During the summer in Sweden people have more leisure time since everybody usually has 2 weeks of holiday at least. A common thing to do is to clean out your storage units, house, barn or other places where junk gets hidden during the rest of the year. Since the weather is nice and people want to be outside enjoying it the natural thing is to combine the two. Being outside getting ride of junk. Now here’s the thing, why not earn money while cleaning up your house and getting a tan? That is exactly what happens, a loppis (fleamarket/garage sale). People gather their junk on tables or set it up nicely in their garage and then set up a sign with the magic word.

If you don’t run your own loppis a good way of passing the time is to go to somebody else’s. That way you collect enough to be able to have your own stand next summer. Besides all the exchanging of knick-knacks involved loppisar are extremely social. People stand in the sun and catch up with all the locals they don’t really have time to chat around with during the busy working year.

Those of you who have taken a road trip through Sweden in the summer know how many loppis signs you see on the side of the road trying to convince you that that side road is the perfect leg stretcher, and there might even be coffee for sale at one of those small tables.