How to Host a Moving Sale: Tips for Selling Unwanted Items
If you look around for tips on how to move effectively from one home to another, you’ll often see the advice of getting rid of some of your things to make the move a little smaller. That’s a great idea – but how do you go about getting rid of those unwanted items? Get some helpful advice on that piece of the puzzle below.
As far as the move itself is concerned, planning for that part is easy – turn to Steele & Vaughn, the best movers Greensboro has to offer. You’ll have the right help at the right time to turn what could have been a stressful move into a smooth, predictable experience.
Plan Ahead and Promote
You don’t want to simply put out a bunch of things for sale randomly one day without first trying to drum up a little attention. Pick a day that will work for your schedule and find a couple of different ways to put the word out – even just posting on your social media and some of the free apps and putting up a sign in your neighborhood, could be enough to get the job done.
(See the sidebar at the bottom of this post for a list of free places to post your sale)
Define Your Inventory
It can help to think about this process like the manager of a retail store. You are basically building an inventory of the things that you don’t want to own anymore. As you go through your possessions, use a spreadsheet or just a list on a piece of paper to keep track of what you are going to sell. At this point, you can decide to add some starting prices for some of your things, or you could opt to just put things out and take offers.
Bring Your Personality
To actually make sales when the day arrives, you need to be friendly and welcoming when people come to check out what you have. You certainly don’t have to be a sales master, and you don’t need to put pressure on anyone to buy, but it is a good idea to chat with people and make yourself available to ask any questions. It might even wind up that you have some fun with the process and meet some new people that you like along the way!
Accept Cashless Payments
It’s going to be hard to sell many items if you are only able to accept cash, since so few people have cash these days. Today, people expect to be able to use cashless, contactless payment methods they already have set up on their phones. Make it a point ahead of time to have at least a couple of these payment options available and have all of your information on hand so people can easily pay you, take their things, and be on their way.
Looking for outstanding local movers who also offer long distance moving services? Steele & Vaughn is the logical pick, so don’t waste any more time looking around – reach out now and schedule your move.
Places to Post your Sale:
- Facebook Marketplace: This is a very popular option with a large audience. You can easily create a listing with photos, a description, and the date and time of your sale. It’s great for local reach.
- Craigslist: A classic option for local classifieds, including yard sales. It’s still widely used, though perhaps not as dominant as it once was.
- Nextdoor: This is a social networking app for your neighborhood. It’s a great way to reach people in your immediate vicinity.
- OfferUp: While often used for selling individual items, OfferUp can also be used to list yard sales.
- 5miles: Similar to OfferUp, this app focuses on local buying and selling.
- Yard Sale Radar: This website specifically caters to yard sales and allows you to list your sale for free. It may not have the largest audience, but it is targeted.
- Local Community Forums/Groups: Many towns or communities have their own online forums or Facebook groups where residents can post about local events, including yard sales. Check your area for these groups.
Tips for Effective Posting:
- Clear and concise title: Make it easy for people to understand what you’re selling (e.g., “Huge Yard Sale – Furniture, Clothes, Toys”).
- Detailed description: List some of the key items you’ll be selling.
- High-quality photos: Take clear pictures of your items to attract attention.
- Accurate date, time, and address: Double-check all the details before posting.
- Use relevant keywords: Include terms people might search for (e.g., “vintage,” “baby clothes,” “tools”).
- Share on social media: Once you’ve posted your listing, share it on your personal social media pages to reach a wider audience.