Liverpool neighbours are coming together for a big yard sale trail

Neighbours in a south Liverpool community are coming together to create their own doorstep version of a car boot sale.

St Michael’s Yard Sale Trail on Sunday April 7 will see more than 40 households setting out stalls to sell their unwanted pre-loved items, from old golf clubs to trainers, kids’ clothes and toys.

The first yard sale trail was organised two years ago by Denise Pendleton Snape who was planning to have her own clear-out and asked if anyone else wanted to join in.

She explains: “We have a community What’s App group for the area, like a swap shop where people put on things they don’t want or ask for things, maybe a set of curtains or a World Book Day outfit. I just said, shall we do a car booty? Would anyone else be interested in doing a yard sale trail and so many people wanted to get involved, we had about 50 or 60 houses taking part. 

“People put pasting tables out, they lay things on the little walls in front of their houses and on the front steps, set clothes out on the window ledges and on rails, and put up gazebos. We had a lemonade stall and someone else did a cake stall. 

“Lots of people are really into reselling and buying preloved and secondhand. It could be something that looked good in your house and now doesn’t suit your décor but it would fit for someone else’s, or things your kids have grown out of. It’s just a great way of finding a new home for anything there’s nothing wrong with, you just don’t want or need anymore.

“Towards the end of the day the kids were all just swapping toys and teddies. They loved getting involved, getting rid of their stuff and making a bit of money, even if it’s only a couple of pounds. It’s a great habit to teach kids too, that they can make some money by selling stuff they don’t want to buy something else, instead of just dumping it when they get fed up. 

“It was honestly an amazing day, the average taking was between £70 and £300 and there were hundreds of people walking around, the sun was shining, kids were running around, and neighbours were just stopping and having a chat.

“For weeks afterwards everyone was a bit more jolly in the street. They’d be stopping to say hi because people got to know each other so it really helped to bring the community together.”

Two years on from the original, Denise has organised a second St Michael’s Yard Sale Trail, which will be onSunday April 7 from 12noon to around 4pm.

“You don’t have to get up at 5am to go to a car booty, and you can just pack up when it quietens off or you get bored because you’re already at home,” adds Denise.

There’s no charge for neighbours to join in the trail, they can just contact Denise and have their house given a star on a map to let everyone know where to go.

So far there are around 40, with roads including Colebrook, Lambton, Windbourne, and Belgrave, as well as Rosslyn, Blythswood and Alwyn Streets, but neighbours are still signing up so that’s likely to grow by the Sunday. 

To take part, or to find out exact locations, head to the Facebook page HERE.

Get the latest for Liverpool City Region HERE.