Late winter can be the perfect time to comb your closets and cupboards in preparation for a spring yard sale, according to John D. Schroeder, author of "Garage Sale Fever!" So now is when folks should start eyeing a house full of junk as a potential money maker.

Schroeder suggests sorting possessions gradually over several months, gathering unwanted items in one location.

"You can take a couple of weeks to price it, or price stuff as you find it," he says. "It doesn't have to be work if you string it out over a long time."

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