The rains have eased, the weather has warmed, and spring cleaning is in full effect. But what to do with all of those unwanted items you found as you cleaned house? Tag sale season is officially upon us, and hosting a tag sale is one way to clear out clutter and unwanted items and make a little extra money, too.

Planning Your Tag Sale

Once you’ve committed to having a tag sale, it’s time to plan. You need to choose a date and a time. Be sure that the date you choose allows you time to prepare for the sale in the preceding days and time to break it down when it’s over. Consider how early you will be able to have your items ready for shoppers and what time you’d like to finish. Many people choose to start around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and continue until early afternoon.

You might also approach neighbors to see if they would be interested in hosting a tag sale that day, too, as the more items there are to sell and the more people talking about the tag sale, the more successful your day could be.

Spread the Word

Once you have the date and time locked down, it’s time to let people know. There are a variety of tools you can use to advertise your tag sale, both free and paid. Local newspapers offer an ad section to list tag sales and may also have additional benefits, such as kits with signs and tips to help organizers plan. Craigslist has a section dedicated to tag sales and there are several Facebook groups that allow members to share their tag sales, too. Be sure to include the date, time, location, and a description of items. Photos of items available also help draw attention.

Once the date of your tag sale is approaching, it’s time to make and hang signs to make your tag sale easy to find and attract passers-by. Keep your signs simple, including your address, the date, and the time. An arrow pointing visitors in your direction, fluorescent poster board, and clear handwriting all help make for good signs.

Day(s) Before Tag Sale

Begin to gather all of the items for sale together. Take the time to dust off items so they are appealing to buyers. If you have lamps, small appliances, or other electrical items, have an extension cord available so people can make sure that they are in working order.

As you gather items, take a moment to price each one. Consider the item’s condition, the cost to buy it new, and the demand for an item.

“Make sure you have a price on everything—people don’t want to keep bugging the host for prices on items, so if everything is priced out they will probably buy,” says Amy Wolcott Farratti, co-founder of the Facebook group Shore line Tag Sale. “Just understand that people don’t want to pay a lot, but don’t get offended when they offer you something lower. Tag sales are not a way to get rich, they’re a way to make a little money off of things you are no longer using.”

Decide how your tag sale will be set up. Do you need tables to display items on? Do you have a clothing rack or a rod to hang clothes on? Think about laying out tarps so items are protected from the ground.

Get change. It’s important to have plenty of change. When deciding on how much change to get, consider your pricing strategy. If you mark everything in .25 increments, you’ll need lots of quarters. Don’t forget singles, fives, and tens so you’re able to make change for larger bills.

Day of Tag Sale

Set up your tag sale. Make sure that you start early enough to be ready to go by your advertised start time.

Group like items so your tag sale is set up like your own little shop. Consider having a section for clothes, home goods, entertainment, toys and children’s items, sports items, tools, and other sections.

If you have children, consider letting them help or even having them host a lemonade stand. It will keep them busy (and distracted from things you may be getting rid of that they all of a sudden need) plus it gives them a chance to make a little extra spending money.

As the day goes on, be open to accepting lower offers on items or marking items down. If your goal is to get rid of as much stuff as possible, you may even consider a “free” section.

After the Sale

After all is said and done, it’s time to pack everything up. If you’re not attached to the items, they can be loaded straight into your car and delivered to Goodwill. There are also several services that schedule pickups of donations, such as pickupplease.org and donationtown.org.

When the items are all put away or donated, it’s time to remove all of your signs, count up your proceeds from the day, and enjoy your less cluttered living space.

“Tag sales, whether online or at someone’s house, are a great way of getting what you need at a great price,” Farratti says. “Kids grow out of clothes and toys so quickly that the condition of items is still practically new. Why buy anything brand new?”

Going with a Group

What’s better than one tag sale?

How about dozens?

The annual Chester Town-Wide Tag Sale, held over Memorial Day Weekend, is organized by the town’s Republican Town Committee (RTC) as a fund-raiser. It’s also turned into a fun community event that benefits local businesses and allows residents to make new connections with neighbors, says one of the organizers, Kris Seifert.

The event, which has been going on for 25 years, now draws thousands of people to the town on the day of the sale, she says.

The RTC sells maps of all the event’s registered sellers for a dollar the day of the sale.

“It’s amazing what this town-wide tag sale does,” Siefert says. “Not only is there the fun of all the tag sales going on, but it brings so many people into town. For a small town like this, it boosts business enormously.”

Siefert says the town is “crazy from seven in the morning until four or five o’clock in the afternoon.”

This year, more than 65 town residents signed up—“And those were only the ones that chose to list their sales,” she says. “There are also people who just put their stuff out. There are people who come from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York. There are a lot of antique dealers who come in. They know there are older residents in town. They pass away, and their kids wait until the tag sale to get rid of a lot of stuff.”

She said the event really develops a sense of community in town.

“People are out meeting new people. It’s great for new people just moving into town. They can go around and introduce themselves. And it’s a great way to clean out your house,” she notes. “We hold it rain or shine. Doesn’t seem to make that much of a difference. People who are going to shop, are going to shop. And people who are going to sell are going to sell.”

In Clinton, Lorain Ohio Simister took the same approach recently. She organized an informal neighborhood house party in late May on High Street in Clinton, complete with entertainment that included local bands and hula hoops, and threw in a tag sale event as well. She also invited vendors who sold jams and art photography

She says the event drew more than 40 people with something to sell.

In terms of the multi-family yard sales, she recommended that people be sure to check with their local town hall to find out if there are any applicable local ordinances relating to tag/yard sales. Some cities and towns charge for a license, she says. She also said to be sure to give some thought to parking, particularly if it’s a large event.

“We are on a main road, so there is no parking on the street and our lot is for our tenants and us, so parking is limited. In that case, leave space for a vehicle to park temporarily on the grounds...in front of your sale. Or suggest a local public lot if you have any near your yard,” she says.

She also recommended checking online for the price of anything valuable you might be selling.

“Don’t price yourself out of selling, or undersell things,” she says, but recommends that when the sale itself is winding down, sellers implement liquidation pricing to get rid of anything that’s left.

Other than that, she says it can help to get in the habit of having yard sales.

“Plan to have yard sales two or three weekends throughout the season and then, if you like it, you will have repeat clients the next season as well,” she says.

Moving Online

As with so many things, tag sales now have an e-version though online tag sale sites, such as Facbeook groups, Craigslist, OfferUp, and more.

Farratti and Melanie Whitcher started the group Shore line Tag Sale on Facebook with about 25 friends in 2012. The group now has more than 5,000 members who buy and sell items.

“You can quickly scroll through the group to see if there is anything you need or want, then you arrange to pick up the item with the seller,” said Farratti. “It’s also great for those who are selling because you can quickly take a picture, post it, and reach 5,000 buyers instantly.”

While Farratti has seen the success of the Facebook group, she also enjoys participating in real tag sales. She participates in the Knights of Columbus annual tag sale at Doody’s in North Branford, noting that the large size of the tag sale draws a big crowd.