So, you’re thinking about a yard sale.

You’ve surely thought about the effort of dragging the items out of your basement, attic and garage.

You might’ve gone online to try to determine the value of what you have to sell.

And you may be dreading putting price stickers on your sale items.

A yard sale is a chore, for sure!

But have you considered the hidden costs of the sale? A quick $100 profit could, in reality, cost you hundreds.

Here are 7 things to consider before your yard sale:

Do you have a little or a lot? The first place to start is to determine what you have to sell. Is it just a few items or are you cleaning out a household of unwanted things? Can you sell everything in one weekend or will it take multiple weekends?

Know what you have. Look at what you have to sell. Now look at it again from a different perspective. Are the items sellable? Are the items in good condition or are pieces missing or broken? If they are broken, stop now and toss them in the trash.

Be realistic. You bought these things once, but would YOU want to buy them again? Are you seeing value in the items because they are still in good condition and useful or is it that they hold sentimental value to you?

Know your goal. Is your goal to clean out your garage/basement and get rid of things or is it to make money or both? If cash is king, do you want to bring in enough to enjoy a nice dinner out of are you hoping to earn a trip to Disney?

Location. Location. Location. Do you have the right location for a yard sale? Do you live in a community or along a main road? Is there adequate parking? Will your neighbors call the police if someone parks in front of their house or if a child darts across the property line? What if someone trips and falls on your driveway?

Spread the word. Will you advertise in local papers? Post on social media? Hang signs throughout the neighborhood? How will you get the word out?

Think ahead. At every yard sale, there are things that don’t sell. What will you do with those items?

A yard sale may be a good option. But it may not be the BEST option in every situation. Click back soon for the next blog in our Summer Sale Series to see what your other options may be.