Treat a yard sale like any other business venture. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your yard sale:

Check if there are any restrictions your neighborhood or local government may have on yard sales.

Display your best and most interesting items for sale at the end of the driveway to lure people in.

If someone hands you a large bill and you need to give them change, leave the bill out until after you have given them their change. Otherwise, a dishonest person could say afterward, “I gave you a $20, not a $10,” and it would be your word against theirs.

As things get sold, fill in the empty spots on your tables to keep things looking attractive.

Advertise it in the local newspaper. Or you can be sneaky: Wait until someone else in the neighborhood placed an ad in the paper, then hold your own yard sale the same day.

Put prices on everything. And put the prices on the top of an item, not the bottom.

When pricing items, start with the guideline of 1/3 of what it cost new. But it’s just a guideline. That book that cost you $15 probably won’t sell for more than $3.

Put out a “FREE” box. No one is going to buy that stained T-shirt or chipped ashtray.

Make sure the items you’re selling are in the best possible shape; i.e., put air in that basketball and turn the TV on if you’re selling it.

Put on background music. Stores do it for a reason. It works to keep browsers there longer and more likely to buy.