YARD SALE 101: Ways to Avoid the "Y" Word

What's hiding in your shed?


It's true. I really don't like having yard sales.

I love going to them, especially if they are well organized, have things I collect or must have, and have cheap prices.

Unless I am on a binge of cleaning out the house. For me, this has been going on for years. I may never want to attend a yard sale again. Well, maybe one that has rubber stamps.

YARD SALE 101: Ways to Avoid the "Y" Word = Keep Clutter at Bay to Avoid Need for Yard Sale

The very best thing to do to get out of all of the hours and days and weeks of preparation for a yard sale? Make your house allergic to the gathering of junk that will require a yard sale.

Here are some ways I've found to keep my house safe from (required) yard sale efforts.

1. Buy. Only. What. You. Need. Nothing else. You will have more money in your wallet and less junk in your house. Practice saying, "NO. I do not need this." NOW.

2. Eschew other yard sales and clearance bins. Look the other way. Choose a different route. Ignore the sales ads and going out of business signs.

3. Avoid gathering clutter. Get rid of stuff. One thing in? One thing out. Get a gift? Give a gift.

4. Use your things until they fall apart, break completely, or wear out. Trash them and update with a new item. ONE new thing for each thing out. There is no need to store extras when your current model may last for years.

5. Recycle. Don't feel bad about getting rid of that (book, magazine, newspaper, glass, etc.) thing. Feel good about recycling and not dumping belongings in the landfill.

6. Donate. Donate a lot. Choose a charity or good cause as the recipient for your extras. Goodwill, women's shelter, YWCA, Salvation Army, homeless shelter, and many church clothing closets or homeless ministries need donations of clothes, baby items, toys, and household goods. A simple phone call or two will help you find the right place for you.

7. Adopt the character trait of generosity. Give away things of beauty or function. See a need? Give something you have. Does someone express a genuine love for an item you no longer have room for? GIVE it to them.

8. Re-gift. Seriously. Unless your name is sewn onto something or the gift is so specific to you that it's impossible to do, re-gift items that do not fit your home, body, style, or space. Do offer sincere thanks to the giver, even if the gift is one you cannot use.


These tips are helping me to ever so slowly de-clutter my house. Our dream is to condense and clear out enough stuff so that we can build a small home of about 800 square feet. That goal is helping me to detach from belongings in order to be free of storing, organizing, and cleaning extra stuff. We can't wait for a simple home and lifestyle and are working on it one thing at a time.

Join me for the next two days for YARD SALE 102: Yard Sale Tips IF You HAVE to Have One and YARD SALE 103: How We Made People Happy at Our Yard Sale.

Thanks for reading and for sharing!