Have a yard/garage sale or donate?
 

For those of you that have had yard sales of "miscellaneious" household things -

in hindsight -

would you do the sale again

or

would you just pack everything up and donate all the "stuff"?

i just take it to a charity shop. much easier. I just want someone else to get some use out of what ever i give away. I hate trashing things.

If by "household" things you mean kitchen items and misc knick-knacks, I would just donate them. I recently had a yard sale that was pretty successful, but we had furniture items and tools which really draws people in. Those items sold well, the household stuff like a bread machine, panini maker, rotisserie oven did not sell.

You have to consider the time involved in hosting a sale -- getting ready, sitting through it and cleaning up afterwards. If you think you will get enough money to compensate for the hassle, go for it. For me, I would donate.

As it so happens, I'm having a yard sale this Friday and Saturday, when over, I usually donate the leftovers to our local Humane Society. They're a lot of work, but fun and I love to go to them. I guess it would depend on how much misc. stuff you have, because I've been to several sales that I would consider them not worth while having.

I enjoy donating to a worthwhile organization.

There is a resale shop in my community staffed by volunteers where all the proceeds benefit children and adults with autism. My son has autism and attended a school run by this organization. It gives me great pleasure to support them.

been there, done that... now just donate everything

I would just donate it all. Last yard sale we had was alot of work, it was over by 10 am and we made about $75.00.

I can't be bothered. So much easier to take it to Goodwill.

I just take stuff I no longer want to Goodwill.

I dearly love yard sales! I held a few on my own and helped run them for churches. And, I love to go to them and buy stuff. But, since I got to be a little old lady, I donate stuff I don't want, need, or fit into. I used to volunteer at a local thrift shop so I take stuff there and I shop there, also. Did I tell you that I love them?

I love to go to yard sales - I've gotten some great things on my "hunting expeditions"!

I'm just not so sure that I want to put out the effort to have one of my own.

I wouldn't bother with a garage sale for misc household stuff. My husband was cleaning out his dad and stepmom's house and said "We could have a garage sale". :D I was like "Have fun." I don't even sell our stuff when it's old. I just donate it to the next charity that contacts me. I have a couple bags and some individual stuff on my front porch now the the Houston Achievement Place. It'll be gone tomorrow :)

It's never been worth it to me. I prefer to have the charity pick up from my porch when they're in the area, or take my stuff to either my favorite thrift stores or to a local church where the homeless appreciate certain items.

Salvation Army or trash.

I did a couple of yard sales about 20 years ago - when my mother passed away and I had to deal with her things I called in an Estate Sales business. She was in WA and I live in SO. CA, there were a lot of books and I did not want to deal with the sentimental feelings with everything. We now donate items and don't try to sell anything. I did 2 items on Craigslist and decided never again. I live 7 miles from the Border - so you are not going to make any money. The people that have thrift stores come very early - usually before they are supposed to be there and try to buy you out cheap. They will nit pick to get the price down - for me it just wasn't worth it to us.

Donate! I have never made enough cash to pay for the time and bother of a yard/garage sale of this kind of "stuff". Donate to a non-profit and you can write it off on taxes and that was/is just fine with me. The freedom from the burden of stuff is worth it.

Salvation Army is the quickest and easiest way for us.

Lot of work to prepare for. My mother moved to assisted living and I 'garaged saled' her things. Made $1100. Most times, I donate to church rummage sales.

Totally agree with this sentiment. When my dad died a couple of years ago sibs and I had to clean out his house. Half lived local to dad; half out of state. There were not enough hours in my or bro #1 (t he out of staters) to do a yard sale - and frankly not much would have sold. We just donated anything usable to a couple of local places.

If you think you'd enjoy the yard sale experience, go with that. It can be fun. Also, some areas have a community sale which can make it much more worth your while.
Otherwise, just donate it and be done with it.

Watson

We donate. A sale is a lot of work. Then people come and argue over the price set...so one has to play the psychological "game" of setting the price knowing it will not bring that. I'm too old for that hassle. Our church has a yard sale and so does my mom's church. So easy. Take the stuff to them, they deal with it and any "leftovers." This year the sale proceeds go to the abused women/children's center. Win-win!

Salvation Army - if you have one close. The other organizations have CEO's that make ton's of $ from our donations.

Personally, I think yard sales are more trouble than they're worth. If I was moving and needed to get rid of a lot of things I would have a moving sale done by a professional. I had an estate sale done about 2 years ago and it was worth every penny I paid them. They came in and cleaned and organized everything. Priced it and took everything that didn't sell to one of the local charities. I made over $7,000. net. You have to pay the estate sale people a percentage of the sales but to have them do everything it's worth it.

I’ve found some really good charities that I take my things to and I never have regretted it. No more Goodwill because they throw the most beautiful stuff in the Pound Store. I love shopping at the that store but I take my stuff to others.

I found that out too. Most of the things in the GW store here is junk to begin with. Then they throw away some really nice items.

O garage sales for me! I donate to the thrift store. There is a Salvation Army store pretty close by and they sell cheap,y to people in need.

I have done garage sales in the past and know how much work they are. When I go to one, I usually pay whatever the item is priced because of this unless I feel like the item is really overpriced.

I keep a tote bag in the living room (usually one of the "freebies" I have acquired along the way) and as I find items that I no longer want, add them to the bag. When it is full, I take it to the local thrift store.

Had a yard sale once. Lots of effort. Made $4. (yes that is four dollars).

Never again.

My sister talkd me into having a garage sale 35 years ago. Spent all day of one of my precious days off there for very little $$$. At that time I said never again, and have kept my word!!!

I just donate.

This may seem a bit weird, but I have been known to throw a few unwanted "treasures" into the car and drive around to yard sales looking for the chance to swap for something instead of paying with cash. Fun, if not always successful.

I once heard of a small group of buddies who liked to "swap up". Swapping for things they didn't want, but knew someone who did. And swap that person for something else...maybe bigger/better. Each swap got them closer to getting what they really wanted.

i just donate or take to resale shop--get rid of things as they need to leave here--can be a lot or small amount.

Yard sales never again. Haven't for years. I only donate. I donate to various causes or people. It is a WIN - WIN. Makes me happy.

Donate or put near the curb with a 'free' sign. both work well and take little time.

Donate ...............;)

I’ve done yard sales in the past and made good money doing them. The secret is to decide that you just want the stuff gone and price it extremely low. You won’t get anywhere if you price things too high and aren’t willing to negotiate down. So it really helps to keep focus on your main goal of getting things gone rather than worrying about getting the best price.

One of my sales started at 8 am on Saturday morning and ended at 12 noon the same day because I was tired of it. I made $500 that day. Location can make a big difference. Advertising and signage also help. And having some larger pieces that will catch people’s eye as they drive or walk past.

On the other hand, I find that nowadays I’d rather just get things out of my space by donating them rather than stacking them in a staging room until I’ve got enough stuff set aside to make it worthwhile to do a sale.

Just depends on your energy level, tolerance for doing the prep work, and willingness to let stuff go for cheap enough to appeal to buyers.

Rob

Learned that Goodwill is NOT A CHARITY ORGANIZATION. We have made it's founder a multi millionaire each year.
He donates l% to charity, the rest goes in his pocket after paying his workers a measly salary. Salvation Army CEO on takes $13,000 in salary. SO THEY GET ALL OF OUR DONATIONS.

In my opinion, yard sales do not return enough profit to justify the time and work.

I do not disagree that this may be true of some organizations. But in my area (Ocean City, Maryland,) there are thrift shops run by volunteers -- not highly paid execs -- for the hospital auxiliary, the local hospice, the local homeless shelter, the humane society, and a few churches. No one is getting rich and lots of donated things find homes and provide needed funding to the charities.

It never hurts to do a tad of research into your target charity when giving, either cash or stuff.