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Yard Sale Signs

Yard Sale Advertising – What Works

Tag sale signs are almost like snowflakes in the sense that you never see the same one twice. All of them are unique and while most are slapped together last minute, the unique ones stand out and draw the crowds. I think I’ve seen it all when it comes to yard sale signage, everything from the paper plate with a chicken-scratch scribble of a nearby sale listing the street number and date to more elegantly constructed signs, most likely done by a professional or someone with some some creative skills.

While not complicated, there are a few important elements you should incorporate on your signs including:

  • Street Address
  • Time & Date
  • Arrows Pointing Shoppers in the Right Direction

Signs should also be:

  • Easy to Read From 20+ Feet Away
  • Bright & Bold
  • Waterproof & Windproof
  • Removed When the Sale is Over

Usually the bigger the sign the better. Printed on colorful paper is ideal too, especially poster board and laminated if possible. This way, rain or shine, your sign won’t fold in damp weather and hold up easier against any wind.

Writing a few key words on your sign is good too, you need to draw the prospects to your sale in anyway you can. Key words such as “Antiques,” “Art” and “Tools” are good eye catchers.

When designing your sign keep in mind this simple acronym, “AIDA”

Attention

Interest

Desire

Action

Design attention-grabbing sign that immediately captures their interest and creates a desire that will lead them to take the action of visiting your sale! Create multiple signs, and if possible, ask your kids for help, they love cool art projects like this!

Lastly, don’t forget to list your sale for free on Tagsellit.com and tell your friends, they can help you post signs in the neighborhood and on community boards – and they can spread the word!

Ok, now tell us which sign you think is cooler to post in a front yard…

 

Feel free to leave comments below!

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Celebrating Garage Sales all over the Country

This Saturday is a very special day in my life. No, it’s not my birthday or my anniversary, it’s National Garage Sale Day! For myself and any other Garage Sale Millionaires out there, this could be the most important day of the year. If you’ve never been to a garage sale or at least thrown your own, you should seriously consider visiting one this weekend. You might not have enough time to put your own together, but you could always plan something for next weekend! Once you learn the proper steps to take, it’s surprisingly easy to put together a great garage sale. All you need is to clean out your house and sell the items you no longer need. You’ll want to put up 15 to 20 big signs, recruit some friends to contribute items and lend a hand, and have the kids throw a lemonade stand in front yard. Then all that’s left is to sit back, have some fun, and let the money roll in.

If visiting garage sales is what you prefer to do, this weekend is a must. I guarantee there will be an uptick in the amount of sales you see for several reasons: not only do people tend to take a lot of time off work in August, but they start to clean out their summer items to make room for bulkier fall and winter supplies. Odds are they will come across a lot of items they don’t really need to bother packing up.

So go ahead and make a map of the sales in your area using TagSellIt’s Apps, then head to bed early tonight – you’re going to want to get up at the crack of dawn on Saturday to get an early start. Most of the good stuff will go quickly, but there will be plenty of bargains to be had at the end of the day, so bring some snacks! Bring the whole family or a group of friends and make sure you have some fun.

As you’re shopping around, remember once of my favorite tips: If you don’t see the item or type of item you’re looking for, ask! You never know what they might have hidden away. I’ve found some of my best items by asking about items that weren’t there!

Happy hunting!

Aaron

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Pablo Solomon’s Yard Sale Shopping Advice

Although Pablo Solomon is now an internationally recognized artist and designer living the good life, things were not always so good. “I grew up in a multicultural home in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Houston. My parents taught me the value of hard work, education and tenacity. They also taught me how to buy, sell and trade. Our family was supplementing our income with yard sales for as long as I can remember. My parents were really good at it and I carried on the tradition. Now I shop and hold yard sales for fun.”

Here are some of Pablo Solomon’s favorite yard sale shopping tips:

1. Know the value of as many things as possible; The more you know, the more likely you are to make some good buys/deals.

2. Carry a magnifying glass to examine jewelry, art, glassware, pottery, etc. Also carry a tape measure to check frames, print sizes, etc. Often the real deals at yard sales are old frames. I have found some that were 150 years old for chump-change. Frames are also often the key to recognizing valuable art.

3. Wear clothes with lots of pockets and have like $3,$7, $17 in various pockets. If the yard sale person is asking for $5, pull out the $3 and ask if he/she will take the $3, etc. Always carry cash. No yard sale person likes to worry about checks.

4. Remember there are no refunds or returns at yard sales, so if you buy it, you own it.

5. You can usually tell immediately if the yard sale is being held by one of these people trying to beat the system by not having a real shop in order to avoid paying taxes, skirt business fees, etc. by holding sales at their house. Usually these people are overpriced and you will get no bargains.

6. You can also tell if the yard sale is going to be overpriced in general right away. If the first few items you see are overpriced for junk, do not waste your time.

7. You can still find amazing collectibles, antiques, costume jewelry, etc., but you also can find a lot of fakes. Often the person holding the sale does not even know that he/she is selling a fake–and just as often they make a killing selling fakes to suckers.

8. The best sales can often be in the most expensive neighborhoods. Often very expensive clothes, shoes, etc. are sold very cheaply and almost new just because the person is clearing out his/her closet.

9. You just never know what will pop up. Often people inherit things that they have no clue as to the value. That is what you dream of as a shopper.

10. Go early for selection, late for best prices. At the end of the sale, the person holding the yard sale is ready to dump everything cheaply.

11. It is not your job to tell the person holding the sale that they are overpriced for the stuff they are selling– just leave. It is also not your job to tell the person holding the sale that they are under priced for something valuable–just buy the item and smile when you get home.

Pablo Solomon is an internationally recognized artist known primarily for my drawings and sculptures of dancers, as well as for my visionary
environmental designs. He has been featured in books, magazines,
newspapers, radio, TV and film. Currently he lives and works with his wife Beverly on his historic 1856 ranch north of Austin, Texas. Before acting as a full time muse and business manager, Beverly was a model and then in sales and marketing for Diane von Furstenberg, Revlon and Ralph Lauren. You can see Pablo’s work at www.pablosolomon.com

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Decorating on a Dime: How an Artist Shines

We are very excited to feature Pablo Solomon, an internationally recognized artist and award winning designer. He has been featured in 23 books, most major magazines and newspapers, TV, radio and even was subject of a short film. Pablo is best known in the design world for his eco-friendly designs and his work with recycled materials and furnishings.

For this feature, Pablo describes the tag sale items in the photos to illustrate various points in buying and in decorating. (The shown non tag sale art  by himself and the other artists are in the big money range so I did not put prices–but who knows what will show up in a tag sale 40 years from now?)


I use this photo to illustrate that an entire room can be done basically with items from yard sales, garage sales, etc.–all in Texas. Both of the post-Civil War ( late 1860s) iron beds were purchased for $25 each. The antique oak dresser with mirror cost $100. The table lamp is from the 1920s and cost $5. The standing lamps was $7. The ornate candle holder is from the 1970s and cost $3.


This room’s decorative finds show how the new and the old can be used to create an interesting setting. The items include (except the art–sculptures by me and painting by NYC artist Franck de la Mercedes), the green antique Santa Fe cabinet ( about 1840s) was purchased for $300. The one of a kind pine coffee table for $10, throw pillows $3 each and the art rug for $15. On top of the cabinet is an exceptional large Colonial Texas ( pre 1836) wooden bread kneading bowl from one large piece of cottonwood –$100.


This photo is again a unique blend, all except the art are from yard sales. The 1960s art lamp is a Pierre Cardin, I purchased 2 for $25. I wrote Pierre Cardin in Paris sending him photos. He wrote me back stating his astonishment that they would show up in a tag sale in Texas. The carved wood picture frame is over 150 years old and was purchased for an amazing $8. The art vase for $5. And to top a great setting with a great story–the California oak tree of life cabinet was given to me in exchange for helping to set up a tag sale. The small painting on stone by me is featured in the Joyce Schwarz book on vision boarding and the large painting is by popular Texas artist Nancy Gray. The small bronze I picked up for 25 cents.


The patio shot shows a one of a kind cast iron table with a Texas fossil stone top purchased for $75. The Mexican pot was $1 and the piece of green glass 25 cents. The cat was free.

Pablo Solomon is an internationally recognized Artist & Designer. His work can be viewed on his website, PabloSoloman.com

Kids and Garage Sales: Getting them Involved

At what age do you feel is appropriate to involve your kids in helping out with the family garage sale? What tasks best suit them? We spoke with both parents and yard sale experts to get their feedback and insights. Here’s what they had to say: Stacy Ross, founder of San Diego Bargain Mama says [...]

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The Ultimate Garage Sale Guide

Spring is just around the corner, will you be de-cluttering your home this year? Perhaps hosting a garage sale to downsize? Garage Sales are a multi-billion dollar industry; how much money did you make the last time you hosted one? Whether you’re planning and preparing for a lifestyle liquidation, yard sale or virtual garage sale, our book, “The Ultimate Garage Sale Guide” is a must-read! Inside you’ll learn remarkable tips and tricks for maximizing profit while running an efficient and effective garage sale from start to finish. A fully loaded, fun and informative read for any buyer, seller and garage sale enthusiast!

Our Garage Sale Guide Book is now available for the Amazon Kindle! You can even borrow the book on Amazon’s online lending library if you own a Kindle! Check it out today! Click here to download it now!

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NYC Area Flea Market Fanatics MeetUp Group

If you’re obsessed about “the find” and “the thrill” of finding that hidden gem for a bargain then you’re in the right place! Every day, every week, we visit the New York Metro Area fleas and beyond, from the Brooklyn Flea to the Golden Nugget in Lambertville, NJ we vow to leave no flea unscathed! We’ll also hit the fleas in PA and CT. And, when we can, hit the Swap Meets on the West Coast or the Bazaars of the world!

Flea Market Fanatics are a little different from your garden variety bargain hunters. For us, it’s about finding a unique object that expresses our own personal style. Learning about the story of a “found” object.

“Flea markets can be a lively encounter with everyday culture. It’s a relaxing way to spend the day, and a chance to pick up a unique object, or add to a cherished collection.” One leisurely stroll can turn into a full blown expedition!

Flea Markets are Green: They reuse, reinvent, and rescue the stuff on our planet which is a wonderful way to re-imagine just about anything! Annie Leonard would be proud.

Flea Markets are Slow: The give us a chance to eat local cuisine which is a terrific way to savor your experience and get a feel for the local food and culture.

Flea Markets are Local: They foster and shop local!

Speaking of the world, we’re hosting a FABULOUS jaunt to the LEGENDARY Paris Fleas “Les Puces”this June 29-July, 5 2012 for $2,600 all-inclusive (air, hotel, meals, tour guide, transfers, etc.) PLUS a special treat from one of the foremost experts on the Paris Fleas, Michael Andrew Wilson who has graciously offered to share his insider’s tips and has offered to recommend his shipping contacts!
ONLY 10 SPOTS LEFT BUT A $300 DEPOSIT WILL SECURE YOUR RESERVATION.Feel free to call or email me directly @ 973-809-1935 LLFinan@live.com.

New Year, New You

We’re growing… fast! Whether you’re a regular follower of TagSellIt online or just getting to know us, there’s no doubt you’re impressed with our rapid growth since we started the company just three years ago. In 2011 we grew our Estate Sale Services Directory by over 100 companies. Over 100 Consignment Shops joined our Consignment [...]