A community yard sale has proven to be an effective and easy way to make extra money on the side, it helps you exchange your unused items for cash as quickly as possible. No wonder it has gained popularity in recent times.

A community garage or yard sale is the same as a block sale, but it includes an entire neighborhood or subdivision instead of just a single block.

With community sales, neighborhood and homeowners associations frequently set the dates, take care of advertising, and bring in food vendors and portable toilets for the events. Many organize the sales as annual events.

We will look at some reasons why yard sales has become popular and how you can use it to sell some of the items in your store.

• Garage Sales, Yard Sales, Tag Sales: What’s the Difference?
• Are Yard Sales Worth the Effort?
• What Should you not Sell at a Garage Sale?
• What Sells the Most at Yard Sales?
• Why do People Have Garage sales?

Garage Sales, Yard Sales, Tag Sales: What’s the Difference?

Block Sale

A block sale happens when multiple households on the same block of the same street agree to have yard sales on the same weekend. Then, they advertise the event (in classified ads and on signage) as a block sale instead of as individual sales. 

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Citywide Yard or Garage Sale

Citywide garage and yard sales are similar to community sales, but the entire city or town is invited to participate. Citywide sales are frequently organized by local government offices, tourism boards, or chambers of commerce.

Church Sale

Church sales are held when members donate their discards to be sold at a sale where the proceeds benefit the church or some program it sponsors. The sale may be held inside the church or outside on the grounds.

The former is more common. Shoppers like church sales because multiple merchandise donors mean more sale merchandise in a single location. 

Church Bazaar

A church bazaar is the same as a church sale, though sometimes edibles and handmade merchandise may be sold in addition to donated secondhand goods.

Fundraising bazaars aren’t limited to churches, but it’s one of the most common usages.

White Elephant Sale

The term “white elephant” refers to a burdensome, unwanted possession. At a white elephant sale, multiple people donate their white elephants (and other discards) to a sale where the proceeds benefit a charity, cause, or organization.

Boot Sale

The term boot sale originated in the United Kingdom, where the trunk of a car is called the boot. Sellers gather in a field, parking lot, or other predetermined location and sell their goods out of their boots.

Junk-in-the-Trunk Sale

A junk-in-the-trunk sale is the United States version of a boot sale, where merchandise is sold out of the sellers’ vehicles.

It’s occasionally shortened just to trunk sale, but don’t mistake it for the type of trunk sales offered by the fashion industry.

Highway Yard Sale

A highway yard sale is an annual sale event with a predetermined route along one or more highways, sometimes with detours through participating towns on the route.

Sellers set up yard sales at private residences and in fields and parking lots on the route.

Sometimes professional antique and vintage dealers set up tables and tents along the route as well. Many highway yard sales span multiple states and hundreds of miles.

Yard Sale Trail

Yard sale trail is another term for a highway yard sale. 

Secondhand sales go by many names: yard sale, garage sale, tag sale, moving sale, estate sale, attic sale, and more. Group events may be called white elephant sales, block sales, church bazaars, boot sales, or yard sale trails.

Ever wonder about the differences between the different types of sales? Or even whether there’s a difference at all? Here’s what each term means and how to tell the events apart:

Yard Sale

A yard sale is a secondhand sale where you set out your goods on the lawn. The term applies whether you use the front or backyard, but the former is more common.

Garage Sale

At a true garage sale, the merchandise is displayed inside the garage, though it sometimes spills out onto the driveway.

Garage sales are ideal for sellers who don’t want early bird shoppers; the sellers can keep the garage door closed until they’re ready to start the sale.

Holding your sale in the garage also makes it possible to set up the goods the day or night before. Unlike merchandise that’s displayed in the yard or carport, the closed garage keeps it safe from rain, thieves, and early birds.

Carport Sale

A carport sale is similar to a garage sale in that the goods are set up in the parking area and frequently extend onto the driveway. The difference is merely that the seller has an open-air carport instead of an enclosed garage.

Though carport, yard, and garage sales are technically different, the terms are frequently used interchangeably to describe any outdoor or open-air sale held at a private residence.

In many cases, sellers go with the most common term used regionally. In the area of the American south for example, most people list their sales as garage sales, even when they’re held in the carport or the yard.

Rummage Sale

The word “rummage” means digging through stuff, frequently stuff that’s messy or disorganized. Thus, a rummage sale officially refers to a secondhand sale where shoppers have to dig through the goods.

However, considering the way the different sale terms are used interchangeably, a rummage sale may be just as tidy and well displayed (or not) as any of the aforementioned sale types.

The term “rummage sale” is frequently, though not necessarily, used when the sale is a fundraising sale for the benefit of an organization or group.

In those cases, the events may be held at the organization’s location, if it has one, or at the home of a volunteer. When a rummage sale takes place at a private residence, it may be held in the garage, yard, or carport — or even inside the house.

Jumble Sale

A jumble sale is the same as a rummage sale, particularly the fundraising type, but the term is mostly used in the United Kingdom.

Attic Sale

Unlike other secondhand sales with names that refer to a specific location at the residence, an attic sale isn’t held in the seller’s attic.

An attic sale is typically held in the carport, yard, or garage of a residence, and it features objects the sellers cleared out of their attics. In reality, you’ll find discarded goods from other areas of the home too.

Moving Sale

Sellers refer to their events as moving sales when they’re getting rid of their unwanted objects before moving to another residence.

Since moving is so exhausting, shoppers assume moving sales will have more merchandise than other types of sales.

The theory is that moving requires sellers to finally clear unused possessions out of attics, basements, and closets and that they’d rather sell the stuff than move it. Those assumptions are frequently correct.

Tag Sale

Technically, the term “tag sale” can refer to any sale where you put price tags on your secondhand stuff and offer it for sale. A tag sale may be held anywhere on the exterior of the property or inside the home. 

The term “tag sale” is used more in the northeast than in other parts of the United States. In some areas, a tag sale is considered the same as an estate sale, and the owners of the merchandise may hire professional sale organizers to run the event.

Estate Sale

Estate sales typically occur when all or most of a home’s contents are being sold. Traditionally, estate sales were held after a death. Today, estate sales may also occur due to downsizing or long-distance moves.

Estate sales are typically held inside the household being liquidated, though you may also find sale merchandise in the backyard, garage, and outbuildings.

Most estate sales are organized by professional estate sale companies, who do the job for a percentage of the proceeds, but some sellers and heirs opt to hold estate sales on their own too.

Are Yard Sales Worth the Effort?

Having a garage sale is definitely one way of getting rid of the excess stuff in your life. But is it a good idea? In my opinion, that’s a definite no.

First, a few facts about garage sales (alternately known as a yard sale, or rummage sale.) Did you know that in any given week in the U.S. there are 165,000 garage sales? Or that 4,967,500 items are sold each week?

The process of having a yard sale is not really an easy one, at the end of the day it might not be worth it. Here are some things you need to do in preparation.

First, you have to find stuff to sell. If you haven’t ever had a garage sale, then you are probably in luck and have a number of items you can part with.

This is especially true if you have kids that have outgrown their baby or toddler clothes. This stuff goes quite quickly.

However, if you’re one of those people that have a garage sale a couple of times a year, the pickings get to be pretty sparse fast.

Once you’ve accumulated all the stuff you’re willing to let go, then you should really look at that pile again and determine if it will sell.

Now that you’ve got your pile of items, it’s time to label each object with a price sticker. The hassle is coming up with a price. You don’t want to price it too high, because on Sunday evening it will still be sitting there.

And you don’t want to price it too low because you need to leave a little room for negotiation. Speaking of negotiation, we refer to the first sentence in this post: “Would you take 50 cents for this?” 

This type of dickering is infuriating, especially when the original price is 75 cents. Or you’ll have the person offering $10 on those once-used snowshoes that cost you $150. 

So you see the effort it take to put together a yard sale, if you don’t have enough items to make money from it might prove to be a waste of your precious time.

What Should you not Sell at a Garage Sale?

Every week, roughly 165,000 garage sales are held in the United States, according to Statistic Brain.

In the warmer summer months, you can easily waste a whole day scoping out sales. And with the average item costing just 85 cents, another person’s trash may well turn out to be your treasure.

But for every amazing garage or yard sale find, it seems that there are piles and piles of junk, like battered toys, threadbare sheets, and musty textbooks.

Some things that people sell are just gross, like half-empty bottles of toiletries and used underwear. Others are simply weird.

Not knowing exactly what you’re going to find when you pull up to a yard sale is part of the fun, of course. But don’t let the thrill of the hunt let you get suckered into a bad purchase.

Some things that look like great deals at first glance are actually big no-no’s. These items are unsafe, unsanitary, or just plan useless.

1. Baby gear

Pass on the used cribs, playpens, car seats, and other baby gear. Older models may not have the same safety features as new products and used items could be damaged, putting your baby at risk.

The CPSC urges parents not to use older cribs because they have design flaws that put infants in danger.

“Be very careful when buying anything baby related,” Heiska said. She also suggests using caution when buying old toys. “Many vintage toys are safety hazards — the lawn game from the ‘70s called Jarts come to mind,” she said.

(Jarts, also known as lawn darts, have been banned in the U.S. since 1988.) “People who weren’t around in the ‘70s may buy them and not realize their danger.”

2. Bike Helmets

Bike helmets should be replaced after any crash where you hit your heads, says the Bike Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI). Older helmets may also offer less protection than newer models.

“You probably should not buy a used helmet at a yard sale or thrift shop,” the BHSI cautions. “Damage may not be evident. Cheap helmets are available new.”

3. Mattresses

The bed bug risk is real. These pests are found in every state and can be difficult to get rid of once they set up residence in your home.

Keep your home bug-free by only buying new mattresses, and stay away from upholstered furniture for the same reason.

Plus, used mattresses can come with stains and odors that are hard to remove, and may carry pet dander or mold. Even if it looks like a great deal, skip it.

4. Non-stick Cookware

While pans with non-stick coatings like Teflon are incredibly popular (up to 90% of aluminum pans sold come with it), some worry about whether the chemicals used to make the coating are safe.

Though manufacturers, including 3M and Dupont, have phased out the used of PFOA and PFOS, the substances that caused the most concern, you’ll still find them in older pans.

To stay safe, avoid older non-stick cookware, especially if the coating is chipped or flaking. The average lifespan of a non-stick pan is between three and five years, says Good Housekeeping.

5. Electronics

Given how quickly technology evolves, most of the used electronics you find cluttering yard sale tables aren’t exactly a great deal.

Even if an item still works (and you should always test before you buy), there’s a good chance that a better – and often cheaper – model is available elsewhere.

Pay special attention to items with batteries. “If something is battery operated and it doesn’t work, there is a good chance the batteries that are in it have corroded, making it unusable,” said Heiska.

The exceptions to the electronics rule? Hobbyists and tinkerers looking for spare parts can have a field day at garage sales, says Popular Mechanics. And you may be able to score a deal on electronics that haven’t evolved much in recent years, like speakers.

6. Boxes of old LPs

Collectible vinyl records can sell for thousands of dollars, which may make snapping up a box of vintage LPs seem like a smart investment. But your chances of finding a hidden gem are slim.

As anyone who’s flipped through a crate of records at a garage sale can tell you, most of what you’ll find is pretty worthless, unless you are in the market for old Herb Alpert or Engelbert Humperdinck records.

If you find a single LP you like, buy it, but don’t haul the entire box home with you.

“Honestly, you’re about as likely to hit the lottery as to find a valuable record in an old collection,” says the website Popular Song.

7. Shoes

Aside from the “ewww” factor, worn-in shoes have been molded to someone else’s feet, which can make them uncomfortable for you to wear. Used running shoes are a particularly bad bet, since they may be worn out and not have the support needed to protect your feet.

Unless you’ve stumbled upon a pair of designer shoes in good condition or a one-of-a-kind vintage item, you’re probably better off buying new.

8. Swimsuits

You wouldn’t buy someone else’s underwear, would you? Well, purchasing a secondhand swimsuit at a garage sale is essentially the same thing. No amount of soap and hot water is enough to wash away the “ick” of a used pair of swim trunks.

Aside from the gross-out factor, there’s another reason to steer clear of yard sale bikinis.

Chlorine in pools can quickly wreck a swimsuit, causing colors to fade and fabrics to break down, as Health explained, which means your secondhand suit might not be such a bargain after all.

Plus, you’re probably not trying swimwear on before you buy, and the chances of it fitting correctly are slim.

9. Bath and body products

Sometimes, you’ll find things at a yard sale that should have gone straight to the trash. Used or opened bath and body products like shampoos or lotions are a case in point.

Even if they’re cheap, you should steer clear. Contamination is a concern, but there’s also a chance that these opened products won’t work as well as their new counterparts.

“Like most things in life, skin care products, toiletries, and beauty products don’t last forever.

Once opened, the clock starts ticking on these items, because exposure to air, light, and bacteria can break them down,” Lifehacker explained. “[A]n expired perfume could smell a little off or your anti-dandruff shampoo no longer keep your mane flake-free.

Other times … an expired product can be irritating or cause other problems, as with using expired sunscreen and then toasting yourself in the sun.”

10. Puzzles and games

A garage sale might seem like a good place to pick up a cheap puzzle or board game, but you could be setting yourself up for frustration.

Both could be missing key pieces, and unless you want to stand there and count Scrabble tiles, you likely won’t realize until you get home and discover the all-important letter “Q” is missing from the box.

Combine that with battered boards and missing instructions and you’re better off not passing “Go” in most cases.

The exception might be if you’re able to find collectible games or game pieces. Some people are able to make money selling rare Monopoly tokens or stray pieces of special chess sets online, but you need to know what to look for.

“Having a bunch of generic black and red plastic checker pieces doesn’t do you much good. But if you had vintage clay checker pieces, it might be a different story,” Laura Niebauer Palmer wrote for The Pennyhoarder.

What Sells the Most at Yard Sales?

Yard sales are the perfect opportunity to find items that can be flipped or refurbished online for more money than you paid originally.

Old Super Mario Kart games can still be found at garage sales for a few bucks, but on eBay they go for at least $25, according to DealNews.

And remember that Lite Brite you were obsessed with years ago? It’s no longer in production, meaning the game’s value has skyrocketed.

So if a moving sale is forcing families to rid themselves of these childhood toys, don’t pass up the opportunity to make big money. Lite Brites in good condition have a $75 resale value online.

1. Bottled Water

Even if the browsers aren’t interested in any of your stuff, you can still ensure you didn’t waste a gorgeous weekend if you put out coolers of bottled water and soft drinks for sale.

On a hot day, parents are more than ready to buy a can of Coke to distract their tired children. Add in some upbeat music, and you’ll entertain customers all day long.

2. Appliances

Of course, your wedding registry included a KitchenAid mixer, a few blenders, a salad spinner, and a waffle iron. But after years of going unnoticed, it’s time to make a few extra bucks off these popular garage sale items.

Even the most casual yard sale goers love kitchen appliances, and you could probably unload these pretty easily. Clean them up and have a power strip handy, so interested buyers can test their condition.

3. Exercise Equipment

Free weights and basic exercise equipment will be scooped up quickly, but older treadmills or elliptical machines might take a bit longer to sell.

Luckily, there’s always someone in the neighborhood vowing to get healthier. So capitalize on their devoutness, and price your fitness items to sell.

If your old equipment is in questionable condition, it might be better served in the dumpster than the sale. Rickety eye sores aren’t a pleasant sight for roaming shoppers.

4. Tools

People are like a moth to a flame when it comes to tools in working condition. Whether it be gardening trinkets or costly household tools, shoppers are more than willing to score a deal on secondhand equipment.

Buyers shouldn’t dismiss any tools that boasts minor damage. Wooden handles can be replaced for cheap, and sometimes lawn mowers just need a new belt to get working again.

Ask questions about the condition of these tools. Then, make a fair offer accordingly.

5. Jackets

Trying to successfully buy or sell clothes at a yard sale is hit or miss. Displaying worn T-shirts and outdated sweaters are common sale blunders, but bulky and gently used jackets are usually mixed in with the stash.

This is a jackpot find for both parties. Pay close attention to the name brand on jackets, as kid’s clothing is often sold once they get too small to wear.

You could be able to snag a Columbia or North Face jacket for a fraction of the retail price if you’re willing to pick through the load.

6. Items by the Box

Another yard sale strategy that’s an effective selling technique is to sell items by the box or bag. Cow Couple often employs a “grab bag approach,” meaning people can take home everything that fits in one bag for a set low price.

While this generally works to sell lots of clothing, it can also be used to move random junk that typically wouldn’t sell otherwise. And buyers should take the leap.

A man in California bought a $5 box of documents without realizing he had a 1917 stock certificate for 1,625 shares of the Palmer Union Oil Company.

(It later merged with a little company named Coca-Cola.) His tattered certificate entitled him to 1.8 million shares of Coke worth over $130 million.

7. Americana decor and signs

A couple episodes of American Pickers or Antiques Roadshow will tell you any old-school Americana decor is bound to attract buyers from all over town.

But be warned: Inauthentic Americana-themed products can be found in almost any retail store these days.

The real money is made from antiquities with history. Vintage metal signs that say Texaco or Coca-Cola are a collector’s dream, and retro Harley Davidson antiques have become popular decorating choices.

8. Camping gear

In your head, you’re an outdoor enthusiast who’ll become one with nature over a family camping trip. So, at the time, that outrageously expensive camping gear seemed that a wise investment. But there it sits, unopened by the bike rack that now supports your leaf blower.

Luckily, you might be able to get a least a sizable portion of your money back by selling this gear at your garage sale.

Smart shoppers know these items are usually found in good condition after only being used a few times, so both parties win here. Sellers should advertise these products like crazy, and shoppers should be prepared to make a solid offer.

9. Artworks

All that artwork taking up valuable attic space can be a big money maker at your next garage sale. Although those paintings might represent scribbled lines and dust collections to you, thrifty yard sale shoppers see dollar signs and are always hunting for artwork that could be worth something.

Looking to strike it rich? For one man, an unwanted yard sale purchase wound up being an invaluable Jackson Pollack original.

And a $4 flee market find in Pennsylvania included a rare original copy of the Declaration of Independence in an old oil painting. Shrewd shoppers should never neglect the artwork sitting over in the corner. That historic $4 purchase sold for $2.42 million.

10. Fishing rods

One way to make big money at your yard sale is to sell items that aren’t commonly seen at neighborhood tag sales.

Aaron LaPedis, author of Garage Sale Millionaire, told Mint.com, “The most valuable items are a lot of things that people aren’t looking for. They’re unusual things, like tin toys and bamboo fishing rods and reels, which are non-mainstream antiques.”

Garage sale hosts should understand people are hunting for these specific rods for cheap. However, they’re attractive to collectors and could be worth more than you realize.

Why do People Have Garage sales?

Popular motivations for a garage sale are for “spring cleaning,” moving or earning extra money.

The seller’s items are displayed to the passers-by or those responding to signs, flyers, classified ads or newspaper ads. In some cases, local television stations will broadcast a sale on a local public channel.

The venue at which the sale is conducted is typically a garage; other sales are conducted at a driveway, carport, front yard or inside a house. Some vendors, known as “squatters,” will set up in a high-traffic area rather than on their own property.

Items typically sold at garage sales include old clothing, books, toys, household decorations, lawn and garden tools, sports equipment and board games.

Larger items like furniture and occasionally home appliances are also sold. Garage sales occur most frequently in suburban areas on weekends with good weather conditions, and usually have designated hours for the sale.

Buyers who arrive before the hours of the sale to review the items are known as “early birds” and are often professional restorers or resellers. Such sales also attract people who are searching for bargains or for rare and unusual items.

Bargaining, also known as haggling, on prices is routine, and items may or may not have price labels affixed. Some people buy goods from these sales to restore them for resale.

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Some jurisdictions require that the home owners obtain a permit (which may require a fee), stating the date(s) on which the sale will take place (with allowances in the event of bad weather conditions).

The jurisdiction may also place restrictions on the sale, such as the number of sales in a year a person can have (so as to avoid a person running a business without licenses and without collecting sales taxes), where signs may be placed in and around the neighborhood, and even where on the owner’s premises a sale may take place.

Conclusion

Yard sales like we have talked about are an easy means for you to get rid of your old stuffs and get some cash for them. Although organizing a yard sales might not be easy, you can use this method to raise some money for yourself.