How to Advertise Your Yard Sale: 7 Methods for a Successful Garage Sale (That Still Work!)

Read on to find out…

So how do I successfully advertise my garage sale?

Here’s how to do it:

1. Share it on Facebook
2. Post on Craigslist
3. Put an ad in the classifieds
4. Check out Local Organizations, Groups, and Publications
5. List your sale on yard sale sites
6. Create and post flyers, posters, and signs
7. Use apps

These free garage sale advertising methods are simple yet effective ways of promoting your yard sale. But if you want to get enough buyers into your front yard or driveway so you sell everything at your next garage sale, you need to do ’em right.

Read on to find out how.

1. Share it on Facebook

Advertising your yard sale on Facebook and other social media platforms is an effective way to reach potential customers.

People check social media consistently, so it’s definitely one of the best methods for getting the word out about your garage sale.

Plus it’s free!

Of course, not all of the people that follow you on social media live nearby, but many of them will.

Create a descriptive paragraph about your yard sale. It should include basic info like the time and address for the sale, as well as specifics about the stuff you want to sell.

Don’t forget to add a photo or two to go along with your ad.

Tip: In addition to promoting your yard sale to your own followers, check to see if there’s a social media profile for a local church or neighborhood association where you could also post your yard sale ad.

2. Post on Craigslist

Nowadays, placing a classified ad in the local newspaper, on its own, isn’t enough. You need to promote it online too.

One of the best places to advertise a yard sale is on Craigslist.

A lot of people looking for second-hand goods will specifically search Craigslist for local yard sales.

And if you feel productive enough, take a look at our list of Craigslist alternatives where you can promote your sale even more.

You need to create a well-written ad, which includes a catchy headline. Take a look at our in-depth post on how to write a yard sale ad for more tips.

3. Put an ad in the classifieds

In the age of social media, a lot of people overlook the newspaper classifieds, and that’s a mistake. The classifieds section is still a highly effective place to advertise your yard sale.

As with Craigslist, you need to write a well-crafted ad that includes all the details of your sale.

It’s also a good idea to check out the yard sale listings in your local newspaper to see what days they most commonly run. If you determine, for example, that a lot of ads are placed on a Saturday, then it’s probably a good time to advertise.

Placing a garage sale ad in the newspaper can bring a lot of attention to your yard sale and it’s a good way to attract older buyers.

Tip: Do not skip putting an ad in the paper. Advertising online will attract the younger, computer-savvy crowd, but old school shoppers will still take to the paper to find sales. And, remember, not all towns and cities have a section on Craigslist.

4. Check out Local Organizations, Groups, and Publications

Local churches, groups, neighborhood newsletters and community message boards are also great places to list or advertise your yard sale.

If you can, try and advertise with them – it’s not going to bring in as many people as you get from an ad in the newspaper or on Craigslist, but any extra exposure will help your yard sale.

5. List your sale on yard sale sites

Another place that you should definitely list your sale is at online garage sale sites.

People looking for yard sales in their area will search these websites for listings.

Simply create a listing and submit it to these sites:

1. YardSales.net
2. Garage Sales Tracker
3. Yard Sale Search
4. GSALR
5. Garage Sale Finder

6. Create and post flyers, posters, and signs

Visual ads, like posters, flyers and signs are an important part of garage sale advertising.

Here’s why:

• Posters and signs can easily be placed in high traffic areas and catch the eye of plenty of potential customers.
• Yard sale signs, when placed strategically around the roads in the neighborhood, attract drivers and help customers to actually find your sale.

Flyers and Posters: Make them bold, use bright colors, and big lettering – black letters are the easiest to read. Put your posters up on bulletin boards in libraries, community centers, and local grocery stores.

Signs: When it comes to signs the bigger, the better. After all, signs need to be readable for drivers viewing them from a distance. Use attention-grabbing colors – it’s a good idea to use neon-colored poster board to make your signs. Two-by-two-foot to three-foot-by-three-foot is an ideal size for signs.

7. Advertise your yard sale on Buy & Sell apps

There are tons of free apps for buying and selling stuff locally. Download them and post pictures of a few great items that you want to sell.

The beauty of this method is that once people see a few items they are interested in, they may show up to your sale to see what else you have. That’s an easy way to increase foot traffic to your sale.

Here are some of the best apps to advertise your yard sale on:

1. Varage Sale: iOS – Android
2. Garage Sales by Map: iOS – Android
3. Offer Up: iOS – Android
4. LetGo: iOS – Android
5. Yard Sale Treasure Map: iOS – Android
6. Shpock: iOS – Android
7. Nextdoor: iOS – Android

Final Words

There you have it. Tried and true yard sale advertising methods that will get the most foot traffic to your next sale.

Have you ever held a yard sale? If so how did you advertise your garage sale? Let us know in the comments below.