Garage, yard, rummage, or tag sale – whatever name you know them by, they’re a great way to get rid of your excess stuff and make money. And who doesn’t like to make some extra cash in a relatively quick amount of time? Chances are, you’ve got a bunch of things around your house that are in perfectly good condition but just taking up space: impulse buys, for example, like that juicer that looked so enticing on the infomercial … or the framed panda bear print Aunt Sara gave you three Christmases ago that you just can’t bring yourself to hang. Say it with me now: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. With that in mind, why not consider having a sale? It takes some work on your part, but the more effort you put into the preparations, the greater your return in the end. If you play your cards right, you’ll be surprised at how much cash one sale can amass.

Gather your inventory.

First things first: don’t have a sale if you don’t have much stuff. People are disappointed when they arrive at a sale that sounds good in the ad, only to be met by one or two measly tables of useless junk (if they don’t just cruise on by without stopping at all). Your best bet is to wait until you have gathered enough stuff for a sizeable spread. If you don’t think you have enough on your own, enlist neighbors, friends, or relatives to pitch in. They’ll be more than happy for the chance to get rid of their unwanted items for extra money. Not only that, but if your advertisements mention that your sale is “multi-family” – or something along those lines – people will be more likely to mark yours down as a must-see. They know that there will likely be a big variety of items to choose from. Another advantage to enlisting other people is that it helps to cut down on your advertising costs and the amount of work you have to do. When you have plenty of help, things are made much easier.

While you’re gathering up things to sell, look at each item objectively. If it’s dirty, clean it; if it can’t be cleaned, don’t put it in the sale pile. It’s junk – just throw it away. You won’t sell anything with rips, holes, or stains, so don’t even attempt to. If you merely think something is ugly, however, that doesn’t mean that it won’t sell. If it’s in decent condition, slap a price on it. You may not consider salt and pepper shakers shaped like owls to be anybody’s idea of fine décor, but you never know … they could be the perfect accents in someone else’s kitchen.

If you have things that are broken but that you’re sure can be easily repaired, go ahead and sell them too. Just make sure that the buyer is fully aware of the defect. Putting a sign on the item – for example, “Vacuum cleaner, as-is, $5. Belt needs replacing” – will ensure that no one gets tricked into thinking they’re buying a perfectly functional piece for an unbelievable bargain.