When your Labor Day garage or yard sale is nearing its end, “Don’t bring anything back inside your home!” says Apartment Therapy. Slash prices, make a “free” pile, and invite friends and neighbors to take what they want. Better yet, make an appointment for a donation pickup with ClothingDonations.org immediately after your sale, so that you can get rid of the things you no longer want or need. Garage sales are great for making a few extra bucks from that extra stuff, but the ultimate goal should be to get rid of it and free your physical (and mental) space of clutter.
Tag: Labor Day
Labor Day Garage Sales Can Pay
Though some people will be traveling, having a Labor Day weekend garage sale can pay off, since there will be less competition. Consider starting your sale on Friday afternoon with firm prices, Garage Sale Tips says, then allow haggling or slash prices on Saturday. If you have a small amount of quality items and a good location, you can also keep your garage or yard sale short by holding it only in the morning or afternoon, and have the rest of the day to yourself. But don’t kid yourself — a successful sale requires a lot of decluttering, organization and planning.
Garage Sale Signage Tips
Some towns and counties can get rather picky about the placement of yard sale signage, says the Yard Sale Queen, and limit their use on public rights of way such as sidewalks and medians. Check with your local government to find out if there are any restrictions. Even if your town allows such signs, be careful to post them the night before your sale using heavy-duty cardboard and directionals to your location. Use crayons or permanent markers to make your signs legible and waterproof, and avoid stapling signs to utility poles (where they might pose a hazard to linemen) or trees (where they may damage the tree itself).
Considering a Labor Day Garage Sale?
Labor Day is not the best weekend to have a garage or yard sale, says Garage Sale Cow, since so many people will be out of town trying to squeeze the last little bit of fun out of their summer vacations. But if your town is hosting a Labor Day parade or rally, it may be the perfect draw for crowds of people who appreciate a bargain. Get your stuff arranged and priced in the week ahead, and you will be ready to rake in the bucks by the weekend. And if you don’t want to dedicate the entire weekend to decluttering, consider having your sale on Friday and Saturday so you can relax on the other two days.
Cap off the Summer With a Cookout
Every year, America celebrates the unofficial end of summer and the contributions of the nation’s workers by taking a Monday off. Naturally, this calls for a cookout! Serious Eats recommends going beyond the old backyard standbys — burgers and franks — to grill up more exotic entrées such as Japanese chicken meatballs, curry kebabs and grilled fish tacos. “Rather than wallow in despair at the changing of the seasons, use the holiday as an excuse for one last, pull-out-all-the-stops backyard cookout,” the site says.