In an effort to get out of the house and socialise, I’ve taken to exploring this big city of mine, as usual, on the prowl for a bargain or two. This week we’ll talk about the Brisbane Suitcase Rummage, which runs on the first and third Sunday of the month, held in the heart of the city at Reddacliffe Place.

Here you’ll find an assortment of various goodies, from fabulous second-hand clothing to exquisite hand-made jewelry–and of course, sellers flogging off cheap Chinese wares (and always for more than what they’re worth). Generally, you’ll always find something to suit everyone’s taste and budget.

Handmade items are quite popular around these parts and they’re not as expensive as you’d expect! Etsy usually gives people the idea that you have to pay a mint for lovingly hand-crafted items, but at Brisbane’s Suitcase Rummage, you’ll find various different items such as hand-knitted baby booties for $10 a piece, and painstakingly hand-stitched leather wallets from $20 a pop.

The hand-made items are one part of these markets, but in my opinion, the more “fun” side is having a poke at other people’s stuff.. legally. Sellers are usually pretty creative when it comes to displaying all their wares at once, but you can’t be afraid to pop and anti-histamine and get elbows-deep inside those suitcases.

Tip: If you have dust allergies, I highly recommend the allergy pills–Me and Daniel had to leave early on the day because we had both been struck with terrible hayfever from the minute we entered the square! These are the pitfalls you have to face when shopping for second-hand clothing–it ain’t easy, but it’s worth it.

The best thing about the Suitcase Rummage is that it’s not only a market for buyers. For as little as $25 (registration fee), you can haul your very own suitcase full of unwanted goods and make a spot of profit, too. I couldn’t think of a better way to organize your closet, earn a little bit of pocket change, and avoid the hassle (and additional postage expenses!) of seller sites such as eBay or Gumtree.

People who don’t live in Brisbane need not feel isolated either–The Suitcase Rummage has several locations along on the East coast of Australia, so whether you live in Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne, you’ll find plenty of opportunities here to hunt for vintage clothing or flog your wares to the general public.

Copyright Suitcase Rummage Blogspot

6 Comments

    • Demi

      There was heeaaaaps of stuff! Of course nothing is quality controlled so there’s a lot of pilled-up and stained garments to sort through but it’s otherwise really fascinating getting a peek into people’s pasts :)

  1. I just adored the suitcase rummage markets when I was in Brisbane. Did they have food out as well? There were some great bargains when I used to go! Hope you got some good stuff :)

    • Demi

      I didn’t notice any food while I was there! We were in such a hurry to leave because of our hayfever and lack of preparation that we didn’t hang around long enough to buy anything.. wah! Will be utterly prepared next time for sure.

  2. Looks great, my sister was going to go one time and put some of her material in it (she has a lot of fabric) but it rained out so we didn’t go. Looks like it’ll be worth a trip out to see it though :)

    • Demi

      Oh lovely! I’m always on the lookout for some nice fabric, I hope your sister makes it there soon!

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