The Square Life

From fresh tulip beds to freshly bronzed skin, there’s just something about the spring season that stirs up the spirit of change.
Though spring cleaning may satisfy this desire for a fresh start, it causes another problem—now what do you do with all this junk?
An old-fashioned yard sale will successfully get the trash off of your hands and turn it into the treasure of another.
Here are some tips to throwing the one on the block:

CREATIVE ADVERTISING Although a bright, bold street sign is key for advertising your event, remember that more people will hear about your garage sale if you use multiple mediums. Embrace technology by creating a Facebook flyer and event, and use other, more traditional means, such as placing an ad in your school newspaper.

COMBINE RESOURCES Inviting friends and neighbors to sell their stuff at your sale will draw more people in two ways: your friends and neighbors will tell their friends and their neighbors, and passers-by will be attracted to the sale because of the larger variety of items.

HAVE SMALL BILLS READY With the exception of professional garage sale shoppers, most people don’t carry around loads of dollar bills in their wallet. Make things convenient from the start by having a cash register full of small bills.

SELL FOOD College students love food. In fact, most everybody loves food. Attract the crowds by adding a concession stand to your yard sale. Just make sure to price the food cheap—you are no longer an adorable 5-year-old who can sell lemonade at $5 a cup.

BE FLEXIBLE Keep in mind that this is your junk. Since the stuff would otherwise be collecting dust under your bed, be creative with your pricing. Sell DVDs at a 2-for-1 price, and be flexible when people want to haggle you down. Remember that the main goal of a yard sale should be getting rid of junk, not making a profit.

SELL LEFT-OVERS ON EBAY If your yard sale ends and you are still looking to both clear out your trash and make a little spare change, try selling the items on eBay. You can even set a “buy it now” price instead of auctioning.