Hundreds of garage sales will be held this weekend, as the Illawarra’s bargain hunters and declutterers turn out for the national Garage Sale Trail.
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For the first time, the trail is being held across the entire weekend, and sellers across the region include businesses, households, schools and community groups.
In Fairy Meadow for instance, kinder teacher Michael Blake has listed kitchen appliances, books and a dolls house, saying he is “moving to UK for employment and can't take all this with me!”
Figtree seller Mary Gorham is also serious about clearing clutter – she’s selling off a plate set willed by her grandmother.
“Sorry Gran, but must go,” she writes.
In Blackbutt, sale organiser Laurie Chisholm has taken a quirky approach to attract bargain hunters, naming his household sale of sports gear, toys, exercise equipment and books “the force be with you” and using Yoda’s wisdom to urge prospective buyers to “visit this sale, you must”.
At the “clothes avalanche” sale in Thirroul, organiser Melody Willis is getting into the spirit of the day by offering a mini-choc brownie with every sale to keep shoppers fuelled.
Another Thirroul seller Christine Hill, who is selling “things I used to love, and other stuff”, has summarised the true intent of the national event.
“We accumulate possessions because we love them, or because they may come in useful,” she wrote. “Eventually we need to de-clutter.”
Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery has agreed, urging neighbours to socialise and embrace sustainability.
“The social nature of the day coupled with the remarkable items that are unleashed from the sheds, and garages across our city make Garage Sale Trail a pretty amazing collision of good times and good buys – all while promoting reuse,” he said.
Shoppers can map out sales over the weekend by creating a Treasure Trail at www.garagesaletrail.com.au