How to have a successful yard sale

This seems like a silly post to write, but considering the amount of yard sales that I go to and the amount of times i LEAVE empty handed because they had no idea what they are doing--well, that prompted me to write this.

You cannot have a successful yard sale if you do not have reasonable expectations. If you think you are going to make $500 bucks at the yard sale and all you have are clothes, then you are WRONG. Unless of course you mark your clothes up super high, but then they wont' sell, so nevermind--that is NOT going to happen.

You cannot have a successful yard sale if you think your stuff is worth more than it is. It's not about the worth it is to YOU, it's about what the item is actually worth. And if it is worth more to YOU, then you should probably keep it.

You cannot have a successful yard sale if you don't have your items set up properly. Just because it's a yard sale does not mean it shouldn't have any type of eye appeal to it. You don't want to walk up and see CRAP laying everywhere--that won't do. UNLESS, everything is a nickel. Then it will work.

You cannot have a successful yard sale if you do not have enough STUFF! you need lots of items to make it work. People feel awkward when they walk up and you have a table of trinkets and a lawn mower sitting there. And by awkward, I mean the way I felt last weekend... weirdos. really? okay--get my drift? have it be a multi-family yard sale.

You cannot have a successful yard sale if you do not known how to handle the multi family yard sale. If it takes a person 5 minutes to "check out" because everyone is trying to figure out whose worn out blue jeans these belong to and who is getting the $1 dollar for them--it won't work. Have a system. Color coded works. do SOMETHING. That makes me leave my items and walk away. Seriously. i've done it.

You cannot have a successful yard sale if you do not advertise properly. If you are doing this to make some cash, get rid of some items, make room for new stuff, etc... you HAVE to advertise well. Facebook, posters, newspaper, craigslist, call into your local swap shop. LET PEOPLE KNOW! Tell friends, who tell friends, who tell.... get my drift?

So what have we learned?

* good selection of items is needed
*organized, presented well
*priced like a YARD SALE ITEM SHOULD BE PRICED
*advertised well (easy to find)

Do you have any tips for having a successful yard sale?????