My Yard Sale
© 11.25.07 By Candice Williams
Some time ago I had to help with a yard sale. It was not very successful I'm afraid. I spent nearly all my time in a lawn chair because there were too few customers for me to bother getting up out of my chair. While I sat in my chair, I began to notice that yard sales are an unpleasant practice.
To start with you must rise at very early hours. Then you will need to display your merchandise in the most attractive manner possible to draw in shoppers. This may take some time, but it's a good practice session for the rest of the week. Once this is completed, the next step is to wait. As you can see, this method is time consuming and not any fun. Not that it was meant to be fun.
As I was sitting in my lawn chair and waiting for patrons that did not come, I was also thinking. My thoughts went to reasons why the yard sale was not successful. Maybe the community is not yard sale friendly, I mused. After all, placing heaps of apparently useless junk on one's front lawn seems a little eccentric to a native of a small town Idaho. Actually, having the stuff on your front lawn isn't strange; similar homes are common. It's curious because you are trying to sell it.
As these thoughts were running through my head, I began to wonder what does make the lucrative sale? I came up with a few ideas.
To begin with, try to have more attractive items than ancient drying racks and lamp shades in the advanced stages of decay.
There is also the chore of advertizing. Innovations are always welcome. Consider the task of sign making for instance, instead of writing the hackneyed ‘lots of lightly used items' attract shoppers with clever wording of advertisements. Try something like this: "Large selection of amazing fish." Never mind the fact that they're stuffed; let your patrons find that out for themselves.
A feature for the overstocked sale could be the "surprise gift bag." This bag could contain anything from used dog toys to vintage home decor from the seventies. In other words, anything you can't bear to throw away. The possibilities are endless.
Another way to please shoppers is to point that they are getting good deals on almost new, slightly used clothing. I, however, wouldn't mention that certain items sat in the closet for ten years until you recently rediscovered them while setting out mouse traps. And don't tell the patron who wants to buy the treadmill that you lost thirty pounds by cutting sugar out of your diet. If they're getting an exercise machine, they must have tried dieting already.
A few final thoughts: keep large, menacing dogs out of the way; most people are frightened at the sight of a massive animal. Your lawn should be in perfect condition. This is important. You may want to plant a flower garden a few months in advance. Cut down any trees that seem to be in the way. Choose a day with pleasant weather.
All things considered, the perfect yard sale is far too difficult to accomplish. So just skip it and donate to a local thrift store instead.
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