I love yard sales, there are so many wonderful things waiting to find a new home. Some are even hidden gems. (Like in a thrift store)
I’ve been to a couple in the last few years, and recently I even organized one, alongside two other neighbors. It was a fun and interesting experience, so I thought I could share some of the things I’ve learned during it, mainly what to sell at a yard sale in order to make some money.
Before actually selling your items, you need to have a place to sell them. I could write a whole article about how to organize a yard sale, but that’s for another time. Just make sure you have space for it, and try to organize and price the items the best you can.
Now let’s talk about what to sell at a yard sale. But first thing, first:
What is a yard sale?
According to Wikipedia, a Yard Sale (or Garage Sale) is “an informal event for the sale of used goods by private individuals, in which sellers are not required to obtain business licenses or collect sales tax (though, in some jurisdictions, a permit may be required).”
Basically, it involves you selling your things and showcasing them on tables and such, on your front lawn or green space.
I highly recommend doing this after a house declutter or before moving out, so you can get rid of things you don’t need or want anymore.
The 7 best things to sell at a yard sale
There are many things you can sell at a yard sale that will make you money. But the key here is to find the items that are in demand and cost more than 1$. Below you’ll find a list that ticks most of these boxes.
But before we start, I want to emphasize the importance of selling only items in good condition. Please don’t try to sell broken items or that cannot be used/worn. They won’t sell and it’s not fair towards your potential customers.
Now that is out of the way, here are 7 best things to sell at a yard sale:
1. Furniture
This category has a lot of potential.
Firstly, because you are getting rid of (usually big) pieces of furniture you don’t want anymore, so that means extra space, or less things to transport to the new place.
Secondly, furniture, if it’s in good condition and is large and/or made of wood / leather, can sell for a lot of money, even if it’s a yard sale. You might not get the $1000 you paid for it initially, but you could get $200 or $300, again, if it’s in good condition.
I recommend selling
- Sofas
- Chairs
- Coffee tables
- Cabinets
2. Vintage or Unique Jewelry
Ok, so this category might NOT make you A LOT of money, but it might help declutter your or your mothers’ / grandmothers’ collection of jewelry.
You know what they say: “A man’s trash is another man’s treasure” or something like that.
Some people are always on the hunt for vintage and/or unique jewelry, and you can have some cool pieces on your hand that you don’t even know about.
I encourage you to especially sell Necklaces, Rings and Earrings, I noticed they were the most appealing to yard sale customers.
3. Sporting gear
This section surprised me: sporting gear.
People are always on the lookout for good deals on sporting goods, especially camping and fishing, and yard sales are a great place to find them.
This is especially true, since most families go on camping or fishing trips once or twice, then the products sit unused in the garage.
If you’re one of those families, and want to know what to sell at a yard sale, definitely consider selling your unused sporting items, like tents, fishing rods, hiking boots, bikes, scuba diving gear and so on.
4. Tools
Although you will probably find mostly women in yard sales, the men that do come, they are usually in the lookout for tools and/or sporting gear.
So grab your husband / partner and rummage through the garage; decide what tools you don’t use anymore, or won’t need in the future, and then put them on the “what to sell at a yard sale” list.
Think tool boxes, hammers, screwdrivers, even utility knives and flashlights.
5. Toys
This was a hit in my yard sale: TOYS.
Considering how fast kids get bored of toys and games, it’s almost a job in itself to keep them entertained. So parents are always on the lookout for cheap, yet cool & usable toys for their children.
Definitely add toys to your inventory. But always remember to NOT sell broken or non-functional toys, nobody will buy them.
You can try selling brand new toys your kids didn’t even want to touch, or duplicates they might have received at birthday parties.
Or things they played with 1-2 times, but still look and feel new.
Lego blocks are always needed, so you can definitely add that to the list.
6. Clothes, especially Kids’ clothing
You can never go wrong with clothes, especially in this day and age where people are looking to spend less, and also be sustainable. Thrifted items are the way to go.
Obviously, you can sell at a yard sale whatever you want (except underwear, I don’t recommend that, unless it’s new with tags on). But I suggest you go with:
- Coats
- T-shirts
- Sweaters & Pullovers
- Shoes
- Kids clothing
The last category was one of the most popular ones, because, as we all know, kids grow up fast, so they go through clothes at a lightning speed. So parents will always want to buy kids’ clothing.
7. Cold drinks & Snacks
This last section of items will surprise you, but you can make a nice profit out of it.
Consider this: don’t you get hot and thirsty when you’re walking around, especially when it’s hot outside? Most people would kill for a water bottle in that moment, so why not have it on hand?
You can get the 24 16.9 fl oz water pack at Walmart for as little as $2.56 (current price) and then charge people something like 75 cents or $1. It’s not that much, but overall, it adds up.
Similarly, you can sell ice pops for the kids or mini chips bags.
And we are: the 7 best things you can sell at a yard sale. What do you think? Have you been at one? What do you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
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