Two carts piled high with stuff is usually a thrifter’s cue to turn around and go home. A shopper on the @juliethrifts channel walked into the Goodwill Outlet bins, saw exactly that, and was a little upset.

She figured she had missed out on all the goodies. “I was so wrong,” she says, and she walked out with four pieces of furniture for $40.

Two Full Carts Looked Like A Warning Sign, But The Furniture Kept Coming

The first finds were chairs that she says would be so cute for Christmas, one with green and red fabric, ivory and the legs. Then she spotted a long oval coffee table for $10 that would need to be refinished.

“Do I need another project?” she asks. Then she answers by finding more, including what she thinks is a kitchen island for $20. The top is in really rough condition, she says, but the bottom is pretty, and the metal piece can be taken off if she does not want it.

Another table, also $20, went in the pile, and so did a piece that would look great under one of her windows. It needs a paint job and is missing a knob, but she says that is no big deal because she does not like the knobs anyway. For $10, she says, “I cannot leave it here.”

A Pile Of Furniture Meant Waiting Until Tomorrow To Haul It Home

The mirrors started to show up next. One was insanely heavy and beautiful at $10. Then staff rolled out another that she calls “so pretty and girly with the little roses,” also $10.

“I already got a pile of furniture that I got to come pick up,” she says. “I might as well get this, too, right?” She decided to pay for the furniture first and return the next day to pick it up.

The shopping carried on from there. A trifold frame with all its glass went in the cart, along with a kitchen set at $10 that looked to be in excellent condition.

She Turned A Maybe Blanket Into A Christmas Plan

Not everything was a big piece. She found what she thinks is a shawl, with an arm hole and a head hole, and planned to use it as a blanket around a Christmas tree or over her sofa. She says nobody is going to notice that it is a shirt instead of a blanket if she layers it the right way.

She also picked up a bin of frames, choosing a wood one and a white and gold one, and says that if she does not use them she can put artwork in and sell them. A brass mirror she likes the shape of, she is curious to try aging to calm down the bright finish.

A bag of painted gourds also made it into the pile, which she thinks would look cool in a jar. She asks her audience to drop ideas in the comments.

The Manager Gave Her Five Minutes Or She Would Be Kicked Out

Then the mood changed. The manager told her she would be kicked out if she did not check out in five minutes. “Oh, shoot, about to get kicked out,” she says, and starts tossing items into the cart.

A spindly stool for $6 and a pink crocheted piece that would make a great blanket for a little girl’s room went in at the last second. Another find was a rusty basket that needs a red ribbon and some Christmas greenery, and a pillow cover she loved, although she would take the pillow out.

She says she had not finished shopping and the walls were still being restocked. “It is beyond frustrating,” she says, “especially with the amount of money I spent here and the amount of business that I bring them.”

$40 For Four Furniture Pieces, Then A Parking Lot Verdict

She left for the day and filmed her wrap-up from the car. The furniture, four pieces in all, cost $40, and she plans to pick it up tomorrow. Then she paid again at the second checkout for the smaller items, which brought her total to about $60.

“That was a good day at the bins,” she says. “It could have been better, but that manager just loves kicking out paying customers.” She says the staff had not done it in a while, so she thought they had stopped, and she says she is not going back in, so that last wall stays a mystery.

Her plan is to return the next day for the furniture and do another lap.

Why She Buys It Even When The Plan Is Fuzzy

She says she keeps adding things to her list, and she is trying to finish two projects a day in a series she is following. But she also says thrifting is getting harder and more expensive.

So her rule is this. When she finds something she likes at a good price, she gets it. Even if she ends up not using it, she says, she can sell it and get her money back.

Smart Moves For The Goodwill Outlet Bins

• Do not judge the bins by the carts. Two full carts up front did not mean the outlet was picked over, and new items kept arriving all afternoon.
• Walk the whole store before you commit. She found more furniture each time she turned around.
• Think about resale before you pay. She plans to put small frames and extras back on the market if they do not fit her house.
• Keep an eye on the clock. Check the store’s time rules and have your cart ready to go to the register.
• Check a piece for what it needs. A paint job or a missing knob is easy, a big crack in the wood is harder.

Whatever the manager thinks about the time limit, a tidy cart and a plan can turn a rushed visit into a great haul.

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