Nonprofits hosts 48th estate sale, attracting thousands of bargain hunters and vintage lovers

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A nonprofit that serves individuals who have experienced severe emotional trauma is hosting its 48th annual garage and estate sale from Nov. 1 through Sunday, Nov. 5.

The Settlement Home for Children began in 1916 and has been serving women and children who need support ever since. The garage and estate sale helps the non-profit to be able to continue to do their work. 

“[We work with] the most traumatized young women and children across Texas,” said Janet Watson, a chair of the nonprofit. “We provide 24-hour therapy, [our clients] live on site, and we have foster care that supports boys and girls.” 

The non-profit collects for the sale essentially all year – beginning in February and finishing in October. She said some donors pass on their entire estate to the organization. 

“It's quite an amazing effort,” she said. 

Watson said the annual garage and estate sale attracts thousands of people every year. Because it’s gone on for so long, she said heading to the event become a tradition for many families. 

“It tends to be a generational thing, where grandmothers did it, and then their daughters did it,” Watson said.

Love of vintage 

But the estate sale has no trouble attracting the younger generation.

“The new generation with the vintage shopping…we open at 10 [a.m.], and they'll be here at seven in the morning and waiting in line to be first so they can be the first to shop,” Watson said. 

Tisha Chaudhuri and Alayna Parlevliet shopped around the event after finishing a volunteering shift Saturday afternoon and agreed that younger folks tend to be attracted to second-hand products. 

“The fact that we are reusing some things that people loved before,” Chaudhuri said. “Also, as we've learned, fashion and trends are cyclical, so a lot of things that people think they don't need, or they don't want anymore. A lot of younger people are now reusing it and trying to make it their own thing,” she continued. 

“It’s also sustainable as well – that's also a big pull towards vintage shopping – reusing rather than going out and buying new things,” Parlevliet said. 

The estate sale continues on Sunday at the Palmer Events Center where shoppers can pay just $10 to get a box that they can fill with vintage treasures.