With many very successful yard sales under our belt, we have learned a few things about what works to make the sale run smoothly and what we can do to try to improve it and make it easier. They are written here to help you and to standardize our process.

The “cost” to each participant is donation of 20% of her proceeds to SOM Moms. So if the sale of all of your items totals $100, you would receive a check for $80 and SOM would keep $20. This is used to supplement our budget. (So everyone is aware, as Lydia is hosting the event in her garage and supplying electricity for lighting and sometimes heaters or fans, she does not contribute 20% of her proceeds.)

Wal-Mart and Meijer bags are needed by the gross as well as the larger bags or even boxes for our “mega-shoppers”. Bring these anytime beginning the week before the sale and drop them in the barn on the north end (the side we use as work space not sale space).

Any boxes you bring over that you want back should be labeled with your name. Don’t forget to mark lids as well. That way we can get everyone’s containers back to them. If you bring cardboard ones and don’t mind losing them, we may use them for packing people’s purchases.

Plan to have your items at the sale the Wednesday before the sale for setup. Have them marked and ready before you bring them over. There isn’t sufficient space to work on your items here and it tends to get confusing with both labeled and unlabeled items in the same work area. PLEASE: If possible, have them pre-sorted in separate boxes (like girl clothes, toys, books, etc). We are trying to make setup go ever smoother each sale.

Everyone is requested to work two shifts if at all possible. It really helps if you make child care arrangements for your work hours (maybe swapping with another participant) so that you can work free of distraction and so we are less likely to lose items that get played with . There are other jobs to do if you can’t work during the sale: bringing morning snacks or lunch food for the workers, advertising, delivering and picking up tables, etc.

If you want to reach me during the days around the sale, please use my cell phone, 217-2171 or I may not get your message until 8 pm of the day you call.

Items

Have everything washed and in good repair as much as possible. It will make them easier to sell, easier to get the price you want, and helps our entire stock look better. Pin two-piece clothing items together. Have buttons buttoned and zippers zipped before packing the items up to bring them to the sale. Remember that they hang up facing a certain way on the rack (with the open hook of the hanger on the left and the item hung up so the price label on the upper right side is facing you) and all clothes need to face the same way with the price label showing. Toys with multiple parts should be secured or put in zipper bags. In general, appliances or any electrical items should be pre-tested and marked as to their condition (works like new, needs a new part, etc). I can’t make a statement about your items even though I may think they are in working condition when I don’t know. Help remove doubt by having them marked. We could really use some men’s items, too: clothes, shoes, sporting items, tools, things for the car. Check the basement and garage for some ‘big boy’ toys. Dust and polish wood, metal or plastic things. Vases look better after soaking in ammonia and very hot water. Please do not bring any dirty items.

Labels

Please use only white square-ish labels such as the Avery-type shipping label 5160 or 8160, cut in half. You can get 2 tags per label and they are a good visible size on our items and give space to put pertinent info besides just the price. I can print some on the computer with your letter codes on them and all you have to do is cut them in half. I bought 100 sheets of labels and have plenty! They cost 40 cents per sheet. Let me know in advance if you would like to buy some. Labels should be placed in the upper right corner of most items. That way whether on a hanger or stacked in a pile, the price is consistently in the same spot and easy to find. Put your code letter which you are assigned on your label in large black print on one side of the label. Put the price on the other side and add any additional info. This could be size, working condition, how often it has been used, whatever. Print this in black or blue ink. The contrast between the bold letter code and the pen written price makes the label really easy to read (especially when totaling monies). All clothes should be marked with size and who they are for (junior’s, boys, ladies, men’s, etc) as much as possible. Label things as soon as you have decided they are going to the sale. It will make it a faster process for yourself and you will be less likely to take something back once you already have it “sale-ready”.

Tags don’t stick well to stuffed animals and some other toys. Be creative to find a way to keep the stickers on.

Pricing

Price items in 25 cent increments only. If you have an item not worth that much then combine it with others in a zipper bag and price it a quarter. If you already know you are unwilling to negotiate on price on a particular item, write FIRM by the price. That will save me time and a phone call to ask you when someone wants to offer less.

Hope you find this helpful and let me know if you come up with anything else I can add to future editions of these guidelines.

Our Annual Yard Sale is coming June 14th through the 16th!

Are you ready? Now’s the time start cleaning out your closets, digging through the attic and clearing out the garage. It’s your chance to get rid of the clutter, make some money and support SOM.

This sale is such an important event for SOM, because it benefits each and every member of the group. The Yard Sale is a fund raiser for us. Twenty percent of all sales go back to SOM to help cover costs for childcare, speakers and craft supplies throughout the year. This enables us to keep providing great fellowship and fun for you, and keeps our registration fee at just $10.

The sale is also a fund raiser for you! You keep 80 percent of proceeds from the sale of your items. The sale, well-known in the community and promoted by SOM with newspaper advertisements and flyers, gets a lot of visitors each year. Since everyone pitches in to share the work, it’s easier than having a sale on your own. Also it’s fun to come hang out with your friends for a few hours. All registered members of SOM are welcome to put items in the sale.

We ask that everyone with items in the sale work two 3 hour shifts sometime during June 14th-16th. A sign up sheet is available to choose your shifts. Sign up right away so you can get the time you want. Sellers also need to put their own items out for display on set up day, June 13th. This year we’re doing clean up on the following Monday, June 18th. Again sellers are expected to come take care of their unsold items and help tear down. We do ask that on sale days you don’t bring children with you since it’s difficult to watch them, especially when it gets busy.

If you’re not selling items in the sale, we still need your help. Sign up to work a sales shift, come help with clean up and tear down, bring tables to and from the church, provide a snack for the workers on a sale day or offer to baby sit for someone while they’re out at the sale. Remember all members benefit from the funds raised at the Yard Sale.

The Yard Sale really is a fun event. We want you to make some money, and we want to support SOM, so SOM can keep supporting you. Sign up to help today!

• International Festival of Lights/Battle Creek Through Dec. 31. Includes a nightly light show at Mill Race Park along with many other activities. This year’s theme is The Polar Express. Visit bcfestivals.com for more information.
• Holiday Walk at W.K. Kellogg Manor House Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26-Dec. 17 and Monday, Dec. 19 and Wednesday, Dec. 21 Noon to 5 p.m. Tour this 1925 house decorated in Christmas splendor, and shop unique gifts from featured artists and crafters. $7 adults, $5 seniors and students. Visit kbs.msu.edu for more information.
• Coopersville/Marne Railway Santa Train Saturday and Sundays through Dec. 18th. Visit website for departure times. Ride the train with Santa and his elves. Cost $14.50 for adults. $11.50 Kids 2-12. Under 2 free. Visit coopersvilleandmarne.org for more information.
• Kalamazoo Art Hop & More Friday, December 2, 2011 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. downtown. Visit kazooart.org for more information.
• Otsego Christmas Parade Dec. 2nd 7 p.m. Downtown
• Plainwell Tree Lighting Ceremony Dec.2nd at 6:45 p.m. Main and Bridge St.
• Plainwell Christmas Parade Dec. 3rd 1 p.m. Downtown
• Winter Wonderland/Seminole Canyon Farm – Allegan Saturday December 3, 2011, 1-3pm. $5/person $20/family,includes all activities. Get your Picture taken with the “Holiday Horses”, take a pony ride, enjoy Hot cocoa and candy canes, participate in games, crafts and go on a Christmas scavenger hunt. Visit seminolecanyonfarm.com for more info.
• Walk with Mary and Joseph/Merson Church Dec. 3rd and 4th 6-8:30 p.m. Outdoor Christmas walk. Experience Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. Visit mersonchurch.org for more information.
• Holidays at the Homestead/Kalamazoo Nature Center DeLano Homestead Dec. 4th and 11th 1-4 p.m. Experience an old fashioned Christmas. Explore the farm house, make Christmas cookies and candles. Enjoy music and take a horse drawn wagon ride. Watch spinners, weavers and blacksmiths at work. Free with admission to the nature center. Wagon rides $1. Visit naturecenter.org for more information.
• Of Christmas Past/Charlton Park Hastings Dec. 10th & 11th noon to 5. $5 adults, $4 children 3-12. See the historic buildings in the village, try your hand at traditional crafts, take a wagon ride and sample roasted chestnuts. Games for children and shopping are also available. Santa will be there too! Visit charltonpark.org for more info.

SOM visited Gull Meadow Farms recently. We picked apples and the kids had fun playing in Pumpkin Lane. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Our fall yard sale is this week!

Find us at 294 21st st., Otsego, MI.

Hours:

Thurs. Sept. 29th & Fri. Sept. 30th – 9-5

Sat. Oct. 1st – 9-12

Saturday everything left is half off!

We have lots of toys, baby items and kids clothes in every size. We especially have tons of boy’s clothes in the infant to 3T sizes. Also Halloween costumes and winter coats, boots, hats and gloves in kid’s sizes.

Here’s a few photos of what’s for sale:

We hope you had a great summer, and enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine with your family! Now we’re headed into fall, the kids are on their way back to school and here at SOM we’re gearing up for our 2011-2012 year.

Please join us for our open house on September 6th from 9 to 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church Otsego. The Open House is for new and returning members. We’ll get you signed up and registered while your little ones enjoy some play time. You can also share some refreshments and fellowship with other moms while you’re there. Registration costs just $10 for the whole year.

If you’re new to SOM come out and meet our steering team, and get the answers to any questions you might have.

SOM meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month September through May from 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Free child care is provided. All moms of all ages from all walks of life with children of all ages are welcome.

Yummy treats, laughter, encouragement, crafts and speakers on a variety of topics relevant to your life are just a few things you’ll enjoy at our SOM meetings. This year our theme is Real Moms. Real Life. Real God. Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman in Today’s World. We’ll learn how to apply Proverbs 31 to our modern lives, and bring God into our parenting, homemaking, marriages and work.

Your kids will have a great time at SOM as well playing with friends. We have caring, experienced childcare workers looking after your children while you are at SOM.

We hope to see you at the Open House. If you can’t make it to the open house join us for our first meeting Sept. 12th at 9 a.m.

First Baptist Church Otsego is located at 247 E. Allegan St. in Otsego, MI.

For more information about SOM email Stacey Davis:  mommie22girls@gmail.com or call the First Baptist Church Office at (269) 694-4160.