Fike's Lives

With the warm weather comes the beginning of Garage/Yard/Moving Sales. After becoming a serious sale-er 3 years ago, there are some common courtesies or realizations that need to be made.

• Don't have a sale expecting to make back what you spent. I don't go to a sale to help you make money, I go to save me money that I would have had otherwise spent at the store. Have a sale to get rid of things, and if you make money in the process, congrats!


• Unless they are kid clothes, clothes don't sell well. Even with kid clothes, they need to be stain-free and in good condition. $ .50 an item is a reasonable price. Coats, up to $5. Church clothes, such as really nice dresses, or suits, no more than $5. I am still talking kid clothing. There are a few exceptions. I have gotten a bag of 3t jeans that had holes in the knees for free. They are perfect for play clothes.


• I don't care how much you were dumb enough to spend on name brand clothes, I am not paying the same price. Would I be shopping at yard sales, if I were?


• Don't try to sell intimate apparel or swimwear.


• Shoes are iffy.


• Books should be never be more than $.50 for a paperback or $1 for a hardback. Harlequin romance books, $ .10


• DVDs really shouldn't be more than $3. VHS, a quarter. Cds $2.


• Don't bother trying to sell broken electronics. Make sure that you have an outlet available for people to test it out on.


• Signs for sale should be up at least 4ft, and brightly colored with house number and times. Balloons are great. Do not put them up before the sale, then get mad at people who show up because they saw a sign. When the sale is over, remove sign immediately.


• If selling furniture, please be reasonable. If it is made of particle board, no more than $10, and only if it is in good condition. Preferably less.


• Filing cabinets, if they are rusty, throw them away.


• Glassware, or fragile items should be up a little higher, people can't always avoid bringing their children.


• If you are a smoker, don't be upset or disappointed if people don't buy because it smells.


• If you have an item that you intend on asking a large amount of money for (newer treadmills, generators, riding lawn mowers, etc.), let people know ahead of time in the ad, or list it on Craiglist. I had a guy trying to sell a treadmill for $800. No one carries that much money around.


• You would be better off to just put valuable things on Craiglist.


• Be willing to negoiate.


• Talk to your neighbors a couple of days before the sale and let them know. This will give them time to set up a sale themselves or put up parking barriers for their yard. The more houses having sales, the bigger the crowd you have.


• If you are in a neighborhood that does an annual sale, don't decide that day to have your son clean out the garage. It is awkward and embarrassing to walk to someone's house that isn't actually having a sale.


• Have plenty of cash for change.


• If someone comes and sees something that is out of their cash range, don't accept check, tell them you will hold onto the item long enough for them to run to the nearest ATM.


• If early birds really annoy you, set the time an hour later than you would really like to start.


• Don't tell me it is a huge sale, if it can fit onto 4 or less tables.


• Be prepared for weather conditions.


• If you have a pet, put it inside, or out of reach of people.


• Selling donuts, baked goods, and drinks are wonderful ideas. Put up a sign if whatever the item is, if it has nuts.