If you’re moving, then you know that stuff is a big part of the process. Packing up your belongings, loading them into a truck or moving container, and unloading them again at your new home can feel so overwhelming at times. Not only are you moving your physical items, but you’re also coordinating so many other aspects of your life such as your job, a new school, bills, and many other personal responsibilities. The last thing you should worry about is dealing with extra stuff you don’t even want to keep. But don’t worry, there’s a solution to the problem of too much stuff: a moving sale!
In this blog post, we’ll give you tips on how to have a successful moving sale so that you only bring the belongings you absolutely want to keep!
Preparing For Your Moving Sale
As you can imagine, it makes no sense to drag a bunch of belongings to your new home that you don’t intend to keep in the long run. You will save yourself a lot of time, money, and headache by getting rid of items you no longer need. Not only that but having a moving sale will allow you to make a little cash to help with moving expenses along the way. Having a successful moving sale doesn’t happen overnight. There is most certainly some planning that needs to go into it. You may also have a deadline that is causing you to rush the process, so here are some tips to help you execute your moving sale.
Set A Realistic Date and Time For Your Moving Sale
You will want to set a date for your moving sale that is far enough in advance of your moving date to give you time to prepare and promote, but not so far out that people forget about it. You should also choose a day and time when people are most likely to be available and able to come shop at your sale. For example, Saturday mornings are often good times for moving sales since people are free and looking for things to do.
Setting a realistic date for your sale early on will help keep you in gear to get all your unwanted items organized, cleaned up, and priced for sale. Not setting a date could cause you to procrastinate and may even lead to not having enough time for the sale before your move. Do yourself a favor and set a date that is far enough ahead, but not too close to your move so that you can do adequate marketing for the sale. You don’t want it to be too close to your moving date either, because you will still need time to donate whatever items are left behind after the sale.
Check Local Rules And Regulations
Before you start promoting your moving sale to the world, it’s important to check with your city or homeowners association (if you have one) about any rules or regulations regarding moving sales. Some places have rules about how long moving sales can last when they can be held, and what kind of signage is allowed. It would be a shame to put all this effort into having a moving sale only to find out that you’re not even allowed to have one! So make sure to do your research in advance and save yourself the headache.
If your neighborhood doesn’t allow you to have the sale, check with friends and family to see if someone is willing to let you have your sale in their yard or garage. You could share some of the profits with that person, or maybe buy them some beer and pizza for letting you use their place instead of yours.
Decide What You’re Selling And Price It Right
This is the fun part! Going through all your stuff and deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to sell. You should start by going through each room of your house and making a pile for each category. Once you have everything sorted, it’s time to start cleaning and prepping your items for sale.
To get the most money for your belongings, you will want to make sure they are in good condition and priced reasonably. People love a good deal, but they also don’t want to feel like they’re being ripped off. Do some research online or at local garage sales to see how much similar items are selling for and price yours accordingly. If you have furniture or larger items, you could also try posting them on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. Just be sure to remove the items from your moving sale list so you don’t end up with duplicates!
Be sure to do your research when pricing your belongings. You never know when you might have an antique or collectible on your hands. Review similar items on eBay and other online resources to see what people are pricing these items for online. You certainly don’t want to undersell or beat yourself up later when you realize you let go of a valuable item for next to nothing!
Get The Word Out About Your Moving Sale By Advertising!
Now that you have a date, time, and location for your moving sale as well as an idea of what you’re selling and for how much, it’s time to start promoting! You will want to tell all your friends and family about the sale and post about it on social media. Be sure to include clear instructions on how to get to your sale as well as any specific rules you may have (e.g., no early birds). You can also put up flyers around town or in local businesses (with permission) leading up to the big day.
Here are a few inexpensive marketing tips for advertising your sale:
- Post your moving sale on social media several times before the date of the sale. You can do this on your personal page, and you can also find local community groups that allow these kinds of postings.
- See if there are any online yard sale websites where you can advertise your moving sale. You’d be surprised how many yard sale websites might be available to advertise in your area.
- Create flyers and post them throughout your neighborhood and city. People typically have to see your advertisement multiple times for them to remember it, so it’s a good idea to put up flyers and signs early on.
- Create handwritten lawn signs and place them around your neighborhood and communities near your house that have the location and date of your moving sale.
By following these tips, you’re sure to have a successful moving sale and get rid of all that stuff you don’t need! And who knows, you might even make a little money in the process. Good luck!
P.S. If you’re looking to store your belongings in a convenient mobile storage unit on your property, give us a call at Badger Box Storage to help! Badger Box Storage provides high-quality mobile storage units that you can keep at your house. When you’re ready to move, one of our team members can transport your storage unit to your new home so you don’t have to worry about coordinating a moving truck or moving boxes more than you have to! Contact us today to book your Badger Box storage unit!
