Yard Sale Pricing Calculator
Enter what an item costs new and what shape it is in. The calculator suggests a tag price, shows the lowest offer worth taking and builds a price list you can print.
Yard sale price chart
The chart shows the tag price for common price points. Find the row closest to what the item costs new, then pick the column for its condition.
| Price new | Unused (50%) | Great (30%) | Good (20%) | Fair (10%) | Worn (5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $2.50 | $1.50 | $1 | $0.50 | $0.25 |
| $10 | $5 | $3 | $2 | $1 | $0.50 |
| $20 | $10 | $6 | $4 | $2 | $1 |
| $50 | $25 | $15 | $10 | $5 | $2.50 |
| $100 | $50 | $30 | $20 | $10 | $5 |
| $200 | $100 | $60 | $40 | $20 | $10 |
| $500 | $250 | $150 | $100 | $50 | $25 |
- Unused: never used, in the box or with tags
- Great: looks almost new, nothing missing
- Good: clearly used, works as it should
- Fair: visible wear, small flaws
- Worn: heavy wear, stains or missing parts
Typical prices for common items
For cheap everyday things a percentage is the wrong tool. A $25 hardcover does not sell for $5 on a folding table. Buyers know what such items cost at every other sale, so they sell for flat prices.
| Item | Usual yard sale price |
|---|---|
| Adult clothing | $3–$5 a piece, more than $5 with the tags still on |
| Coats and jackets | $5–$15 |
| Baby clothes | $1–$3 gently used, $0.25–$0.50 worn |
| Shoes | $3–$10 a pair, baby shoes $1–$2 |
| Hardcover books | $1–$2 |
| Paperback books | $0.25–$0.50 |
| CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays | $1–$5 |
| Toys and games | $1–$3, electronic or high-end games $5 and up |
| Costume jewelry | $0.50–$2 a piece |
| Dishes and glasses | $1–$3 each, sets of eight $5–$30 |
| Small home decor | $2–$7 |
| Small kitchen appliances | No more than one-third of the price new |
| Furniture, flat-pack or worn | $5–$30 |
| Furniture, solid and in good shape | About one-third of the price new, up to one-half for high quality |
How the price is calculated
tag price = price new × share for the condition, rounded to a cash-friendly amount
The shares are 50% for unused items, 30% for great, 20% for good, 10% for fair and 5% for worn condition. The 10%, 30% and 50% steps come from the guides listed under Sources. The 20% and 5% steps are our own, placed between and below them.
Rounding goes to quarters below $1, half dollars below $5, whole dollars below $20, $5 steps below $100 and $10 steps above that. Round prices mean less change to count.
Example: a bookcase that costs $120 new, in good condition: $120 × 20% = $24, rounded to $25 on the tag. With 25% room for haggling, the lowest offer worth taking is $19.
When the percentage does not fit
- Cheap everyday items: use the flat prices above. The calculator tells you when its result is outside the usual range for the kind of item.
- Valuable or collectible things: a yard sale is the wrong place for a designer coat or a vintage record. Look up what the same item actually sold for online, not what sellers are asking, and list it there.
- Things nobody pays for: stained clothing, old textbooks, tube TVs. Put them in a free box.
- Recalled products: selling them is illegal in the United States, also at a yard sale. Check baby gear, heaters and power tools at cpsc.gov/recalls.
Yard Sale Pricing Calculator: Questions and Answers
- How much should I charge for items at a yard sale?A common starting point is a share of what the item costs new: about 10% for an item in fair condition, 30% for one in great condition and up to 50% for something unused. Everyday items such as books, clothes and toys sell for flat prices of a few dollars or less, whatever they cost new.
- What is the 10% rule for garage sales?It says to price a used item at about one-tenth of its price new. It fits items in fair condition. Things in great condition can go for about 30%, and personal finance guides put the ceiling for used goods at one-quarter to one-third of the price new.
- How do I price furniture for a yard sale?Well-kept solid furniture sells for about one-third of its price new, and high-quality pieces can reach one-half. Flat-pack or worn pieces usually go for $5 to $30. Measure the piece and write the size on the tag, because buyers need to know whether it fits their car and their room.
- How much do clothes and books sell for?Adult clothing usually sells for $3 to $5 a piece, coats and jackets for $5 to $15, baby clothes for $1 to $3. Hardcover books bring $1 to $2 and paperbacks 25 to 50 cents.
- Should I leave room for haggling?Yes. Buyers at yard sales expect to bargain. Decide your lowest price before the sale starts. The calculator shows it next to the tag price, based on the discount you set.
- Is there anything I should not sell?In the United States it is illegal to sell a recalled product, and that includes yard sales. Check cribs, car seats, strollers and other baby gear, heaters and power tools at cpsc.gov/recalls before you put them out. Most cribs made before June 2011 may not be sold at all.
Sources
- Amy Livingston: 7 Tips for Garage Sale Pricing (Money Crashers, updated 5 January 2026) – the ceiling of one-quarter to one-third of the price new, and most of the flat prices
- George Kamel: Garage Sale Tips (Ramsey Solutions, updated 16 April 2024) – the 10%, 30% and 50% steps by condition, and flat prices
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Resellers Guide to Selling Safer Products (Publication 254, February 2025) – what may not be sold second-hand, yard sales included
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