Treasure hunting at the Goodwill outlet

If you know me, you know I love thrift stores. Like… if I was President, 1/2 off Wednesdays at The Salvation Army would be a national holiday. Every Wednesday.

I’ve always known about the Goodwill Outlet (AKA The Bins), but I’ve never really understood it. Many years ago, I remember walking in, picking up a shirt and trying to find a price tag on it. After being unable to figure out what to do, I put it down and left ASAP.

and now I. am. obsessed.

There’s treasure hunting, and then there’s TREASURE HUNTING. Like… you walk in the outlet with grubby clothes, make sure your hair is up, grab a cart and then start DIGGING THROUGH STUFF. Bins and bins of stuff. I want to share with y’all what I’ve found in my last two trips to Goodwill Outlet. At the bins, you pay $1.69/pound for whatever you get so I can’t tell you how much I paid for each item.

My mom and I spent time guessing how much the retail of these items are, so I’m going to do my best to find the retail prices of these items or at least share what Goodwill was originally listing them at, and if I can’t find anything I’m just going to say it’s $1. Anything with a ** denotes the item is brand new in/with packaging or tag.

• Tommy Bahamas sequins pineapple shirt  (similar, $26.97)
• OK, but first coffee Brandy Melville t-shirt (similar, $9.99)
• 1/2 of a Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Candle (retail $20, so $10)
• Betsey Johnson floral laptop case (being sold on eBay for $30)
• Replacement decanter for Mr. Coffee Espresso machine (on Target.com for $14.99)
• Stitched heart pillow (just going to assume it’s homemade because there’s no brand)
• *Tanamachi Goods iPhone 6 case (Target clearance price tag  $7.48)
• *Yankee Candle Wax Melts (.99 each, so $1.98)
• *Yankee Candle Wax melter (Kohl’s clearance tag $6.47)
• *Target paper banners x4 (priced at $3, so $12)
• *Pack of pink napkins ($1)
• *Pack of popcorn bags ($1)
• Replacement NutriBullet blade (just the blade, $14.99)
• *Room Essentials plastic shower hooks (on Target.com for $1.04 a pack, so $2.08)
• Victoria’s Secret Pink Slider Sandals (being sold around the internet for $30)
• Acrylic organizer ($1)
• *Paper baking cups x2 ($2)
• Martha Stewart kitchen towel ($1)
• *Heart Treat boxes ($2)
• *3 packages of tissue paper ($4)

• *USA temporary tattoos (because duh. $3)
• 1 Easter egg plate ($1)
• *Room Essentials Apron ($1)
• Square cooling rack (on Amazon.com $7.39 for 2 so )
• Small milk frother (similar on Amazon.com for $8.99)
• 2 copies of Real Simple ($3.95 x2)
• 2 copies of Eating Well ($4.99 x2)
• Seven7 Legging Jeans (at Nordstrom Rack for $39.97)
• Arizona Super Skinny jeans (at JCPenney for $48)
• Stovetop Popcorn Popper (on Amazon for$17.97)
• *Pack of Happy New Year cards ($4.99 price on back)
• *Handmade greeting card ($1)
• *Paper fan banner kit ($5 price on back)
• *5 gift bags (4 x .88 one at .50 )
• One metal container ($1)
• *Cinderella kite (because my 101 list! on Amazon for $4.29)
• *2 packs of treat bags ($2)
• Purple plaid shirt (Goodwill listed at $4.99)
• *1 pack of Christmas plates ($1)
• *1 pack of coupon binder inserts (on Amazon.com for $9.95)
• Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas (on Amazon.com for $13.98)
• *Mickey Gift Wrap ($1)
• *Plus an unpictured Cupcake stand($12.99)
• and a paperback novel, My Fair Lazy (seems perfect)

 

$359.66 is the suggested value of my treasures.

I paid..

wait for it….

$30.61

 

That’s 8.51% of the suggested value.

PLUS I get the added satisfaction of digging out treasures. Some of the things I got were for my mom (the PINK sliders, the cupcake stand, the Mickey Mouse gift wrap, the Yankee candle wax melter + melts, the Martha Stewart Kitchen towel & Betsey Johnson laptop case) and others were for a project I’m about to start working on. The Seven7 jeans are AMAZING. They’re my new favorite jeans.

So.

Have you ever braved the bins (the Goodwill Outlet)? What are your thoughts on thrift stores?