Embrace Secondhand (And Score a Gem) at the Garage Sale Trail!
- Words by Peppermint
The Garage Sale Trail is just around the corner, and we’re pretty excited to hit the streets! For the weekends of November 9-10 and 16-17, folks around the country will be pulling out their poster paints, setting up trestle tables and sorting through boxes of unused ‘stuff’. And if history is any indication of success, you’re likely to find some absolute steals on the trail.
For those unacquainted with “Australia’s biggest secondhand treasure hunt”, it all began back in Bondi in 2010 when two mates decided to host a community event. As a last-minute decision, they decided it should include some secondhand sales, and more than 130 households took part – officially launching the Garage Sale Trail!
These days, the trail takes place nationwide, with more than 80 local councils supporting the campaign. As the rising cost of living continues to cause financial stress for everyone, uptake has grown amongst both hosts and buyers, and in 2023, more than 400,000 Aussies participated with an average profit of $457! Not a bad sum for those looking to clear out their garage and make some Christmas cash.
To help you get into the secondhand shopping (and selling) spirit, we chatted with Barbara (Babs) Gill – the trail’s General Manager and Director. Babs shares her tips for hosting a good garage sale and some of the weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful things she’s found on the trail.
Tell us about yourself, Babs! How did you become a garage sale expert?!
It is all down to my mum! In the 1980s and ‘90s, Mum ran an op shop just outside London. I grew up rummaging through vintage frocks and homewares on the sorting room floor. Secondhand has been an obsession and my biggest hobby since then.
The Garage Sale Trail has come a long way since 2010. Can you tell us about your vision for the event?
When it comes to the Garage Sale Trail, I’m most passionate about introducing new people to the joy of buying and selling secondhand. Last year, almost a third of the people who shopped with us were new to buying fashion and homewares secondhand. We want everyone, everywhere, to embrace pre-loved as a way to make or save money, reduce waste, and extend the life of the stuff they buy.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever found at a garage sale?
It’s hard to pick just one, but it must be my vintage Jenny Kee jumper. It had never been worn, is adorned with the cutest Australian bush creatures and was only $20! The lady hosting the sale was once the editor of a global travel magazine – her pieces were mind-blowingly good.
In your opinion, what makes a great garage sale?
It all starts with great signage. The fun starts with an audible gasp of excitement when you see a chalked arrow or poster on a lamppost and follow the signs, not knowing who or what you’ll find.
What if I don’t have a garage/front yard, can I still be part of the trail?
Absolutely. We see apartment blocks host sales on the trail and work with community partners to host pop-up markets and car boot sales nationwide – you just join as a stallholder. One year, a chap even turned into a travelling salesman and sold from a wheelbarrow!
What is your top tip for someone hosting their first garage sale?
Sign up for the Garage Sale Trail! On the day of the sale, put up lots of signage directing people to your sale, provide cash-free ways to pay, and price to clear.
Tell us about some of the weird and wonderful things people have found on the Garage Sale Trail…
There are so many! We’ve seen tutus worn by real ballerinas on sale, a first-edition Barbie, and even two grandpas offering themselves up for tea and coffee… Last year, a circus was listed on the trail and sold all the old costumes and props. But the weirdest of the weird has to go to the BBQ toilet combo – sadly, there were no takers!
THIS ARTICLE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT GARAGE SALE TRAIL HELD OVER THE WEEKENDS OF 9-10 & 16-17 2024 NATIONWIDE.
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This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
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We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
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“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
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TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
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Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
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8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
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🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
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As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
