Your Yard Sale Fundraiser Guide: Turn Clutter to Cash

Turning your trash into someone else's treasure is a tried-and-true fundraising idea. Yard sale and garage sale fundraisers are an excellent way to give unwanted items a new life while earning dollars for your cause or organization. 

Anyone who has experienced hosting yard sales or garage sales, however, knows that they require a lot of work. You need a game plan, a team of volunteers, and expert tips to make the event a success—so we're here to share our favorite tips for running a profitable yard sale fundraiser. 

It's all about the marketing

Early and frequent promotion is key to a winning yard sale fundraiser. Showcase what attracts buyers with pictures and mention of tools, antiques, specific collectibles, or memorabilia, as well as any big-ticket items.

Your marketing tactics should include: 

• Announcements at events and meetings
• Newsletter stories and ads
• Coverage on your website and any sister or host organization websites
• Social media event listing and posts
• Flyers (posted or handed out)

You can also promote your sale: 

• On websites or apps like Craigslist, OfferUp, or Nextdoor
• Through Facebook (Marketplace, neighborhood groups, or garage sale groups) 
• Using community message boards
• In local newspapers and on their websites
• By asking local churches, schools, or other organizations to share the information

Don't skimp on signage

In addition to capturing attention through marketing efforts, you also want to grab as much day-of foot traffic as possible with highly visible signs. 

According to a yard sale pro on Quora, while early promotion is important for dedicated buyers, corner signage is "what will draw the most people in and move all the stuff under $10". He recommends that you "build a trail" from every major intersection to the event.

Corner signage, which should display address, dates, hours, and arrows, should also be: 

• Large, simple, and bright
• Able to stand up to wind and rain
• Placed the night before the sale 
• Mapped or recorded to ensure they're all removed at the end of the sale

You can also use balloons or bunting flags from the street to sale entry points to help guide shoppers. 

Follow this checklist for yard sale setup

Set-up should start before the first day of the garage sale. You'll need to: 

• Choose a space, ideally a large rain-or-shine indoor facility with plenty of parking
• Sort items into categories; consider separate rooms or tables
• Price items with DIY stickers and category signs (you can also find these at your local Michaels, Walmart, or Amazon)
• Provide an outlet or extension cord to test electrical items
• Create a flow from entry to a check-out zone before exiting

When it comes to money-handling, decide how to handle: 

• Requests to pay with credit or checks
• Bill size limits, to avoid running out of change by breaking large bills for small sales
• Holding items with or without deposits

Another Quora user noted that hosts must also watch out for counterfeit cash (another reason to avoid breaking large bills) and theft.

 Determine pricing for maximum profit 

High pricing is a common complaint from frequent garage sale buyers, but pricing too low may hinder you from reaching your fundraising goals. 

To that end, consider pricing at:

• 50% of retail for unused, new-with-tags items, antiques, and collectibles
• 30% of retail for slightly used 
• 10% of retail for used or older items

Additional tips include:

• Pricing in whole-dollar increments
• Deciding on a consistent price negotiation and bulk purchase offer policy 
• Lowering prices during the sale on items/categories that aren't moving
• Pricing by the day (i.e. Friday at full price, Saturday at 75%, and Sunday at 50%) 
• Using buy-1-get-1-free pricing for books, CDs, etc.

Multiply your selling and promotion opportunities 

Attracting a large group of people through your doors is an opportunity to promote your organization and increase sales. Consider:

• Selling water, soft drinks, and light concessions
• Offering a pre-event evening preview sale for a cover charge
• Adding a table about your organization’s programming with a donation jar
• Selling branded merchandise from your organization 
• Promoting future fundraisers or programs like RaiseRight

Complement yard sale fundraisers with RaiseRight 

While yard, garage, and rummage sales generate interest and excitement, hosting them too often will reduce interest and strain your team's resources.

To maintain fundraising momentum, supplement your efforts throughout the year with passive fundraising programs, such as RaiseRight.

Your group earns money on things you're already buying—think gas, groceries, coffee, dining out, clothing, or travel. Just buy gift cards, shop online, dine at participating restaurants, or book travel to earn a percentage back with every purchase. 

RaiseRight partners with hundreds of well-known brands, including Walmart, Amazon, McDonald’s, Gap, Nike, and many more, making fundraising as easy as shopping and dining at your favorite places. 

Top-earning families bring in $1,000 or more annually, just by using RaiseRight as they shop and dine. Achieve your fundraising goals without the hassle, cost, or time commitment of traditional fundraisers.