Whether you’re moving, trying to make some much-needed cash, or just clearing out clutter, yard sales are a lot of work. The time and effort of choosing items to sell, publicizing your sale, arranging sale items, and spending the day selling are a little daunting. Fortunately, a little preparation will save time and maybe earn you extra money. And the most common question is “What do I charge for all this stuff?” Read on, and we’ll provide some answers.
Yard sale prices will vary according to region. Pricing and sales strategies also differ depending on whether you are moving or you are trying to make money.
If you’re not familiar with yard sale prices, you should do some research. Check out sales in your area, check Craigslist for items similar to any big-ticket items you are looking to sell, or go to Yard Sale Radar and do all your legwork online. Overall, there is some uniformity in how to price stuff for garage sales.
For best results, a careful setup helps a lot. Keep clothes, furniture, and books separate. Put a price on everything. These days most customers at yard sales expect prices on items (or on tables where everything is priced the same). Angie’s List recommends you place your most expensive items on the edges and clearly marked so that they may be seen by passers by who are willing to spend some money.
Setting Your Yard Sale Prices
A rule of thumb for yard sale prices is don’t get your expectations up. In general, shoppers expect yard sale prices to be much lower than in a thrift store. If you’re trying to make money, you may consider selling good quality items that are harder to part with.
When possible, The Spruce recommends setting your yard sale prices at increments of five and tens, to cut down on change.
Clothes
Though there are some variations, yard sale prices for clothes tend to conform to predictable pricing strategies.
—Adult Clothes: $2 to $5 per item. Articles of clothing with tags still attached will bring more (up to a third of the price listed on the tag).
For best results, organize clothes by size, keep collared shirts and jackets on hangers, and leave everything else neatly folded.
—Baby clothes: $1 to $3 for like-new, 50 cents for worn. If you’re unloading a lot of outgrown baby and toddler clothes, one tip is to sell them in bulk for $5 per bag.
—Coats: $5 to $15. Consider selling anything worth more, like leather jackets, at resale shops.
—Shoes: $5 to $7. As a rule, avoid selling worn or scuffed shoes. They won’t bring much and they detract from your presentation.
Jewelry
Yard sale prices for costume jewelry generally run from 50 cents to $3. For best results, create a display by wrapping dark fabric around a piece of cardboard and attach pieces to that.
If you are selling jewelry that you think might be worth a lot of money, consider getting it appraised in advance.
Among experienced yard sale jewelry buyers, there’s an informal ethical practice of informing sellers that a piece may be worth a lot more than it’s being sold for, but it’s often not followed.
Books
Hardcover books generally sell for $1 or $2; paperbacks bring 25 to 50 cents. Large coffee table books or like-new hardcovers of recently published bestsellers may bring a little more.
Music Platforms
With the rise of online music platforms, older technologies, such as CDs and cassettes have lost most of their value. The exception is vinyl records, which are enjoying a retro resurgence.
If you believe your vinyl records may be worth money, try a record resale shop before selling them at yard sale prices.
CDs have limited value because some people still own players. Cassettes have minimal retro value. Both CDs and cassettes should only be sold in their original cases.
Furniture
In general, when trying to decide how to price stuff for garage sales, you’re pricing furniture to incentivize buyers to take it off your hands, though well-made furniture in pristine condition can bring up to one-third of its original price.
Antiques
Antiques can sell for well over their original price. You should very seriously consider getting a professional appraisal before selling them at yard sale prices.
Depend on Yard Sale Radar
Yard Sale Radar is an indispensable tool in all aspects of your yard sales experience. You can post your sale or you can search sales near you to set your yard sale prices. And check out our tips and tricks page. Team with Yard Sales Radar to make your sale profitable, stress-free, and fun.