Boot fairs are a great way to sell unwanted items and make some extra money, but its surprisingly hard work with lots of physical and mental labour. Make those £££ less hard-earned by packing your car the right way.
We recommend packing your car the night before so you can get to the boot fair field early and bag a great pitch. You may want to start looking out boot fair items a few days or even weeks before to make sure you get maximum benefit from your boot fair. And check our advice on items that sell well at a boot fair.
How much boot fair stock can my car carry?
Heavy loads will have an impact on your car’s handling, including increasing stopping distances. Cars have a maximum authorised mass (MAM) on the VIN plate or in the handbook. This tells you how much weight your car is legally allowed to carry – including driver and passengers. Don’t forget to adjust the tyre pressure if you’re driving a very heavy load. Learn more about loading your car from the AA.
Packing heavy items into your car first will keep your vehicle balanced. It’s also easier to pack smaller items around larger items. You can pad fragile boot fair stock with blankets, or softer items like clothing.
Leave some space in your car. You’ll need to be able to get around your items when you’re setting up and selling.
Selling equipment for your boot fair
Organising your goods into labelled boxes will make set-up and take-down easier. Another top tip is to take a tarpaulin. Some people lay out their goods for sale on a tarpaulin and do very well – but most boot fair experts recommend raising your goods up on a table. A picnic table or wallpaper table is ideal for this. You can also use a tarp to cover your goods in bad weather.
Do you need help with your boot fair?
Sharing a stall with a friend will increase the amount of stock you have to sell, which can make your offering more appealing to punters. A friend can also help with heavy or awkward items.
After the boot fair
It’s likely that you’ll have some unsold items after your boot fair. Rather than taking them home to continue cluttering your living space, keep them in your storage unit ready for the next boot fair. Keeping unsold boot fair goods in your storage unit will keep them in saleable condition. A lock-up at a well-run storage company will keep your domestic goods at a constant temperature and humidity, unlike an uninsulated garage, shed or attic. Storage companies require you to protect the value of your stored good with self-storage insurance, like the policy offered by Store and Insure. If you’ve added to the contents of your storage unit after a boot fair, increasing the value of your stored goods, why not get a quick quote from Store and Insure to make sure you’re still getting best value.
If you’re new to self-storage, you might wonder if storage companies check credit. The answer is yes, some storage companies do check your credit when you sign up with them. This is because they want to make sure that you are able to pay the rent on time. If you have bad credit, you may still be able to rent a storage unit, but you may have to pay a higher deposit.
