How to Display Yard Sale Items (Without a Lot of Tables)
We recently held a yard sale and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought ‘how am I going to display all these yard sale items without a lot of tables?’
Do people just own like ten of those folding plastic tables? I definitely don’t, so we had to get creative creative to put all our stuff out without it looking like a hoarding mess.
I think we came up with some pretty good solutions, so let’s dive into what we used and some other ideas for your yard sale:
Display Yard Sale Items
Borrow Some Tables (Duh)
Obviously having tables is the number one ideal way to display yard sale items, so if you’ve got friends or neighbors you could borrow some from, try them first! We were able to borrow two small folding tables and a couple of chairs from our neighbors and it was a big help.
We also used our dining table from our back patio which is a pretty massive farmhouse-style table, and we even used the bench from it, too as an extra level.
Storage Bins & Tubs
This was the best solution for us because we have probably a dozen of those black storage tubs from the hardware store we had been using in our garage. We flipped them upside down and put some scrap plywood over it to make a shorter table. It fits a surprising amount of stuff on display!
Ladders & Wood
I made a shelving system out of two ladders and some pieces of scrap wood and it was one of my proudest yard sale moments honestly. Just set two ladders with the steps facing each other, and slide pieces of wood between them to make shelves. If you use solid wood and your ground is fairly level it’ll be pretty sturdy, but I still wouldn’t put glass or anything breakable on there just in case.
At the top, I added a 1×2 and hung our kids’ clothes along it as a clothing rack, though ideally something round like a curtain rod or dowel rod would’ve been better.
Old Doors
Okay, this might be a little niche because do other people have old doors they’ve since replaced lying around? We just had our back patio door replaced and kept the old door deliberately so we could use it like a table for the yard sale. We set it on top of some of the overturned storage bins and it gave us a lot of surface area.
Tarps
Don’t underestimate the power of a good tarp! We have a lot of tarps leftover from other projects and used them on the ground to set out some items once we ran out of tables. We laid out seasonal decor on them, and some sporting equipment like gloves and bats and balls etc.
Use What You Have
This one obviously depends on your yard and what you’re working with, but get creative with what you have to find places to display your yard sale items when you don’t have a lot of tables. For example, I stacked books along our porch steps, and we hung a few hangers with adult clothes along our porch railing.
Other Ideas
Baskets & Crates
If you’ve got baskets or old wooden crates, these are a great way to display smaller items like toys, books, or kitchen gadgets. Stack a few crates on their sides to create little “cubbies” for sorting similar items together. It helps things look more organized, and bonus—it’s easier for people to browse without digging through piles.
Cardboard Boxes (Upside Down)
A simple, free solution! If you have leftover cardboard boxes, flip them upside down and use them as mini display pedestals. For smaller or lightweight items, this works perfectly and keeps things off the ground. Plus, if they get damaged or dirty, it’s no big deal.
Rolling Racks or Curtain Rods
If you have a portable rolling rack, it’s a no-brainer for clothes and linens. But, you can also use a tension rod, curtain rod or even rope between two sturdy points (maybe bigger trees or stair railings, etc.), to hang clothes on. This keeps the clothes easier to see and saves the precious table space!
Planters or Plant Stands
This would be likely for smaller items, but upside down planters or plant stands could can make a cute display for little things like decorative items, candles, etc.
Wheelbarrow or Wagon
Selling garden supplies, toys, or larger tools? Toss them into a wheelbarrow or wagon for a charming display that doubles as easy transport. It also creates that casual “browse and rummage” vibe and with those kinds of items, people expect to have a bit of a dig.
Stack of Books or Suitcases
For a vintage touch, a stack of old books or vintage suitcases can act as display pedestals for smaller decor items. You could use a couple of old suitcases to create height variation and make it look intentional.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, it’s a yard sale and people aren’t expecting a professional level boutique atmosphere so using whatever you can totally works! Though I will say, for our recent yard sale I think the sections displayed on tables and tubs and that generally looked better sold more stuff than the ones just laid out on tarps (like our seasonal decor).
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