Hi my name is Amanda and I’m a thrift shop junkie.

Oh yes it is a serious addiction that my friends and family benefit from. For me it’s like going on a treasure hunt. My favorite stop? Goodwill outlet. Betcha you didn’t there was an outlet did you? It’s the stinkiest, nastiest most wonderful adventure you will go on, well maybe not ever but definitely so for an afternoon of thrift store shopping. At the Goodwill outlet they sell everything by the pound and the more you buy the cheaper it gets. You have to dig through these 6’x4′ bins that they roll out. There is some sorting done before the bins roll out from the back. All the shoes go in one bin, all the toys in another, and clothing in a third etc. etc.

There is quite the culture of folks who buy and then re-sell what they get at the Goodwill outlet. There are rules you must follow when there. Such as you can not touch any item until all the new bins usually 6-8 are rolled into place. People circle and run around looking at what is in each bin before the last one is in place trying to decide where they will start. Then everyone starts tossing clothes in the air looking for the best stuff. I’ve seen shoppers throwing as much in their carts as they can when it comes to books and shoes not even looking at what they are buying. Me, while a junkie, am no where near that serious and luckily what I am usually looking for kids clothing and toys are not popular with the re-selling crowds.

I love some of the funny things you find in the bottom of the bins!

Most of my favorite clothing items and toys for our son came from the Goodwill outlet. I am amazed by what people throw away. On my last visit I bought a pre-cut quilt kit brand new with great colors. I think it cost me less than a dollar. Where else could you buy all the fabric for a lap quilt for a single dollar? I got a 50 piece marble run for a friend who had it on her wish list for her son for $1.81 and a string of Halloween lights just like the ones we had when I was a little girl to hang up and decorate with my son. Oh and the pile of reading books next to my bed grew a little too. Paperback books are .39c, kids books are .29c you can hardly beat it.

I try not to go too often simply because we really don’t need any more stuff but often when I have a free day I like to go down for a couple hours and hunting you never know what you will find.

I’ve even roped my mom into treasure hunting at the Goodwill Outlet. That’s how we spent Mother’s Day!