Chapter Five

THINGS YOU’LL NEED TO SET UP AND HANDLE A SALE

Here is a list of some of the items you’ll want to acquire to set up your estate sale.

1. Business cards—for potential customers and future sales
2. A website—You can google free blog sites: there’s a ton out there! Free sites are just as good as paid-for websites. Then buy your domain name using an online hosting site and forward it to your blog.
3. Signage¹—purchase at least 6 to 8 signs, 18-by-24 inches, and sign posts. These two-sided signs need to have arrows pointing in the same direction on each side, for customers to follow whichever way they drive onto your sale street. By all means, purchase the heavier posts as the thin cheaper ones will cave in with the first frozen ground, which is a costly mistake.
4. Folding tables—I use resin tables that fold up, have handles, and that are easy to move and carry.
5. Cash box—standard metal box with key lock. Have $120 to begin your sale with two $20s, four $10s, four $5s, twenty $1s, and at least five dollars in quarters.
6. Up-to-date cell phone with a credit card device—to take credit cards
7. Numbered business-size cards for early customers who want to be first in line for specialty items and who arrive long before the sale begins on the first day. Store-bought cards can work, but customers often throw them away or tear them up. I find it less costly to make my own as needed.
8. S-hooks—for low-hanging light fixtures
9. Over-the-door hooks—for specialty clothing
10. Stickers—various colors
11. Safety pins—to tag doilies or other items
12. Large tags—for specialty clothing
13. Small tags—for jewelry and watches
14. Display case for jewelry and/or smalls²—a rectangular tabletop box with glass top that can be lifted for closer view and customer purchase
15. Calculator with both batteries and cord—since some electric outlets don’t work in older homes
16. Beer flats or soda flats—these are the rectangular cardboard 2-inch-tall flats at the base of beer, soda, or canned goods from any grocery store. For silverware and miscellaneous smalls.
17. Masking tape—this does not harm walls or paint
18. Black felt-tip pens—for pricing
19. Ink pens
20. Notepad—for people to leave their phone numbers or e-mails for the next sale
21. Grocery bags—either plastic or paper
22. Various sized white labels—to label zippered baggies for jewelry or other smalls
23. Newspaper or tissue paper—to wrap fine pieces
24. Computer-generated signs, if possible, in plastic sleeves—for reuse. For example:

    Estate sales company is not responsible for accident or injury. (A homeowner’s policy covers this or you can obtain your own insurance.)

    All children must be accompanied by an adult.

    All items as is.

    All sales final.

    No refunds.

    No smoking on the premises or inside. (This eliminates damage and picking up unsightly cigarette butts after your sale.)

    Watch your step. (With arrows.)

    More in Garage.

    More in Shed.

WHO TO HIRE?

While he was in the navy, my father was in charge of 30 men on Merchant Marine ships as their armed guards. He had to be firm with his men. He found that if he praised them for something positive they did, they’d try harder to rectify something that paled in comparison. I try to do this as well, but at times, it just goes in one ear and out the other.

Most of my workers are semiretired or retired. Periodically, younger ones, eager to learn the business, work for me until they feel confident to go it alone. Often they start as buyers, selling their items at antique booths, thinking my job is simple, which it is for me. However, it’s taken a great deal of tenacity and staying power to learn all there is to run a smooth estate sale. You can certainly do this business if you have persistence and love to learn!

I’ve gone through quite a few people over the years before finding which ones actually listen to my instructions of how a sale is to be handled. Even so, I still acquire some workers who, without knowing what my client and I agreed to, will blurt out something to the contrary. I quickly take the employee aside and kindly but firmly correct them. If they continue, I let them go.

You’ll find people that will ask to work for you. If so, try them out. They might be keepers!

Since I’m only getting younger, as are my workers, I clearly state that we no longer lift or move large, heavy items and that if you buy something heavy, you must have someone to help lift and move it. I have to take care of my workers at all costs, as they are extremely valuable to me!