Many items should be excluded from an estate sale including items that require permits and license to sell. According to your state laws, careful attention should be made when it comes to selling firearms, ammunition, alcohol, and tobacco. In many states it is legal to sell shotguns and ammo but not handguns. It should go without saying that all guns should be unloaded and stored in an area that would require assistance and bullets should be treated in the same manner. Alcoholic beverages should also be excluded from the sale as a license is necessary to distribute.
Trash, garbage and broken items should not only be out of the sale but removed from the property. Your belongings will stand out and appeal more to the public if they do not have to dig through garbage, boxes, old paper and trash to find them. Take the time to clean up and let your nicer things shine through. The same goes with clothing. If it is torn, stained and below the Goodwill status, chances are it needs to be thrown away. Some cases of vintage and antique clothing are acceptable in those conditions but still should be displayed as neatly as possible.
In addition, some taxidermy items are illegal to sell as well. For instance, in Tennessee, you cannot sell mounted water fowl. You can find this information in the wildlife and game section of the federal government website.
When it comes to food items be especially careful to discard outdated items. Refrigerated and frozen foods should also be excluded from the sale especially if you are unsure of the dates and probability of electrical outages. Frozen foods may appear to be okay but many times electricity is turned off during the estate sales turnover of utilities.
Garage items often have containers that have been replaced by other products. Be careful to throw out spray bottles, old jars, mystery liquids and containers unmarked that may contain harmful products.
Toiletries should be carefully inspected before including them into a sale. Makeup, opened lotions and bath products are better tossed than possibly causing harm to a customer. Again, many products are out of date and containers replaced with other products in the home. Perfume is generally okay as long as it is not too old.
Automobiles can be sold as long as you have proper titles for them and provide your states requirements for the transfer. Always have the necessary paperwork ready before the sale to make the transfer such as a Bill of Sale and odometer reading.
Jewelry and small expensive items are wonderful treasures at yard and garage sales but must be given utmost protection and security during the sale. If you do not have adequate help during the sale, you may decide to remove them or invest in a locked case for the sale. Even then, you should use caution when showing valuable pieces as thieves can be very clever in swiping them right under your nose. Many reputable jewelry stores will pay you a decent price for your jewelry and you do not have to take the chance of having them stolen during the sale.
Lastly, keep in mind that if it is not working such as electrical equipment, you should indicate that on the tag such as (as is) or throw it out as well. Customers should be encouraged to plug in items and check for non functioning equipment before they purchase. No one wants an unhappy customer after the sale. When selling other people's property, we are not always sure what problems it may have.
The following is brought to you by Busy Bee Moving Sales in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit our website to find out how we can assist you in selling your estate. email: busybeemovingsales@gmail.com or call 512-788-2544.
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