A great way to make some extra cash with items you are not using is to have a garage sale or yard sale.  Here are some tips to make it successful.

Start Early
As soon as you know you are planning on having a garage sale, start setting aside items you would like to sell.  Start marking prices right away so you don’t have to do this the night before.  If you hold an annual garage sale, you can keep a “running” pile of these items.

Set the Date
Check your calendar for any conflicts with work, kids, or vacations.  Also, make sure it is not on a holiday weekend.  Most garage sales are held Friday – Saturday.

Join In
See if your neighbors would like to hold a garage sale on the same weekend.  You can share advertising costs and get more traffic.  Also, check to see if your association is planning on a neighborhood garage sale, if not suggest it.

Advertise
Take out an ad in the local newspaper as well as post signs around the neighborhood.  Don’t clutter the sign with too many details, just Location, Date, and Time.

Be Prepared
Make sure you have help that day.  Remember, you’ll want to be able to take breaks and have someone keep an eye on your items.  Have change on hand at the start of the day: roll of quarters. 20 - $1 bills, 5 - $5 bills, 4 - $10 bills.

And remember, you aren’t going to sell items if you price them too high.  Make sure are realistic in your goals for the garage sale.