Nationwide initiative tackles cost-of-living crunch and landfill waste

A nationwide initiative helping people fight the cost-of-living crunch and reduce landfill waste has proven popular in Esperance.

The Garage Sale Trail is in its 16th year, giving Australians a platform to turn their clutter into cash over two weekends, starting this Saturday.

The trail encourages people to host and register their own garage sales, which general manager Barbara Gill said stood out from regular home sales as it brought the community together and provided support for those who registered.

“You can have a garage sale any time of year, but I think what’s special about Garage Sale Trail is the fact you’re doing it with hundreds of thousands of Australians at the same time,” she said.

“We also provide lots of support, so everyone who’s having a sale gets a listing on our national map that loads and loads of bargain hunters are looking at over the weekends.

“We also provide things like free promotional materials, we do masterclasses, provide tips, that sort of thing.”

With support from the Shire of Esperance, 18 sales have been registered in the town, from scrapbooking and craft-themed sales to the sale of more than 700 hats as part of an estate sale.

More than 13,000 garage sales are taking place across Australia featuring more than 4 million pre-loved items.

“We get all of the kind of everyday essentials you’d expect: books, homewares, fashion, etc,” Ms Gill said.

“In terms of the weird and the wonderful, this year we’ve got anything from a wardrobe mistress for stage and screen selling glittery costumes and show costumes (to) a lady selling a 40-foot shipping container.

“Literally anything you can think of, it’s pretty much up for sale.”

Ms Gill said the average Garage Sale Trail seller would make about $500, and the average homeowner would have $1300 worth of household clutter they never used.

She also said bargain hunters also reaped rewards, as the average item sold for $5.

The trail also encourages sustainability, which Ms Gill said was crucial.

“There’s some really scary stats out there,” she said.

“Australians are amongst the biggest consumers of stuff in the world and, in fact, we’re using the planet’s resources four times faster than the Earth can regenerate them.

“There’s an increasing need to preserve what we’ve already made and extend the life of the stuff that already exists.”

To register for the Garage Sale Trail or check out the existing sales, visit garagesaletrail.com.au.