Month: September 2021

The weeks leading up to a household move can get pretty hectic. One way to alleviate some stress is to get organized and offload possessions you don’t need. Holding a moving sale is an ideal way to downsize, save on moving costs, and put extra cash in your pocket. Here are seven tips for having a successful moving sale.

1. Select a Date and Time

Generally, the best days for moving sales are on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Plan to hold your sale for at least two days. Set a date as soon as possible once you know you’re moving. This way, if you don’t sell as much as you’d like, you can either hold a second moving sale, sell items online, or have time to donate them. Next, choose a start and end time. Try to plan the sale early in the morning; 7 or 8 a.m. is usually the best time. (Keep in mind, you’re also likely to get early birds regardless of the time.)

2. Ask Neighbors if They Want to Join In

The more, the merrier! Ask neighbors if they’d be interested in participating in a multi-family yard sale event. The larger the sale, the chances more buyers will attend. Plus, it’s easier to spread the word about the sale with more neighbors involved.

3. Be Sure to Advertise

Dropping a post on Facebook is helpful, but it isn’t going to be enough to have a successful sale. Use different advertising techniques, including Craigslist, placing flyers at grocery stores and other high traffic areas, and posting bright-colored posters in and around the neighborhood.

Pro Tip: Before posting signs, check with local officials and HOAs to ensure you don’t break any rules.

4. Set Prices for Each Item

Evaluate the items planned to be sold and set fair pricing. If unsure, look on eBay or other online sales spaces to see what similar things are going for. Be sure when you plan for pricing to remember that people will try to barter and go into the sale willing to negotiate. Items truly worth more money than you’re ready to negotiate might be better off sold online or at a consignment shop.

5. Tag Each Item

Tag each item with its own sticker and place it in an easy-to-see location. It’s sometimes helpful to use colored tags (e.g., high and low-priced items or if it’s a multi-family sale) to help differentiate where needed.

6. Plan for Tables, Baskets, and Blankets

Get as organized as possible and eliminate the possibility that possessions you don’t want to sell aren’t comingled with the items for sale. Set up tables, place smaller, non-breakable items in baskets, and layout blankets. Having an organized display makes your things look more appealing, and it’s easier to keep track of what you are selling.

7. Establish a ‘Register’ for Payments

Have a separate table to handle transactions. Items you’ll need include:

• Cash box with plenty of change
• Calculator
• Scissors, tape, and packing paper (for fragile items)
• Plastic bags, boxes, etc.

Be sure to designate someone to always be at the “register” at all times during the sale.

Moving Made Easy

Holding a sale is a great way to reduce clutter, simplify packing, and reduce moving costs. Need help with an upcoming move? Contact us today for a free quote.

A kitchen is one of the most challenging rooms to pack when moving. Dishes and glassware are fragile, and many items have diverse shapes and sizes. However, through planning and a step-by-step approach, you can successfully pack this room.

Sort and Simplify

The first step is to sort and separate those items you want to take from those you will give away or sell in a garage sale.  A rule of thumb is that if you’ve not used it in six months, don’t move it.

Set Aside Essentials 

Set aside enough dishes, cutlery, small appliances, and pots for your last two days in your old home. After everything else is packed, you’ll use these and then wash and pack them up in an essentials box to use in the first days in your new home.

Assemble Packing Materials

You’ll need moving boxes, packing tape, packing paper, cell kits, and a marker. Packing paper is better than bubble wrap because it is more flexible and takes up less space. While some people use newsprint, plain packing paper works better because it won’t transfer ink to your dishes. 

And markers to label each box. 

Pack Infrequently Used Items First

Start by packing those items you don’t use as frequently. These might include extra dish towels, large roasting pans, pictures, and unusual utensils such as barbecue tongs. It also will likely include fragile items such as vases, crystals, and wine glasses. Pack the fragile items carefully, wrapping them properly and inserting them into the cell kits. Indicate which boxes contain fragile things so that the movers can use caution when handling those cartons.

The artwork also requires careful handling. You can group small and medium-sized artwork, but larger pictures will need to be packed separately in a box slightly larger than the frame. If the frame has a glass covering, put tape across it in the shape of an X.

Pack Unopened Bottles

Alcohol, olive oil, vinegar, and other bottled items also can be packed early in the process. To maximize your budget, be sure that the item’s weight is worth the cost to move it. For example, a bottle of fine wine may be worth moving, but a bottle of inexpensive vinegar may not be.

Pack Drawers and Shelves

Pack drawers and shelves. If you haven’t already done so, remove those that you haven’t used and find a new home for them.

Pack Dishes

Tape the bottom of the box along the seam and then across it several times to ensure the bottom doesn’t open up.

Then start with the plates because they are the heaviest. Ball up some packing paper to create a cushion. Then wrap the plates carefully, one at a time, and put them in the box vertically (standing on their side.) Pack additional paper along the sides so that they do not move and at the top for cushioning.

After the plates, wrap the bowls individually and pack them on their sides as a second layer. Place another layer of paper on top as a cushion. Close the box.

Use cell boxes for the glasses, wrapping each one before placing it in the cell.

Pack Pots, Pans, and Pantry

Pack all but the one all-purpose pot you set aside for the essentials box. When packing your pantry, start with the spices first, then work your way to the larger items.

We Can Help Get You There

For more expert tips and a free quote, contact us. We can help with your packing, transport, unpacking, and the details in between.