Goodwill Scores

I am a frequent shopper at my local Goodwill (mostly on Sundays), but once in a while I branch out to others in the area looking for my next steal. I'm not sure if this is true for all Goodwills, but Target is one of the big name stores that donates discontinued, slightly damaged, or old items that they can't sell in the store. As far as I have noticed, Minnesota and Illinois are two of the states that reap these amazing benefits. In the past I have picked up numerous pieces of new Target furniture including three bookcases, an entertainment stand, and a counter-height kitchen table. A little while ago, I struck gold in the form of a mid-century twin bed head- and foot-board, a mid-century danish chair, a brand new curtain rod ($45 at Target), and a brand new lamp base ($40 at Target) all for the low, low price of $28.

It's uncanny how similar the headboard is to my dining room chairs, which I also found at Goodwill. The spindles are nearly the exact same.

The chair is a show-stopper. The upholstery is in need of refreshing, but the teak wood will stay just as it is.

When I set out to buy a curtain rod, I am always surprised by how expensive they are. On average, I have spent about $60 per window on the hardware and sometimes it has cost more than the window treatment. Therefore, when I saw this rod for $20, I snatched it up. The packaging was a bit beaten up, but I made sure all pieces were there. When I was checking out, the associate told me my total and I was like "what?" On the day I was shopping, it was half off items with a blue sticker, and my curtain rod was one of those items. Yep, I did a silent victory dance.

This lamp base caught my eye in Target numerous times before I got my hands on my very own. In fact, I recommended these to my brother-in-law for his light-less family room and last I heard, he likes them as much as a single-guy-who-just-bought-his-first-house can. The base looks like woven wood and topped with a simple shade looks awesome in my twin-bed guest room with the upholstered headboard that I made.

Goodwill is a fantastic company that helps challenged people obtain employment. It provides opportunities to people who have barriers restricting their employability. So, every dollar you spend, goes to helping those in need, in addition to offering great deals and affordable necessities. Did I inspire you to visit your Goodwill this weekend?