Holding a yard sale or garage sale is like going into business for a day. It can be fun and wildly successful, or it can be pure drudgery and a waste of time. Don’t go to the trouble without reading these tips to make your sale a success.

Join Forces with Friends
A lot of "stuff" in a sale is always more enticing than sparse offerings. A yard sale requires a lot of energy, lifting, moving, and time for details, so the more helpers you can gather, the better. It’s also a lot more fun!

Research Rules
Your neighborhood may have rules concerning when or how long you can hold a yard sale. Is there an annual neighborhood garage sale you can join? You may also need a permit from the city.

Advertising Is Important
The extent of your advertising depends on your location. The more remote your location, the more advertising you need. Make use of newspaper classifieds, online community boards like Craigslist, neighborhood signs, and word of mouth.

Begin Collecting
Start collecting things weeks before the sale so you have time to make decisions (don’t sell grandma’s wedding brooch!), and gather supplies like tables, shelves, hangers, bags, and spare change. If you are in doubt about whether something will sell, put it out there. Even broken appliances have value for their parts.

Be Ready to Make Deals
You’ll sell more if you are willing to bargain, because shoppers love yard sales for that very reason. You can remain firm on items if you like, but if your goal is to get rid of junk there are several ways to do it:

Don’t forget the details, such as providing extension cords to test appliances and making a plan for rain.