Yard Sale Fundraiser Prep Starts Now

This week, let's talk about Yard Sales as a school fundraiser. We need to have this discussion now because over the summer is the time when the kids and parents are home and cleaning - cleaning out closets, attics, sheds, and garages. It also means that it's the time when you want to email them and tell them to save their gently-used items for your school before they give or throw it away.

Host a Fall school Yard Sale and with a little work you can easily take in a few thousand dollars. Here's a quick summary on how to do it:

First, as always, obtain school department approval to run the event and advertise through the schools.

Date & Time: A Saturday morning 9am-2pm in the Fall (or Spring)

Location: School parking lot or field

Sell Donated Items. All items you sell will be donated, gently-used items. Three to five volunteers sort and tag items at very low prices as they come in over a specified 2-week period.

Advertise. Send out flyers to parents of all students in all city-wide schools. The flyers do double duty; they both ask for donated items to be dropped at your school and advertise the date of your yard sale. Exclude clothing donations, except Halloween costumes - these sell well.

Set out a large sign in front of the school advertising the date. Advertise in the newspaper, on CraigsList.com, and online with your local newspaper.

Sell. 15-20 volunteers set up tables on the day of the sale. This will take about 2 hours. These volunteers also work the sale and negotiate prices with customers. Have a single cash-out table. Sell drinks, breakfast and lunch items.

Disposal. Any leftover items should be disposed of or donated to a local charity.

It's fun, it's profitable, and it's “Green” fundraising!

Go to the PTO Ideas' Yard Sale page for even more details on how to organize a yard sale fundraiser at your school.