Funny Finds, and One Questionable Lamp
Goodwill shopping spree days always start with a little promise to myself: “I’m only going to look.” Now, at 61 years old, I know better than to believe myself, but I still say it every time.
Then I pulled into the parking lot, saw cars everywhere, and remembered what day it was.
Senior discount day.
Well, that explained it. I sat there for a second and laughed at myself. “Girl, did you really think you were the only grandmother in town looking for a bargain today?”
I should have known.
As I parked, I had a little conversation with myself. “You really thought you were the only person who knew Goodwill had deals today?” Clearly, I was not.
The parking lot was full, the store was busy, and once I grabbed my cart and headed toward the sale sign, everything made sense. Orange tags were 50 percent off, seniors were getting 40 percent off, and the floor had been freshly stocked.
It wasn’t just seniors, either. Young couples, parents with little kids, serious bargain hunters, and people like me tried to act calm while mentally calculating discounts.
I tried to take pictures carefully because I never want to photograph anyone who doesn’t want to be photographed. Also, getting around was a little tricky because the aisles were tiny. This was definitely a one-cart-at-a-time situation. If two carts met in the same aisle, somebody had to reverse like they were backing out of a driveway.
But even with the crowd, I stayed for several hours. I had nowhere to be for the next three hours, which is rare, so I took my time and enjoyed the hunt. By the end, my cart was full of things I needed, things I needed, and a few things that looked at me first.
Clothing Deals Are a Treasure Hunt
As I started through the clothing racks, I reminded myself of one very important thrift store rule: don’t trust the size signs.
A small might be hiding in the extra-large section. An extra-large might be tucked away in the smalls. A pair of shorts could be anywhere. Goodwill clothing shopping requires patience, good eyes, and the willingness to look through every aisle even when the sign says it is not your size.
That is what took the most time.
Slowly, my cart started filling with T-shirts, pants, and shorts. At one point I felt that familiar little panic: “Am I spending too much money?”
Then I reminded myself, “You are in Goodwill. There is probably not a shirt in this cart over $3.”
That helped.
After I finished looking for myself, I went to the girls’ section and found some great deals on pants and shorts for my granddaughter. That is one of the best parts of thrift store shopping. You can find useful things for the people you love without paying full retail prices.
Goodwill Electronics: A Gamble, a Roomba, and a Plan
Now let’s talk about Goodwill electronics, because this is where things got interesting.
I have a rule about buying electronics at thrift stores: it is a gamble. Sometimes you win, sometimes you take home a mystery object with a cord.
But then I saw a Roomba.
And suddenly my practical side and my bargain-hunting side started having a meeting.
I checked the return policy and found my answer. Electronics could be returned within seven days for store credit. Seven days was enough time to take it home, test it, and decide whether it was worth keeping.
That lowered the risk just enough for me.
The Roomba came home with me, and guess what? It worked. It needed a new battery, but I ordered one; it arrived before the return window closed, and I tested everything in time. If it had not worked, I could have returned the battery and the Roomba.
But it worked. That was a win.
I also put a Keurig machine and two lamps in my cart, because apparently once I opened the electronics door, I walked right through it.
The Keurig was $15. I brought it home, descaled it, deep-cleaned it, and made my first cup of coffee.
Another win.
The small desk lamp worked perfectly and now looks great on my desk.
The colorful floor lamp, however, was $11 and did not turn on.
Did I return it? No.
I decided to keep it and make it a project, because that is the other part of my personality. I like taking things apart, figuring them out, and putting them back together. So that lamp is now my next little adventure. If you want to find out whether I fixed it or made it worse, come back later.
Goodwill Treasure Finds and Sweet Memories
The best thrift store finds aren’t always the most expensive. Sometimes they are the ones that bring back a memory so fast you can almost smell it.
That happened when I found a thermos.
I picked it up, and suddenly I was five or six years old again. I could smell crayons and Kool-Aid. My father had a thermos just like it.
That thermos went straight into my cart.
It may not look like much to someone else, but to me it is a treasure. A little piece of memory. A tiny time machine. My own thrift store treasure chest.
I like keeping bottles filled with ice water around the house, so those were practical and useful. And yes, I meant to say they were a steal, but honestly, at $2 each, they almost felt like one.
My Goodwill Haul Total
When I finally made my way to the checkout counter, I paid $87.59 total.
That is a big Goodwill trip for me. Usually, I spend around $20 to $30, so this was definitely outside my normal comfort zone. The electronics pushed the total higher, but since I came home with clothes, items for my granddaughter, a Roomba, a Keurig, lamps, water bottles, and a memory-filled thermos, I felt pretty good about it.
I am not sharing this to brag about a shopping cart full of secondhand stuff. Most of it was things I already needed or could use. What I really want to share is this: if you cannot afford something you want or need brand new, thrift shopping can be a fun alternative.
It takes time. You might walk out with a cart full of treasures, or you might walk out with nothing. That is part of the hunt.
And I love the hunt.
I will definitely go back to Goodwill, and I want to try other thrift stores too. Right now, I am keeping my eyes open for very old cast iron cookware and items from the late 1960s and early 1970s.
If you have been thrifting and you have a favorite thrift store, please share it with us. I know Goodwill isn’t the only thrift store, and I’d like to learn about other places and options. I would love to hear your latest finds.
Before I bring all my new-to-me treasures inside and give them a home, I try to keep one rule in mind: for every thrift store haul, I find at least 2 to 5 items to donate, throw away, or give to someone else.
Bargain hunting is fun, but I do not want my home so full of stuff that I lose my space, peace, or mental clarity. I can enjoy the thrill of bringing home something new without letting clutter take over. If you struggle with keeping that balance too, you may enjoy my post on
👉decluttering for mental clarity
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