Staying safe on the garage sale trail

Garage Sale Trail is back on November 21 and 22. It is happening online and neighbourhoods across Australia this year.

The trail is all about fun.

Here are some of our best tips from the organisers of the sale trail to make sure your sale is big on fun and low on any fun-ruining risks.

KEEP IT CLEAN Clean and disinfect your items before sale day and have a bottle of sanitizer ready for you and your shoppers to use. If you’re concerned about handling money, consider taking cashless payments using Beem It or Square.

DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME Make like Sting and keep your distance on sale day. Keep a table between you and your shoppers and ensure there is space for shoppers to stay at least 1.5 metres from each other. Use the distance markers and signage provided when you register to remind people to stay physically distant.

WEAR A MASK There are heaps of benefits to wearing a mask beyond the obvious one of saving lives. For one, you can skip wearing makeup or having a shave on Garage Sale Trail day! There are heaps of super stylish eco-friendly versions out there too.  

IF YOU’RE FEELING UNWELL, TAKE IT ONLINE If you’re feeling even a little bit sick, have a sniffle or have recently been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, take your garage sale online. Check out our guide for hosting a virtual garage sale.

DON’T BE TRIPPIN Make sure you keep everything on your own property, off the footpath and keep driveways clear. If you're using the nature strip, be sure to set up items so they are facing the footpath – this means shoppers won’t have to venture on the road to explore your treasures. They’ll be safe and stay longer. And remember, there are some places garage sales just don’t belong…

WEAR PROTECTION Slap on the sunscreen and get your hat and sunnies at the ready. If it's super sunny, consider putting up a shade cloth so you have somewhere cool to hang out.

STAY HYDRATED Have a bottle of water on hand and keep it topped up. If it's a scorcher, you might want to offer shoppers a thirst quenching drink too. Since when could anyone resist a homemade lemonade stand?

GET YOURSELF A BUM BAG Keep all that lovely moola safe in a bum bag or purse that you can keep on you. Make sure any treasured possessions you’re not selling are safely under lock and key inside your property.

ONLY SET UP ON THE MORNING OF THE SALE Keep your pre-loved goodies inside your property until the morning of your sale and bring them in overnight if you're planning a two day Garage Sale Trail event.

LET YOUR NEIGHBOURS KNOW YOU’RE GETTING INVOLVED Use the letterbox slips we’ve provided or do an old-fashioned door knock.

AND IF THE SUNSHINE GODS AREN’T IN YOUR FAVOUR… Have a plan in place for what’ll you do in the event of bad weather. Consider changing the day of your sale (from Saturday to Sunday or vice versa), moving inside the garage or if it’s extreme weather, postponing to another time.