Two common concerns about moving are how much the move will cost and how to figure out what’s coming with you to your new home. A yard sale may help resolve both of these issues. Planning an additional event during a move may feel overwhelming, but it can be done. In fact, a yard sale may even make packing and unpacking a little easier.

Prepare in Advance

Begin planning the yard sale about a month prior to your move. You need to have enough time to organize the event and toss out anything that you don’t want and can’t be sold.

Hold the yard sale at least one weekend before your move so you’ll have enough time to take the items that didn’t sell to a charity shop, recycling center or junkyard.

Organize Your Items

As you start sorting your belongings, have a permanent marker, pricing labels and plenty of boxes available, as well as a clipboard with lined paper. Create an inventory of what is in each of your moving boxes. Also, make notes about the yard sale. For example, jot down a reminder to buy batteries to make sure items work or add details to research online to avoid underpricing valuables.

Take photographs of large or expensive pieces and any especially desirable items while sorting. Use the pictures to promote the yard sale in classified ads in print or online. Photos are a good attention-getter and could lead to some sales prior to the actual event.

Clean and price everything you plan on selling at the yard sale. Take these steps now to save time and frustration the night before the big day. Set debatable items aside for a week or two before a final sort takes place. You may get sentimental during a move, so allow yourself a little time to decide what is worth keeping.

Eliminate Problematic Items

Moving companies cannot haul away everything, and you may find that parting with some of these items is easier than attempting to pile them all into your car. Things like houseplants, cleaning supplies, cans of paint, fire extinguishers and car batteries can’t go in a moving van, but may earn you a few dollars at a yard sale.

You should also consider selling overly bulky items that cost a lot to move. A rarely used pool table or piano may not provide enough entertainment to justify the space it will require in the moving van. Also, sell anything that is hard to pack but easy to replace, such as a kiddie pool.

Encourage the Sale

Encourage more sales by pricing items fairly. Experts recommend asking about 10–20% of the original purchase price. Used clothing usually sells for less unless it is a popular brand name, while high-quality furniture may go for more. At the end of the day, offer a 50% discount for any items that are left and advertise special deals for anyone that buys multiple items.

Make the sale appealing to more people. Surveys of yard sale shoppers have shown that they prefer clearly marked prices, but still want to negotiate for the final price. Most shoppers also prefer clean and organized yard sales that are easy to locate. Set up everything on tables or hang them on racks, so the items are easy to browse through.

There’s really no better time to have a yard sale than when you’re already going through your belongings. Eliminating your unwanted items reduces the cost of the move and the profit helps to cover the expenses. Once all those unwanted extras are out of the way, contact Island Movers so we can help you plan the rest of your move.