Embrace Secondhand (And Score a Gem) at the Garage Sale Trail!

Words by Peppermint

30 October 2024

Fashion

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!