Goodwill Treasure Hunting

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I stopped by the Goodwill outlet because I had the day off from work. It didn't occur to me that it would be super busy since a lot of other people had the day off as well. And they were having a 25% off sale for the holiday!

My most amazing find was this soft, velvety material that is two and a half yards long! (see picture above) It seems like a thicker material, maybe more heavy duty for upholstery?

Even though it was packed, I found a number of things and paid under $6.What I love about shopping at the Goodwill Outlet (besides the prices) is that this is the last stop for items before that get taken away and disassembled, often into rags and rugs.

I found two shirts for me :) which will come in handy as it heats up this spring/summer.

I was surprised at how many fabric pieces I found. Although I suppose that most people are there to find clothes for themselves or their families or to resell, so they wouldn't be looking for fabric. These are smaller pieces that will have to be used as accents or on smaller projects.

I also found some clothes that had nice fabric that will make really good scarves.The one on the left has little mirrors sewn in, which I really like.

And finally, I don't know what I will do with these yet, but I liked the patterns on them. The one on the left is a pillowcase, and the one on the right is a dress that looks like it was hand sewn by someone.

All that for $6? What a deal! :)

Treasure Hunting at the Goodwill Outlet!

I've passed the Goodwill Outlet multiple times since I moved to Sacramento, but I've never stopped before tonight. I usually didn't have time or I restrained myself because I am trying to spend less money on shopping and eating out (which I am doing really well at btw). Boy am I glad my boyfriend was in a good enough mood to stop with me (he hates shopping).

The outlet is where they send the clothes that don't sell in the regular store. This is the last stop before items gets put into a huge baler and sold to places that use the materials for ragmaking. So this is the last chance to save something before it gets recycled!

I was a kind of nervous at first because there were a lot of people, and it was a little dirty. I won't lie, it was a little scary and kind of daunting. Some people were very serious about finding their treasures. And when a new bin rolled out, they all jumped on it. I stuck to the bins that were surrounded. My boyfriend even found some stuff in the electronic and furniture sections. We were there for about an hour, but I made out with some treasures and spent less than $8.


For a crafter, upcycler, or sewer, there are some great finds. I noticed many random, solo pillow cases, curtains, or towels that had pretty patterns and would make lovely things. I picked out a few that had nice patterns and one that was fuzzy and soft. I don't know yet if I will make clutches, bracelets, or something else.

I debated about buying this sweater because I knew I wouldn't wear it, but I thought it was so pretty and I think it will make a great totebag. This is going to be my Christmas vacation project.
















I was mostly looking for clothing to wear, but I ended up only finding two shirts. One tshirt for everyday wear or work and one scrubs top which I can wear for crafts and messy projects. I also found a chunky necklace that was missing some beads, but I think I can turn it into two bracelets.






I feel like I struck gold with these, and I almost didn't find them. My boyfriend was tired of shopping (an hour must have felt like eternity to him), and he herded me toward the check out line. I snuck away while he waited in line to quickly sift through some of the bins I hadn't looked at that were close to the check out (this place is quite addictive). I love tea, so I felt that these towels were waiting just for me. There's eight of them, and I have no idea what I will do with them, but I had to have em!








I will definitely be going back. I am excited to see what I will find next!