Need some extra cash this fall? Want to clean out a bunch of stuff that you no longer use? Well, you can do both by having a garage sale. And MSNBC has some tips for how to make the most of your garage sale:
Start with a plan. Pick a date at least a few weeks out. Weekends are best — Saturdays first, Fridays second, Sundays third. Steer clear of weekdays, holiday weeks and weekends close to April 15, when people are worrying about paying their taxes. Start your sale in the early morning, as that's when the most serious buyers will show up.
Go through your house and decide what goes. A good rule of thumb: If you haven't used or worn a particular item in two years, you can live without it. But don't throw anything away. Even if you think something is junk, someone else collects it.
Treat your sale like a business. Organize the merchandise, putting like items with like items, so buyers can find what they're looking for. If you're selling clothing, put it on a rack or string up a clothesline and hang your pieces for people to see.
Advertise. Run ads in local papers and on the Internet (there are lots of free yard-and-garage-sale sites) and put up flyers. Be specific about what sort of merchandise you have: clothing, antiques, whatever. You'll get the people who really want that stuff.
The one thing I would add (especially to point #2): you can always donate items that don't sell to Goodwill or the Salvation Army and get a tax deduction for them. So don't throw away anything in at least decent shape.
Now go out there and earn a few extra bucks!
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