Yard Sales aren't for everyone. How does Consignment work?

Okay, summer is coming to an end and you have to make room for new stuff.  What do you do with your old stuff?  You can have a yard sale but remember having a yard sale is hard work! 




What you need to do for a yard sale:

1. Plan the date ahead of time and hope the weather cooperates.
2. Decide the times of your yard sale...and plan on some showing up about a half hour earlier than the scheduled time.
3. Advertise your yard sale (cost about $10.00).
4. Get your friends involved because the more stuff that is out there the more people will stop.
5. Make directional signs to drive traffic to your yard sale.
6. Decide how you are going to show prices for items: i.e. stickers on each item, have under $1.00 tables, under $5.00 tables, etc., make an offer.  I have found pricing each item works the best but you have to have each person who brings stuff to your yard sale have a different colored sticker.
7. Get change.  You will need a lot of change.  Most yard sales are held over the weekend so you will not have the ability to run to the bank and break high bills.  Depending on how much stuff you have you have will determine what type and how much change you will need.  You will need a minimum of two rolls of quarters, roll of dimes, roll of nickels, $50.00 in one's, $25.00 in fives, $30.00 in tens and if you are smart you will have a few twenties just in case someone is a serious shopper and has a $100 bill.
8. Since people show up early you need to be ready.  Start setting up your yard sale a minimum of one hour before the advertised time.  You need to judge by how much stuff you have....and whatever time you think it will take to set up....add a half hour to that because there will always be more than you are prepared for.
9. If you have advertised 7:00 am - 2:00 pm plan on someone showing up at 2:15 pm so be prepared for this.
10. Most important:  The objective of a yard sale is to GET RID OF STUFF not to get rich.  Be willing to negotiate as most will negotiate the price.  Avoid setting prices higher so you can negotiate down.  Price the items for what they are worth...and this means price them for what they are worth to a stranger as no one cares that your best friends' dog's grandmother gave it to you.

Wow, I'm exhausted just thinking about this.  If you are thinking the same thing there are other options to cleaning out your "stuff."

1. You can donate them
2. You can give them away
3. You can put the item on consignment

Here's how I see it...as long as it is out of my house I don't care where it is...BUT if I can get it out of my house AND make some money without having a yard sale.....that's what I want to do.  Take the items to a consignment shop.  Tell them how much you would like to get from each item...remember they will take a percentage of the sales price and this will depend on the contract.  Tell them what you are willing to negotiate down to so if they get an offer that is lower than what you want they don't have to call and get permission if it's within your acceptable range.

Don't be offended if the Consignment Store doesn't accept an item.  They know their store and what sells.  What they cannot accept you can donate or give away.  What doesn't sell within your contract period you can lower the price or donate or give away.

Remember it is out of your house!!  That was the goal to begin with.  Yes, you MAY make more money in a shorter amount of time having a yard sale....but is the difference in what you would make and the time frame worth what you have to go through to have a yard sale?

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How to find a good deal!

Advertisements, Newspaper Ads, Friends recommendation, we all have our "own" way of shopping and finding our next "great deal."




We all love walking out of a store thinking, "WOW!  What a great buy that was."  Sometimes it is luck that we happened upon that great deal.  Sometimes it's research that brought us to it.  Department Stores can be visited at the beginning of each season to see what they have as not much changes "during" the season.  Well, maybe I should change that.....Christmas stuff out before Halloween, Halloween stuff out before Labor Day....it's a nightmare.  It's so difficult to enjoy an upcoming holiday when the next holiday, three months later, is being thrown in your face.

These are a few reasons why consignment shops are great.  You can find whatever you need anytime of year without it being thrown down your throat. 

I went to Freedom Consignment & Antiques looking for a "particular" item.  No such luck (which is usually my luck).  I told them what I was looking for and left.  Two days later my phone rings and exactly what I was looking for...you guessed it...was just brought in.

That's the nice thing about Consignment shops...just because it isn't there on Monday doesn't mean it isn't there on Thursday....TO BE SUCCESSFUL shopping Consignment shops YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK!

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Do you know how to shop....at Consignment Shops?

We all know how to shop, right?  Shopping at a consignment shop is a bit different and if you don't know how you can and will miss some great deals!

• You cannot just go one time.  The selection changes regularly so you have to shop regularly.  
• When you clean out your closet for a new season so do most people.  It's important to shop 3-4 weeks after the season changes.  Also, keep in mind when trends change you can get some excellent deals that are "out of the trend" but still works for you.
• Examine all the items you are interested in buying.  Shop where the owner cares as much for the item as you will.
• ALWAYS try on clothes, don't trust the tag.  If they are a bit big but it is a great deal consider purchasing the item and having it altered.  (Don't open a box of chocolates every day to alter yourself to the purchase).
• Walk through the entire store!  What looks disorganized to you is the owner's way of getting you to see everything.  Your hidden treasure may not be where you think it is as it may be hidden.
• Always ask if the price is negotiable and remember the owner of the store doesn't often set the price.  The consignor may have given instructions of what they are willing to accept.

Remember there are advantages for shopping at consignment stores.  There are people in the world who get tired of their things frequently.  When they get new they have to take their old somewhere.  This is why you have to continue to go back to the store as we do not have a holiday two times a year that is "Clean up and go buy new" so inventory changes constantly.  If you go today and it's not there, it may be there tomorrow.

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