Over the past few decades, our houses have gotten bigger, the average family size has gotten smaller and yet we own more stuff than we know what to do with. With over 22 million rentable square feet of storage in Australia and New Zealand, it is estimated that Australians are hoarding more than 120 million unwanted items, worth over $5 billion. So when the whole country goes on sale, finding a fantastic bargain is no less than guaranteed.
With small beginnings in world-famous Bondi Beach, the first Garage Sale Trail with 126 simultaneous garage sales across the suburb was held on 10th May last year. Aiming to scale the idea nationally in 2011, the Garage Sale Trail team partnered with 24 local councils across Australia, as well as corporate partners including Vodafone, Stockland and LJ Hooker. A staggering 1,608 registered garage sales were held simultaneously around the country on Sunday, 10th April. Surpassing the team’s original goal of 1000 registered sales, the Garage Sale Trail is set to become an annual tradition in Australia’s cultural calendar. “We’ve been inundated with stories of neighbours meeting for the first time, purchases made, friendships forged and communities coming together for day which was super social and high on fun!” says Garage Sale Trail founder, Darryl Nichols.
Garage sales are a traditional redistribution market, helping us to recognize the ‘idling capacity’ in the things we have around us that we don’t use anymore, and redistributing them to someone or somewhere it is wanted/needed. With almost anything imaginable available, last Sunday’s most popular sales included pop-up art galleries, home-made bake sales, vintage clothing, tropical plants, cars, farm irrigation equipment, someone’s flatmate and even a house!
More than just allowing people to clean out their basements and storerooms, the Garage Sale Trail is a fantastic example of community creativity, with the most original and unusual sales drawing attention. ‘The Mobile Market’ in Bondi, for example, took place in a shopping trolley wheeled around the beachside, featured ‘personalized songs for sale’ for $8. Each song was composed on-the-spot and sung live with acoustic guitar accompaniment. At the other extreme was ‘Big Doug’s Big Sale Part 2‘, which followed on from Big Doug’s success at the 2010 Garage Sale Trail where he sold hundreds of plants. This year he went even further to put his three-bedroom beachside home of more than 30 years up for sale, so he could buy a blueberry farm and move to the country.
With every box of books swapped saving the equivalent of 150 spa baths’ of water, and every suitcase of clothing exchanged saving enough energy to power a TV for 1.7 years non-stop, the environmental benefits of an event the scale of this year’s Garage Sale are almost immeasurable. These goods have been given a second chance at life, extending their lifecycle and keeping them out of landfill. But finding something you are looking for at one garage sale is like searching for a needle in a haystack, let alone hundreds of sales in your area. The Garage Sale Trail has solved this problem through the clever use of technology to help people market their hot items and give punters a better idea of which sales to head to on the day.
The Vodafone Compass app, featuring the Garage Sale Trail, helped to tap into online communities to engage and mobilize them for offline action on a scale never possible before. Planning the day was made easy through GPS tracking and location maps to help buyers pinpoint and mark out a route to favourite Garage Sales in their area, offering a level of convenience similar to a normal suburban shopping centre. “Participants and visitors on the day had all the information, map details, items for sale and nearby points of interest at their fingertips,” explained, Allison Murray, Head of Sustainability at Vodafone. “By downloading the Vodafone Compass App it allowed them to move around the suburbs and garage sales with ease and saving time. It’s a great example of how an amazing offline initiative can be supported with a useful and interactive online technology.”
With thousands of people hitting the streets, the Garage Sale Trail is a simple idea married with smart technology that delivers multiple benefits. It empowers people of all ages and backgrounds to get creative, market their pre-loved goods, divert things from landfill, make some extra money and perhaps, most importantly, connect with people in their community face-to-face.
Next year we expect the 1,608 sales to be smashed as the Garage Sale Trail spreads not just across Australia but around the world.
I loved the article.
Hoping that this concept will spread over boundaries. So looking forward to participate to a huge garage sale in France.
Victorine From la tribu deways (collaborative consumption : car sharing)
Very cool concept & slick execution. Would work a treat here in San Francisco!
Having lived in Australia and now Finland, I can say that this is such a classic Australian tradition, but one that deserves to spread! Garage sales are so much fun- you get to meet people in your neighbourhood, look through other people’s treasures, keep things in circulation rather than ending up as waste…scoring bargains is only a part of it. Great idea to go national. Come to Europe!
I went to some of the sales in Sydney, and there was such a lovely community vibe to the day. I got to meet some of my neighbours, and bought some cute vintage clothing. All in all, a great day!
Great to hear about your experiences Gab, we certainly enjoyed the sales in our local community too. Lucky you scoring some vintage finds!
Sarita, Mike and Victorine, we are sure the Garage Sale Trail is going to get bigger and better, hopefully coming to a garage near you!
The Garage Sale Trail sounds fantastic! A really great way to recycle, and clear out old things you never use anymore. When I clean out my wardrobe I always feel much better when I know someone else will enjoy my things. I love the idea of the Vodafone app so you know where to go for what you want – brilliant! What a great article to inform people about the Garage Sale Trail! I lived in Australia a year ago and never knew of it then, wish I had!
I live in England now and I’m with Sarita, bring it to Europe!!
Amazing how connected our world is nowdays huh. I’d seen lots of activity amongst my Aussie mates on Facebook and also read about this on Springwise.
A really sweet concept which has so many positive outcomes that would no-doubt be well received here in Williamsburg, NYC.
Bring it !
In the spirit of collaborative consumption, does anyone have a copy of “What’s mine is Yours” that I could borrow to read and then return or pass on?
Thanks
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I enjoy shopping in a garage sale because I find items that are really unique in a more cheaper price.At the same time experience to budget your money out of the things you see in the place.
I enjoy shopping in a garage sale because I find items that are really unique in a more cheaper price.At the same time experience to budget your money out of the things you see in the place.
The Garage Sale Trail is a good example of a great idea that has been well marketed. But its success says something about the whole garage sale phenomenon as well. It does seem to be growing in Australia. There’s certainly a much greater awareness of the need to try and recycle stuff if possible.
Also, cost of living pressures have something do with it. People see that they can save a bit of money by selling things they no longer need, but are still functional.
Garage Sale is a great idea but if any means that someone needs a storage for their stuff’s please visit us Global Self Storage