Yard sales can be a good way to get rid of unwanted stuff and make a little bit of money before moving. It’s important to consider your primary goal before undertaking a moving sale: Are you trying to get rid of junk or make money? Most yard sale veterans agree that if the focus is to pare down your belongings you will actually make more money. By pricing your stuff to go, rather than to profit, you generally end up selling more stuff.

In addition to the benefits of less stuff, a moving sale can also be good for the environment by giving unwanted items a new home rather than sending them to the landfill. A yard sale or garage sale does require some work before, during and after, but having less stuff to move and some spending money makes it worth it. Follow these guidelines on how to have a successful yard sale:

Before the Sale

Choose a room where things to sell can be collected. It needs to be a space large enough to allow some space for grouping and pricing. Have several empty boxes on hand and mark them with prices, like the $1 box and the .25 cents box. As you decide on things to sell, put them directly in the box with a price tag on the item. Garage sale pricing things to go rather than deciding on what they actually cost is a good idea.

Clean things up and make sure they work. Group small items together in bags to sell for one price. Collect plastic shopping bags and have newspaper on hand for wrapping breakables. Make sure there are enough coins and bills available to make change throughout the sale; a good rule of thumb is having $50 of change on hand. Other supplies that will be needed are stickers or tags for pricing and an extension cord so customers can test electronics.

Make signs and finish pricing items the night before the sale. Advertising is very important, so try to take advantage of sale days organized in your neighborhood or apartment complex. It is also a good idea to have a group sale with neighbors, because bigger sales and good signs bring in more buyers.

During the Sale

Get your family and friends involved in helping you during the sale. Put big ticket items up front, like couches or entertainment centers. Organize your stuff in an attractive manner on tables, think of making it look more like a store than a driveway or parking lot. Have a calculator handy for adding up the sales.

After the Sale

Arrange ahead of time to donate any leftover items to a local charity, that way they won’t end up moving the stuff you don’t want to your new home. A yard sale is work, but at the end of the day there will be less junk and some money to help with moving expenses. Plus, you save money by having less stuff to move.