MOVING SALE TIPS & TRICKS

It’s approaching moving day, and after weeks and/or months of planning, you’re getting closer to the big moment. But not everything from your old house is going to make the trip with you to your new abode. Whether you’re downsizing, decorating a new space, or trying to minimize moving costs, moving house is a great excuse to get rid of accumulated clutter (and maybe make a few extra bucks!).

Here are some tips for hosting your own moving sale.

INVENTORY AND PRICE

After you choose the items you want to sell along with the date of your sale, make an inventory and price list. Take the time to research what your items should be worth and ask around to see what others would pay for them. On the day of the sale, clearly tag the items with the price, or group them together under a price sign.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL

Check in with your Homeowner's Association or local council to see if you need permission or a permit to host a yard sale. There may be restrictions on location, signs, hours, noise level, and what equipment you use to set up your sale (can you put those posts and tables on that grass lawn?).

RECRUIT SOME HELP

Put the call out to friends and family to help out on the day (manning the float, helping to sell goods). You don’t want to lose customers if they are left waiting for help, and it also pays to have extra sets of eyes to watch over all the items displayed.

Make sure to thank them for volunteering - like pizza for lunch, beverages, and a big hug!

MAKE IT LOOK GOOD

It’s no use going to the effort of putting together a yard sale if the items on sales are dirty, broken or don’t work.

Make sure to clean, fix and test anything that you will be selling. By having items in good condition you are upping the chance that someone will buy them and possibly even increasing the sale price.

Likewise, spend some time cleaning up your yard sale location (mow your lawn, pick up any junk, sweep, clean your garage). You don’t want people to keep driving by if they can’t find the sale items in all the mess (nor will they want to stop by).

GET THE WORD OUT THERE

It’s important to spread the word about your sale by advertising. There are plenty of ways to share information on a grassroots level: advertising in your local paper, online listings like Craigslist or Kijiji, event listings on community portals, or asking local businesses and community groups to display flyers.

If you are putting up flyers or posters make sure you are doing it where permitted. Trynearby Rec centers, community noticeboards, or local cafes.

It’s also useful to decorate (balloons are good!) and display signs on the day, so everyone can easily find your sale.

BE PREPARED

Expect the unexpected. Have bags available in case there are any requests. Collect some tarps to place over your tables if a storm suddenly rolls in, or have tents that you can put up. Make sure you have plenty of smaller bills and coins - not everyone is going to have exact change.

Most importantly, remember to have fun!

It’s approaching moving day, and after weeks and/or months of planning, you’re getting closer to the big moment. But not everything from your old house is going to make the trip with you to your new abode. Whether you’re downsizing, decorating a new space, or trying to minimize moving costs, moving house is a great excuse to get rid of accumulated clutter (and maybe make a few extra bucks!).

Here are some tips for hosting your own moving sale.

INVENTORY AND PRICE

After you choose the items you want to sell along with the date of your sale, make an inventory and price list. Take the time to research what your items should be worth and ask around to see what others would pay for them. On the day of the sale, clearly tag the items with the price, or group them together under a price sign.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL

Check in with your Homeowner's Association or local council to see if you need permission or a permit to host a yard sale. There may be restrictions on location, signs, hours, noise level, and what equipment you use to set up your sale (can you put those posts and tables on that grass lawn?).

RECRUIT SOME HELP

Put the call out to friends and family to help out on the day (manning the float, helping to sell goods). You don’t want to lose customers if they are left waiting for help, and it also pays to have extra sets of eyes to watch over all the items displayed.

Make sure to thank them for volunteering - like pizza for lunch, beverages, and a big hug!

MAKE IT LOOK GOOD

It’s no use going to the effort of putting together a yard sale if the items on sales are dirty, broken or don’t work.

Make sure to clean, fix and test anything that you will be selling. By having items in good condition you are upping the chance that someone will buy them and possibly even increasing the sale price.

Likewise, spend some time cleaning up your yard sale location (mow your lawn, pick up any junk, sweep, clean your garage). You don’t want people to keep driving by if they can’t find the sale items in all the mess (nor will they want to stop by).

GET THE WORD OUT THERE

It’s important to spread the word about your sale by advertising. There are plenty of ways to share information on a grassroots level: advertising in your local paper, online listings like Craigslist or Kijiji, event listings on community portals, or asking local businesses and community groups to display flyers.

If you are putting up flyers or posters make sure you are doing it where permitted. Trynearby Rec centers, community noticeboards, or local cafes.

It’s also useful to decorate (balloons are good!) and display signs on the day, so everyone can easily find your sale.

BE PREPARED

Expect the unexpected. Have bags available in case there are any requests. Collect some tarps to place over your tables if a storm suddenly rolls in, or have tents that you can put up. Make sure you have plenty of smaller bills and coins - not everyone is going to have exact change.

Most importantly, remember to have fun!

Things Not to Do When Hiring Movers to Move Your Home:

If you decided that you don't want to move yourself, finding and hiring good movers is the most important decision you’ll make when moving. And while an internet search offers listings of local and distance movers, getting the right one can be challenging. To help you hire good movers, check out these tips on what you should avoid doing when hiring moving companies.

Not Getting Quotes from at Least Three Movers

No matter where you’re moving from and moving to, you should always have at least three movers on your list of potential hires.

I usually try to get quotes from five moving companies, of which I gather estimates, compare costs and look at other people’s experiences with that company. Doing your research and background checks on each company will ensure you hire a reputable and trustworthy company and avoid a potentially nightmarish move.

Not Having Movers Visit Your Home Before Hiring

When asking for moving estimates from potential movers, you should always have a mover visit your home, to review everything you’re moving to provide a more accurate estimate. It’s also a way to ensure that the mover sees everything you’re moving so that at the end of the move, the inventory they quoted on will match what was moved. I also recommend creating a household inventory list before the movers quote an in-home estimate. Not only will an inventory provide the mover with everything that you’ll be moving, but will also remind you to ask the movers about items that require special handling.

Choosing a Mover Based Only on Price

The least expensive mover might be the best bet. However, you should always make sure you have thoroughly researched the company.

Just remember that if you’re comparing three to five movers, and you find that one mover’s quote is much lower than the others, this could be a sign that the low-cost mover should be avoided.

Rogue moving companies will often try to lure in customers with low costs, special deals and other enticements, such as free services. So before you choose a mover, make sure you also understand what a rogue mover is and how to avoid hiring one.

I also consider where I'm moving to when hiring a mover. If I'm doing a local move that will only take a day, I often go with a smaller local company with a good reputation. Often, they're less expensive than some of the larger moving companies. However, when moving a long distance that takes more than a day or two, I usually go with a larger company with a good reputation.

Know the type of move you're making and what type of mover you need to hire before you decide.

Not Asking the Right Questions

Hiring movers isn’t easy. There are so many details you need to remember to ensure that the movers are reliable and that your stuff will be in good hands. A good, reliable mover should provide you with all the information you need and anticipate questions before you ask. After all, they do this all the time and are the experts when it comes to moving house. But because your move is unique, there may be information the mover doesn't provide that you need to know.

So make sure review this list of questions to ask.

You can also use this list to determine how thorough and transparent the mover is being with you; rogue movers will avoid specific questions and be less clear about fees, insurance and other details you need to know.

Not Knowing if and when You Might be Charged Extra Fees

You should always ask movers about extra costs that might apply to your move. These may include costs such as charges for moving things up and down stairs, not having a close parking space for the moving truck and packing fees for items not properly packed. To save yourself extra fees, find out more about moving charges you might be responsible for.