm folding laundry, it either goes back in the closet or into a box. When the box is full it either gets put into the attic or taken to Goodwill! (Tip - for my sanity, I always keep the boxes closed because everyone knows what happens when a child sees "my favorite toy/sweater/whatever in the world" in a box!). :)
Im with you on donating. I never want to have another garage sale in my life. I had my share and they are more work than worth! Love the kittie in the box photo, so sweet! I do eBay from time to time but I get so irritated when people only watch and never bid. The fees are getting stupid and the time and gas to the post office is not worth it. Thanks for all the tips!
ReplyDeleteOur neighborhood has two garage sales a year. We have participated in the last three and made several hundred dollars each time. I prefer to donate my items as it is much easier, but I have found that my teenagers were more willing to clean out their stuff when motivated by making some money by selling their things at a garage sale. We also sold some of their childhood toys via Craigslist and made several hundred dollars. My girls were also motivated to give some of their smaller toys and beanie babies to charity when it was a specific mission trip.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing this for about a year now. Only I use a garbage bag. Box would probably work better but my kids tend to destroy every large box that come in this house.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I so agree about NOT having a garage sale or 'yard' sale, as we call it in the south. I have a place in the closet where we put our unwanted clothing. I just emptied that space and it sure looks nice! If you have time, visit me at my blog: kefircreature.com
ReplyDeleteWe do this with a large plastic box that came from who-knows-what-project. Anytime I decide I no longer need something, it goes in the box. My kids put things there too. When the box is full we drop it off at a charity. Easy peasy. Keeps the house clutter free and I don't have to go looking around for boxes and supplies when it's time to sort through something.
ReplyDeleteWe often speak of having a yard sale and then just say forget it. The donation box idea is a much better one!
ReplyDeleteI have sworn off yard sales, too! I attached wheels to a giant round bin and it lives in our office/music room. I just drag it around from room to room when I am purging and then load it in the van for a trip to Goodwill. I allowed my 13 yo son to have a "sale" when he purged his room in the fall. He made $115 on one Friday afternoon! Maybe I should let him sell my junk!
ReplyDeleteWheels, huh... I like that idea!
ReplyDeleteHaha, that is sage advice! I keep a box to toss things for the next summer's yardsale, but you are right, a donation box would be better. And the deduction on your income taxes helps too!
ReplyDeleteVery good advice. Now let see if I can stick to it. JB
ReplyDeleteWe just purged enough clothing to fill up our small pick up truck's long bed ; ) That's not hard to do with 11 people's clothing to purge! And I'm still betting my dh says, "More! More!"
ReplyDeleteThe donation box works well for me, too. My difficulty is convincing other family members that it's better to give something away than to store it. If we haven't used it in a year, it should go. Only once has the donation box betrayed me. My grandmother asked about a doll (one of many) that she had given to my daughter. My daughter cheerfully replied, "Mom gave it to Old Will." Oops!
ReplyDelete