Almost everyone loves a bargain. Garage and yard sales offer many opportunities to buy or sell unique items for the home. They have an almost cult-like following. Every weekend in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, droves of residents scan ads, look for signs, and set off in search of treasured yard sale items.

Such sales offer a perfect opportunity for home sellers to evaluate their belongings and edit and eliminate those items that don’t make the cut for a move to new surroundings, whether across town or across the country.

Spring and Fall Mark Best Selling Seasons

In North Texas, yard sales are particularly popular in the spring and fall, reflecting the seasons when most moves occur. Coincidentally, these are the times with most favorable weather for outdoor sales. Yard sale items – from children’s books and toys to clothing, kitchen paraphernalia, pool furniture, yard equipment, sporting goods, antiques, even building materials and half-full cans of paint – can be treasures to someone else.

If your move will take you away from Texas, there may be pieces of furniture which, because of style, color, or size will be inappropriate in your next home. Consider regional styles when planning decor for a new locale. Just as cowhide, rustic wooden tables, and punched tin lampshades from a Fort Worth den could look out of place in a Baltimore condo, seashells and pastels might seem misplaced in a Dallas dining room.

Moving is not fun – no one disputes that – but, whether you’re on the selling or the buying side of the table, a yard sale can be enjoyable. It is liberating to eliminate collections for which you retain little enthusiasm. Often, a decor change allows you freedom to explore new trends. It is also satisfying to collect money for items that no longer fit your lifestyle.

Conversely, there is something exciting and invigorating about searching for the perfect accessory, driving a hard bargain, and savoring the prize. If you’re a newcomer to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you may have yet to discover local yard sales and flea markets. Ask any “old-timer” about the nationally acclaimed First Monday Trade Days in Canton, about an hour’s drive east of Dallas. It’s a treat.

First Evaluate, Then Implement

Once you’ve made the commitment to move, the next step is to evaluate what must go and take stock of what you can retain. As difficult as it may be to part with your belongings, remember that it is always easier to hold a sale before the move, rather than after.

Some basic principles apply:

• Sell large furniture items that would be difficult or expensive to move.

• Sell things that seem inappropriate for the new home, whether decor items or clothing.

• Price yard sale items fairly, but remember, the object is to lighten your load prior to the move. Accept offers if they are reasonable.

• Generally, a two day sale is sufficient. Enlist friends or neighbors to assist and let them sell their own castoffs. A larger sale attracts more buyers, and extra help is always welcome.

• Schedule the sale in advance. Leaving a yard sale until the weekend prior to the actual move only adds unnecessary stress.

Moving is difficult; the job of making a new house feel like home takes time and effort. It is a process of small steps taken in sequence and performed diligently. When a move is on the horizon, a well-planned sale eases the chaos and lessens the burden of sorting, packing, and moving on.

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