How to Clean Your House and Make Some Money at Home!

You can make some quick money and get rid of clutter at home!

Earlier on I suggested saving up your unwanted items in a few plastic tubs to sell at your local flea market.  However, there is another method you can do to cash in and clean  without leaving your house--hold a garage or yard sale.  Better still, get your neighbors involved to hold a street sale, which draws bargain hunters like bees to honey!

Fall and Spring Are the Best Time to Sell

Now is the perfect time as well as early fall to sell.   People have been cooped up in their homes all winter and are anxious to get out and spend money on things they need.  Usually Saturdays around 7:OO A.M. are a good time to plan for.  Some people like to hold their sales on Friday and run into Saturday.  Cars will arrive earlier.  Either post your firmness when you'll start selling items in your advertisement or a sign in your yard because early bird customers will begin knocking when you're still in your pajamas.

A Street Sale Draws More Customers Than a Single Garage Sale and Reduces Advertising Cost

Advertising in your local paper will come out of your profits.  The better way to go is taking advantage of a group of neighbors holding one block sale at the same time and then dividing up the cost of the ad.  Another method is placing a free advertisement on Craigslist.org.

Organization Is Key to the Success of Your Sale

Once you have a date set, you need to gather up the merchandise and organize.  If you're selling from your garage, it's important to hide any valuable tools or such somewhere else on the day of this sale.  Unfortunately, customers do steal.  Even if you have help, you can't watch everything.

For the best presentation, I like to group items by categories.  For instance, keep a table for glassware, books together arranged neatly on another, clothes for children on one, toys grouped together, adult clothes, etc. (sized). 

If you run out of tables, you can improvise.  Before your sale date, you need to stock up on some heavy duty cardboard boxes.  Grocery stores have lots of big boxes they need to get rid off, which make great tables for light items once covered with a tablecloth or some pretty material.  Just remember, people buy more items at eye level that are neatly arranged compared to bending and digging through a disorganized box on the ground. 

Understand Pricing 

Pricing is important.  Shoot for items in the same price range and keep them together. One dollar, two dollars, etc. is easier than dealing with having enough change.  

If you really want to get rid of that item, you need to sell it cheap!  Offer a bag of kid's clothes with a genre and size for a few dollars, or a bag of paperbacks you're just finished, or whatever else you need to get out of your place in a box or bag for a certain price.  The lower you mark that box, the better odds that it will be carried off.  At the end of that selling day, you will have it gone and be paid something instead of it just sitting there in your road and collecting dust!

Have Plenty of Coins and Bills to Make Change and Someone to Help 

Sometimes, customers do come in batches.  You could be occupied talking with one or giving change after a sale when a crowd suddenly arrives.  Your eyes can't be everywhere.  Therefore, I suggest wearing a fanny pack or have someone guard your money box because some people do steal either money or a valuable item when they get a chance.