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Making Garage Sale Signs

November 4, 2008

Yard Sale SignThe election is almost over (thank heavens!) and I am thinking about all those campaign yard signs all over the place! After the election is over, you can pick some up and set them aside to use for your garage sales next summer.

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Just paint over them, using permanent paint that doesn't run in the rain. You can use them year after year. It's nice to re-use something and nice to help un-clutter our neighborhoods now that the election is over!

 
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April 8, 2013

When putting home-made signs out on the street advertising the sale, it is helpful to spray the entire page with hair spray. This is helpful so the printing does not bleed if the weather is inclement. Hair spray is a lacquer and dries in seconds.

 
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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 109 Feedbacks
August 19, 2011

Make sure your signs are easy to read. A very, clear arrow in the direction the driver needs to go is essential. An address on the sign is nice as well.

 
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July 13, 2006

Our city has gotten very strict about placement of garage sale signs. We cannot post on utility poles of any kind, fences, etc. and fines can be levied.

 
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August 31, 2010

When my friends and I used to have a group garage sale, we always had tons of shoppers. The shoppers frequently told us they came because they noticed our outstanding artistic signs.

 
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Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 228 Posts
September 26, 2007

To keep your rummage or garage sale sign dry in bad weather, slip it into a big ziplock bag before putting it up! You can also use sheet protectors.

 
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June 8, 2005

After the sale, before you count up all of your profit, go around the neighborhood and remove every last yard sale sign! (If you have blanketed a large area with signs, you may want to have kept a list of the signs locations.) This will keep your neighbors happy.

 
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August 21, 2004

Signs are very important when throwing a garage sale. Make sure you signs have large and clear arrows so that they can be seen easily by drivers.

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And also make sure the date of the sale is visible.

 
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December 13, 2011

Always use bright signs, such as on neon poster board, because they are so noticeable. You need to make the letters (addresses and such) black and as large as you can and still be read.

 
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September 2, 2004

Attach balloons to your signs. The moving balloons help people see your sign and not get lost!

 

12 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

August 15, 2018

I need ideas for how to set rummage sale signs up. I have them stapled to wire plant fencing, but the ground along the roadside is often stronger than the wire in the fencing. Also, when there is enough wind the metal wire bends and the sign goes flat. Please give me ideas of what I could add or use to make them stronger. I already have a lot of them made so adding something would be best.

Thanks.

Answers


Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 107 Posts
August 15, 20180 found this helpful

usually when i put them up i repurpose abandoned election signs (that have the metal stand) and affix them to the grass

but it sounds like you don't have grass or dirt to do that with?

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another thing i like to do is create sandwich board yard sale signs which requires finding creating a triangle with cardboard writing on 2 sides, the 3rd side is the bottom, and setting it on the ground, with a weight to hold it down on the unwritten side. If you have firm enough board, and duct tape, it is easy to make

 
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September 23, 2005

Tips for making good yard sale signs. Post your ideas.

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Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks
April 28, 20060 found this helpful

Making Good Yard Sale Signs
Answers:
- -05/11/2005
I always use bright signs, such as on neon poster board, because they are so noticeable. You need to make the letters (addresses and such) BLACK and as large as you can and still be readable. You do not need alot of info on the signs, YARD SALE and the address is usually all people see anyway. Some cities don't allow you to post signs except in specified areas, but if you can place them at stop signs it would be great.
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You can tape your sign to a similar sized box and place a rock in it to keep it from flying around if it is windy the day of your sale. Good luck and happy"sale-ing"!!
Amy
By Amy Allen
- -05/11/2005
I would add to the above suggestions - Put an arrow on the sign pointing which way to turn for your home. And like she said - Be sure your sign can be read from the cars that will be zipping past.
By Marylin (Guest Post)
- -05/11/2005
I would add bright colored balloons in front of your home also. It is always an eye catcher. Have a great sale.
By Ruth Socash
- -05/11/2005
Make the letters BIG BIG. It may be illegal to put signs on phone poles and electric poles-even tho everyone does it. After your sale is over take your signs down.
By sandy (Guest Post)
- -05/11/2005
After the elections and the ads that you see along the road, We collect the old ads that are left after the period of collection time. We cover these with poster boards and use a large black magic marker for yard sale and have them all across the front of our yard to keep people from parking on the yard also. It really works and gets attention. Have made good in our yard sales and we plan on some big ones this June. Good luck to all having the sales.
By Bella
- -05/11/2005
Yes, LARGE BLACK letters and ARROWS are best. when we go garage sale shopping, if we can't read it while driving or find it easily, we give up and go somewhere else. LARGE NEON paper works good. Posting signs by stop light or stop sign intersections works good.
By Michael Carter
- -05/12/2005
When I had my yard sale last year, everyone complimented me on how easy it was to read my signs AND find, because I put arrows on each sign. Not everyone knows where your street is. I used medium size poster board and an extra wide marker found at craft stores. Put two nails in the top and two in the bottom so wind doesn't fold them inwards. Don't forget to remove them! Or else people will be at your door every weekend!!
By (Guest Post)
- -05/12/2005
We always put stuff to sell all the way down the driveway. People will see that there is a sale there and stop. This also unclutters the garage, and makes everything visible. Lay a sheet in the front yard with toys for sale on it. It will keep the kids out of the garage, and they can find the toys they would like to buy. The more stuff out in front of your house, the more likely poeple will stop to see what all you have.
By Stacy from El Paso (Guest Post)
- -05/12/2005
The election signs are weather resistant, you can paint over the existing sign and make a yard sale sign.
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Better yet, estimate how much how much your stuff is really worth, and rather than nickel and dime it, donate it! You can get a tax deductible receipt for donations at most thrift stores, and you can list the items at a fair market price...no minimal cash in hand, but you get a pretty good deduction! One shot, done, no sitting around all day waiting for people to show up.

By Tammy (Guest Post)
- -05/12/2005
I bought neon colored posterboard at the dollar tree. I used boxes I had around here, because we cannot post signs on poles any longer. I put a stack of newspaper in each box so that they would stay in place. I put signs on both sides of the box so that traffic from each direction could read it. I wrote in very large letters so that it could be easily read. I sat the boxes at street corners. Attaching balloons was a good idea. I didn't advertise this one in the paper because I decided at the last minute, but I still made over $250.
By suzi homemaker (Guest Post)
- -05/13/2005
My sister and I once went to a garage sale that was somewhat out in the country with hidden roads and long hidden driveways. We were not familiar with the area at all but had no trouble finding the sale because the signs were so good. The first one of course was huge and just said garage sale with an arrow pointing the way. From there on ever so often there was another sign saying such things as "yes this is the way", "keep going", "almost there" and finally one about 50 feet before the hidden driveway announcing we were there and to turn into the driveway marked with balloons.
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It was kind of like a treasure hunt and the signs were placed close enough together that you didn't just start thinking you had made a wrong turn and give up. Good luck with your sale.
By Dinker (Guest Post)
- -05/17/2005
Use neon poster board and it really helps if you use the same color for all of your signs. Also, forget about putting the date or time on the signs. You aren't going to put them up until a few days before the sale (sales around here are on Saturdays unless stated otherwise) and you need to use the extra room to write as large as possible.
By Ann4 (Guest Post)
- -06/22/2005
I made pointed arrow signs out of leftover pieces of verticle blinds.
First I colored in the POINT with a SHARPIE,on both sides,then I wrote GARAGE SALE on the longest ones,and just had fun writing different things on them. Morning of sale just took my staple gun,a roll of ribbon and balloons, and a hole puncher.
Staple the ones that you can onto trees with a balloon, the rest can be tied to STOP sign post, punch a hole on the top and bottom of each arrow,thread the ribbon through and put through holes in the stop sign post with balloons. It seems like a lot of work, but a lot of it can be done the night before.The kids can help.
By glenda
- -06/26/2005
Just make the sign BIG, and write THICK letters, don't just use a Sharpie. If you must write the time and address make sure you include a good arrow that you can actually see which way it points. Even if the time is posted on your sign take it down anyway if you are done for the day. If you need to make a right hand turn to get to your rummage sale, do not stick the sign in the median on the left hand side!
By Bonnie (Guest Post)
- -07/10/2005
Instead of buying signs to write on--ask at any business if they have any old posters, I use the backs for my signs, saves alot of money. Also liquor stores will have lots of left over posters. I have also stapled mine to Pallets (that go into trucks) and placed them against the stop signs on each side with arrows and balloons. Made over $750 at my sale and I live in the country. GOOD LUCK
By Arletta (Guest Post)
- -08/07/2005
My husband is the artist at our home and of course I've learned off that.. If neon poster paper is not in your price range, use regular butcher paper over a square wood piece your preference in size. Then use neon markers then out line with a bold black marker it always works for me and my regular customer's keep on coming back plus more than I had in mind. I nail them up on regular poles just not city sign's. I always take down my sign's. I always plastic my sign's in case of bad weather. And my husband makes me some 2 sided signs that sit on the ground but high enuff to see. It's all worthwhile because I always start on a Friday and end on a Sunday and put my signs up with neon arrows pointing in all the right directions and put my sign's up by tuesday and by the end of my sale iv'e made over 600.00 I know how to price and convince customers on all sales ....And one other thing where you cash out put up a sign all sales final no return's...So make sure things can get tested out and in working order.....And never count your money at the end of the day call me superstiches I count it the last day..I put it in 3 separate envelopes and I start off with 20.00 For the day. If you have more than 1 person stuff to sell use put initials on your thing's along with the price Reason being you have room to negotiate a price in case of guessing good luck!
By TERESA (Guest Post)
- -09/07/2005
I use yellow poster board it cost under 50 cents at Big Lots. Make your Letters big enough that drivers and elderly can see it. I get about 5 signs out of it for pennies. I use packing tape to place on stakes or poles. Neatness is the keyword for your sign!

Good luck

By Millie (Guest Post)
Signs for Neighborhood Sales09/23/2005
My neighborhood is having garage sales, but are disapointed in the turn out of people. Put up some signs on the highway. If you are having any kind of sale, try to promote it with lots of color, Tack up signs where permissable. When your sale is through, save the signs for next time.

By Charlie

By Susan Sanders-Kinzel
- -09/26/2005
Use the box lids of large pizza boxes and keep it simple with an arrow at bottom . Just make
the writing BIG, Clear and easy. Use a large black marker or black paint.
By Annie Rios Hill
- -09/27/2005
I collected some election campaign signs that were abandoned -- they're supposed to be removed right after elections. I wait a few days and if they're still there, I pick them up. If they're on private property, I ask permission. Then I take them home, pull the printed parts apart at the edges, turn them inside out and then staple them back together and slip them over the wire frames. I use permanent markers and large lettering. FREE! except for the marker, and clean up the roadside at the same time.
By Karen M (Guest Post)
- -10/12/2005
If you don't live off a major street, make lots of "arrow" signs pointing me the way to your garage sale. If I can't find it easily, I'll give up and look for the next sale. I don't mind if I have to turn left and right a bunch of times, just as long as the "arrows" show me the way.
By Michael Carter
- -10/22/2005
We had our 1st garage sale yesterday and I used some good tips I found on here (thanks to all who contributed them). I bought a pack of A4 fluro yellow sheets at a dollar store (25pk) and used some to cut out star-shaped price tags, all the goods were displayed on shelving along the walls in our garage and plastic patio tables so callers could see most of what we had and not have to ask for prices, I hung cheap $1.50 clear dust sheets across the back half of our garage and posted 'no entry beyond here, thanks' signs. Our ads were put in two local papers and to mark our driveway. Well, I didn't have a blackboard or boxes so I had a kids plastic party table cover which I wrapped around our 240 litre wheelie bin and tied lots of balloons all around the handles on top, then I used more of the yellow fluro sheets and put signs on front and both sides of the bin advertising 'garage sale. today with time' (i also covered these sheets in plastic in case it rained). I then parked the bin near (but not at) the curb at the bottom of our driveway so callers could clearly see the house from either end of the street and it would be eye-catching for passers-by on foot. Many people commented on the 'bin' sign. It was great to de-clutter and make a few bucks into the bargain :)
By jojo (Guest Post)
- -01/04/2006
It is frustrating for me as I'm driving around any given Saturday a.m. scanning my neighborhood for yard sales, to see signs that say YARD SALE in huge letters and the address in teeny tiny lettering at the bottom or run off the side of the sign. My suggestion would be, we know it is a yard sale sign, just give us the address in big letters and an arrow. If no arrow then hang your sign on the side of the road that is the same as the direction we are going to have to turn if possible. Don't bother listing all the stuff you have, even the stuff you think will draw people. It just takes away from the space needed for the address and arrow. Time of the sale is not really necessary but then I've never had anyone knock on my door at 6:30 asking to see the yard sale stuff. I figure if the signs are up, you are ready for me to come by. Dates are good if you don't think you'll get back to collect your signs...which you should by the way. Bottom line? address and arrow only, is my vote!
By leslie
- -04/21/2006
Check your local paper to see if there is an abundance of yard sales coming up in your area and use it to your advantage. Stick out signs and arrows to your yard sale and save on the newspaper advertising.
By Kat

 
By Zahid (Guest Post)
June 26, 20060 found this helpful

i am going to write BIG BIG BIG and use white paper so that people could see. i am going to print it. i am going to put balloons, and strings around it so that they could see it! good luck!

 
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