Yard Sales As Fundraisers

Yard sales can be successful fundraisers here are some ideas to make your fund raising sale a success. If it has been awhile since you have had, or have never had a sale, you might want to check out the Yard Sale page for directions.

The main problem you are apt to come across when having a group sale is lack of time to sort and price. More than likely you will not have access to your sales space and merchandise until the day before the sale. If you will have time constraints be very specific when asking for donations. Make sure all items are clean and ready for sale especially clothing items.

Think of ways to streamline pricing. If you have lots of clothing items pick out the better items to price individually and sell the rest by the bag. Commonly known as “fill a bag for $1.00” or perhaps $2.00 anyways, you get the idea. Another variation is to price similar items the same, pants $1.00, shirts 50 cents, cups 25 cents, etc. Use colored tags to designate prices. Red tags indicate 50 cents, yellow tags $1.00, etc. Just remember to hang up signs that correspond with your pricing scheme. Only take time to individually price those items that will bring a higher price.

Just because your sale is over doesn’t mean you are done making money. Now you need to sell the leftovers for rags. Take note of this prior to setting up, because you are going to find money in some of the stuff you will want to throw away.

If you get donated items that are made from cotton, like t-shirts, towels, yoga pants, etc. that are damaged (holes, tears and stains) put them to one side and save them. After the sale go through your leftovers and pull any other cotton items (sweatshirts and pants aren't absorbent enough so don't include these) that would be donated to another charity. These can be sold to local construction companies for rags. If you know someone in the construction industry ask them for leads. I have found an outlet with a roofing company, they pay per the bag for stuff that would be going to the landfill.

If you have lots of donations that run to the antiques and collectibles side, charge admission to people that want early entrance. If you charge $3.00 for early entry and you have 20 people show up that is an additional $60.00 for your group. Perhaps you have 100 people that want in early, or you charge $5.00, anyways you get the idea.

Consider having your yard sale in conjunction with a bake sale or Krispy Kreme doughnut sale. This way you have two profit centers that compliment each other.

Don’t forget to put a donation jar at your checkout. People who do not find anything to buy can contribute this way.

Figure out what to do with leftover items, prior to having your sale. When everyone is rushing to the door to go home, is not the time to try and figure this out.

Several options are:Donate them to another charity.Divvy them up and send them home with your workers.Have the last hour of the sale be free, donation appreciated.Perhaps a combination of all three.

Your workers will be tired and ready to go home when the last customer leaves. Consider having shifts. One group to set-up,another to run the sale, and a fresh group to come in at the end and clean-up.

If you project that your sale is going to be large and very busy, have more than one checkout. Run each checkout with a two man team. One to add the items and collect the money and the other to wrap, fold and bag the items as they are tallied. As the customer is finishing the transaction the bagger is finishing also.

s with any fund raising event have at least two adults oversee the funds. Have a secure place to keep any large amounts of cash collected. Do not let anyone count the cash at the checkout while you are open. If possible have several cash boxes, preload several with change and lock them up, when the ones being used start filling up, exchange them for a fresh one.

Always have two people present when the funds are tallied. Do not leave yourself open to scandal. Make sure your actions can’t be construed as being less than open and honest. No secrets, especially when you are dealing with other peoples money.

As with any volunteer activity, try to make it fun for the workers. If you are asking your workers to stay all day, give them lunch. Try not to act like a drill sergeant, you want them to stay on task, not leave in a huff and go home.

Yard sales can be a fun and profitable event for your organization either as a one time event, or an annual event. I know of several annual event fund raising yard sales that just get bigger and bigger every year. People arrange their schedules around them, and wouldn’t miss them for anything.

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