However, in the Teviot Valley the annual Garage Sale Trail brings people from all over the South Island to drive all around the valley searching out treasure.
Organiser Shirl Marsden is a force of nature, rather like the Garage Sale Trail itself. A former Alexandra Blossom Festival Senior Queen, Mrs Marsden ran the first Garage Sale Trail 11 years ago, with just seven stops. This year there were already 50 registered garages.
"I thought it would be nice for people to see the beauty of the Valley, it’s got so much to offer."
The format, which continues on today, is to have a map drawn up with the garage sales addresses and list of items for sale.
The maps were drawn up by Teviot Bulletin editor Diana Hall, who organises them so those following the trail can follow a loop from the centre of Roxburgh, up to Lake Roxburgh Village and down either side of the river. Visitors paid for the map, Mrs Marsden said.
With map in hand people could go in either direction and head to what piqued their interest.
Those having a garage sale paid $25 to be on the map and kept the proceeds from their sales.
The first year Mrs Marsden donated the proceeds from the maps to the family of a Roxburgh child who was having medical treatment.
That continued until about five years ago, when it was decided to set up a fund — the Teviot Valley Kids Count fund — created from the trail profit, she said.
For several years there were no calls on the fund but in the past year more than $16,000 had been given to families who were facing unexpected costs due to their children’s medical needs.
Some were short term and other families would need help for some time, she said.
One family, who had been helped in the past, recently donated to the fund the amount they had been given.
The money could be used for food, petrol or travel costs, Mrs Marsden said.
As well as the money gleaned from garage entry fees and map sales to would-be buyers, the fund was fortunate to have generous donors who helped with advertising costs to make sure as much as possible went into the fund.
People’s kindness could be overwhelming, she said.
A knock at her door one evening revealed NiVan workers who had taken up a collection to give to the children.
An Easter raffle earlier in the year brought in about $4000 thanks to "amazing, generous" prize donations.
The Garage Sale Trail brought about 500 people to the Valley for the weekend, she said.
"I was getting phone calls before we advertised it, from people wanting to know when it would be, so they could book accommodation for the weekend."
There was no way of knowing what would be on sale and what people would be looking for.
One year a man came down from Timaru, stayed the night before the sale, then hit the Garage Sale Trail the next morning. Later in the day he called on Mrs Marsden to show her, with great excitement, his purchase.
"It was a spring. A little spring about three or four inches long. He was happy," she said shaking her head.
This year, as well as the traditional garage sales there would be people selling goods in the carpark of the Millers Flat Hall and the tennis court at Roxburgh Area School.
• This year’s trail event will be held on November 16. Maps go on sale at 7.30am at the Millers Flat Tavern, Benger Cafe at Ettrick and at FreshChoice supermarket in Roxburgh. Mrs Marsden said those planning to attend would have time to plan their route over a cafe breakfast as the garage sales did not open until 8.30am.
