How to sell at a car boot sale

Selling at a car boot is the quickest way to turn a loft full of clutter into cash, but a little planning makes a big difference to what you take home.

Before the day

• Check the organiser's page the night before – field sales cancel in wet weather, and some (especially indoor and tabletop sales) must be booked.
• Sort stock into boxes by type and price everything you can; buyers move on if they have to ask every time.
• Wash clothes, test electricals and keep cables with the item.
• Pack a float of coins and £5 notes, bags, newspaper for breakables, a table, a ground sheet and something to cover stock if it rains.

On the day

• Arrive at the sellers' opening time. Early-bird buyers will crowd your boot while you unpack – it is fine to say “give me ten minutes”.
• Put eye-catching items at the front and the table edge; keep valuables close to you.
• Expect haggling. Decide your lowest price in advance and drop prices in the last hour rather than taking things home.
• Work in pairs so someone can always watch the stall.

Rules worth knowing

Most sales ban food, alcohol, tobacco, knives, counterfeit goods and live animals, and many ask for proof of ownership for power tools. Unsold goods and rubbish must go home with you – fly-tipping gets sellers banned.

Ready? Compare pitch prices or find a sale near you.