Bin There, Thrift That: A Checklist for Shopping Success at the Goodwill Bins

A Goodwill store

The Goodwill bins are different than the actual Goodwill stores. The bins are usually where items are on their last leg before they’re taken out to be recycled, reused, or dumped. This means that the bins are cheaper than the store, but you have to put more work into finding items that you like because nothing is organized.

What the bins actually look like

Here is a checklist you should go through in order to have the best experience at the Goodwill bins:

Research Your Goodwill

Find a store that works for you and look up the hours it's open because lines can form extremely early. This means that you should try to get there as soon as you can, but at the same time, don’t worry if you’re not first in line because there’s a lot of clothing to dig through.

A map of the U.S.

Thrift Store Pricing

Clothing is usually sold by the pound at the bins, but make sure you double check with your location when you get there because it can vary depending on which city you're in.

Example pricing at Goodwill

Bring Accessories, A.K.A. Gloves

Gloves, people! Bring gloves. Because the items in the bins aren’t organized or picked through by the staff, you never know what you’re gonna find. By wearing gloves, you can protect yourself from any unsanitary finds. I’ll leave what exactly those unsanitary finds might be up to your imagination...

Wear gloves when thrifting

Hydrate While Thrifting

Bring water. If you want to find really good things, most of the time you'll need to be there for a couple hours. This means that you want to stay hydrated while you’re up and on your feet, so you can maintain your energy.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Boring Goodwill Music...

Bring headphones because you don't want to get stuck listening to Goodwill's random playlist. Plus, like I mentioned above, you might be there for a while, so listening to music makes it a more enjoyable experience, and you're able to really get in the zone.

Listen to music for good vibes only at the bins

Get A Cart for Your Thrift Finds

Once inside, grab a cart. This makes it easier on you, so you don’t have to hold everything, especially if you end up finding more than you expected to find. An alternate to this is to bring your own bag, such as a large tote bag, to store all your finds in.

Take advantage of your shopping cart

Organize Your Cart

When you’re putting items in your cart or bag, laying them out or folding them can make it easier to sort through later on and make it feel less overwhelming. Of course, this doesn’t always work because sometimes you’re moving too fast and you don’t have time, but if you are able to, try it out.

Organize and analyze your finds

Know The Goodwill Rules

There’s an unspoken rule that when workers are bringing in new bins, you’re supposed to stand behind a yellow line and wait until you get a verbal confirmation that it’s time to shop. Then, and only then, can you move towards the bins and dig through them. You don't want to get yelled at by the workers!

Look out for changing bins

Keep all of this in mind the next time you decide to go to the Goodwill bins!