For many, one of the greatest pleasures of warmer weather days is exploring the various local sales. While garage sales pop up endlessly throughout the season, experienced collectors prefer to wait for something more special. Although many people use the terms interchangeably, an estate sale is different.
Typically, they occur after someone passes away or before a move. In other words, estate sales are generally massive by comparison and can contain many unusual and dated pieces. Unsurprisingly, arranging an estate sale takes some effort. A beginner’s guide to organizing an estate sale will make things much easier.
Prepping the House
The first step to a successful estate sale is to prep for the sale. First, clear the home of garbage. Expect to carry out bags full of broken items and useless paperwork. For those disinterested in burdening standard trash services, ordering a mini dumpster from your local junk removal company is the easiest way to dispose of various items safely.
The more things you remove ahead of time, the easier it will be to arrange what’s left. Furthermore, keep in mind that people will be moving throughout the home. Plan the most efficient route, cover rugs as necessary, and make sure there is more than enough room to maneuver.
Setting Up Shop
Next, arrange items for display, generally by type, in the most sensible room. Be extra careful arranging fragile items, or put those inside hutches to dissuade handling. Most of the time, an assortment of popup tables is the best way to display items. Price everything individually or by the table.
The most important tip we can offer in our beginner’s guide to organizing an estate sale is to investigate unusual items. What may seem like another painted plate to you may be worth double what you thought. Additionally, items you think are valuable might end up overpriced and untouched.
What Happens After the Sale
When all the dust settles and everyone has left, you still have work to do. Despite multiples days of selling and various markdown tactics, there will still be plenty of items left. Don’t feel bad, though, as it’s very rare for everything to sell. Sort the remaining items between useful and junk. Advertise more valuable items on a different platform, such as in collector groups or a shop site.
Any broken, unusable, or undesirable items should go into your mini dumpster. Be sure to go over the house and search out any other items you need to dispose of before calling for the dumpster pickup. Lastly, consider donating unsold but still useful items to a resale shop; they may still find a home that way.
