How to Host a Yard Sale While Social Distancing

You are going to learn how to host a yard sale while social distancing and making money with these tips.

Before we begin, please understand that these tips and ideas are recommendations and that we urge you to follow your state and CDC guidelines.

Yard sale season is still a go for many areas. However, you still want to follow the rules for social distancing.

Being outdoors is already a good way to help improve social distancing.

But, there are other things you can do to have a safe yard sale. Let’s take a closer look at how to host a yard sale while social distancing.

8 Tips to Host A Yard Sale While Social Distancing

If you are a first-timer when it comes to hosting your yard sale we recommend our Yard Sale Guide which is a step by step guide to help you plan and host your yard or garage sale.

Know the Rules of Your Area

While many states have opened back up, you want to make sure yard sales are allowed in your area.

If in doubt, check websites for your local government to see what the rules are.

You can also ask in local yard sale groups on Facebook. If you still can’t find the answers, call your city hall.

Post the Sale on Facebook Groups

Speaking of Facebook, you want to make sure people know about your sale. One way to do that for free is to post about it in Facebook groups.

If you have larger, more expensive items, you can list those as well and ask that people pick them up at the sale or arrange a pickup time.

Facebook makes it easy to post your message to multiple groups at one time. The more groups you share the ad for the better.

Encourage People to Wear Masks

In your ad for the yard sale, you can encourage people to wear masks. State that masks won’t be provided (unless you want to provide them).

You can also use your ad to explain that people should follow social distancing guidelines and that you will make the environment as social distancing friendly as possible.

Spread Out

You want to spread your tables or clothes out at least 6 feet apart so that people can browse your items without being on top of one another.

Arrange things so that they are well displayed and attractive to customers. People will always be more interested when you take the time to lay things out so that they look nice.

Continue to remind your customers to maintain social distance. Place signs that encourage and remind social distancing.

Before hosting your yard sale, make sure you have a plan for when your yard sale becomes busy with more customers.

One tip is to create some sort of flow for customers to follow throughout your yard sale.

Keep Hand Sanitizer Handy

You want to make sure you have hand sanitizer handy so that you can sanitize your hands throughout the day after accepting money. Make sure you use a sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

If you like, you can sit out a large canister and have it available for others to use.

If you will be moving throughout the sale through the day, keep a small pack in your pocket as well.

Have Multiple People Taking Money

To prevent people from piling up to check out, have a few family members or friends available to take money.

This will greatly cut down on the number of people crowding around one area. Plus, having more people on hand helps ensure your items don’t “walk-off” throughout the day.

Again, if your yard sale gets busy, make sure you remind your yard sale shoppers to make a line and keep social distancing.

Clean Tables and Chairs Several Times

Remind yourself and your family to continue to wipe down tables and chairs throughout the sale.

Once the yard sale has ended, wipe your tables and chairs before placing them away. If you are having a two day yard sale, make sure you clean your stuff again before the sale.

Use Disposable Gloves

Just like face mask, make sure you use gloves during the yard sale.

Yard sales are an excellent way to make money. If you’re wondering which items sell best, check out my article 17 Things That Sell Well at Yard Sales (And Will Make You Money).

Remember to follow local rules, let people know about the sale through Facebook groups, and create a space that encourages social distancing. Pretty soon your home will be clutter-free and your wallet will be a bit heavier.