Yard Sale Success

In case you are wanting to have a California yard sale any time soon, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Take your time to gut your house, and give everything a second chance in a new owner's hands.  Don't throw it away, no matter how much you hate it or consider it to be junk.  Like those busts of Mike Scocia you "scored" at an Angel's game ... believe it or not, somebody out there will be really excited about them.
• Ignore your husband when he tells you to empty out the garage and toss it all in the trash.  Keep adding to your piles ... the yard sale day will come.
• Give good friends a chance to look through your stuff before you hand it out to the masses.  It's always good to know you can help each other out a bit.
• Find a friend with a yard and a truck.  Avocado trees and circle driveways are a real bonus.

•  Husbands would be nice to have around, but they are not a necessity.  Plus they'll think you're really cool when you come home with a wad of cash your foraged all on your own.
• Bring food and drinks, especially if you are without aforementioned husband.
• If you can manage it, try to be enormously pregnant so people are not as eager to take advantage of you.  Doubly awesome if your friend can be pregnant too.
• Bring along a little salesman that people just can't say no to.

•  Make sure you have plenty of pennies to give to your salesman.  He will want money jingling in his pockets as well.
• Bring slightly bigger coins and bills for yourself.  Mostly ones.  Lots and lots of ones.
• Prepare yourself for lots of third-world, hard core haggling.  
• But lets be honest, your stuff is kind of junky ... so get rid of it.  Nothing's better than scoring something for next-to-nothing.  You've experienced it; let others feel it too.
• If a potential buyer appears really interested in something, but then puts it back when you name a price ... ask what they're willing to pay.  Settle for that and get rid of that item!
• Bring plastic bags so people can load up on aaaaaall those old clothes of yours and pay by the bag-full.
• Ones and quarters really do add up.  
• Some hospitals send out trucks to haul away the rest of your stuff for free to take to their charity.  Call them in the afternoon as things start to slow down.
• Shower your friend with compliments for making it all possible.  And make their whole family dinner.