It’s Friday. Hooray. We made it through the week without school! I jest. It was nice to have a bunch of Lou-and-Me days, and we even went on an adventure or two. But the weekend is here and next week, back to normal. I believe this will be our last post in the mini-series I’ve done on shopping bargains for your home, unless any other questions pop up. And today, we’ll finally answer the original question that spawned the topic: how often do I go shopping for this stuff?

The short answer is pretty often.

I keep a running list of all the stuff we "need" in the house, from light bulbs to gutter braces for Lou's bookshelves to some sort of credenza for the dining room. When the list reaches a critical mass, and/or when something critical, like toilet paper or light bulbs makes the list, I'll make one big shopping trip and look - or at least keep an eye out - for it all. My go-to spot is a nearby complex that houses Target, Marshall's and Burlington Coat Factory. Most things on my list can be sourced at one of those three places, and it's close to Lou's school, so I'll drop her off and spend a morning shopping.

Let’s say I’m looking for something to make a new kitchen valance. I know I want something graphic and either black and white or teal (and I’m usually open to anything). So when I’m at Target looking for light bulbs, I browse their clearance pillows, sheets, and tableware and even window dressings to see if anything is suitable. Ditto with the other two stores: if I’m looking for a cabinet organizer at Marshall’s (always cheaper than at Target), I always do a quick check of clearance for projects I’m working on.

So in some ways, my finds are serendipitous…but I am working from a list. Though I like shopping, I like it less than I used to, and I find that just browsing for treasure is an expensive hobby - no matter how marked down things are. That doesn’t mean I never do it, but it’s a special treat, usually reserved for thrift stores. Not a weekly occurrence.

Anything that doesn't get found on that day gets either put back on the list. Then, I’ll either look elsewhere, keep searching at those stores in future weeks or, as sometimes happens, I'll realize I don't need it anymore and take it off the list.

I think it’s pretty clear that I have my favorite places to shop: you’ve heard the names over and over and over. A lot of it, for me, is about accessibility. The Target/Marshall’s/Burlington complex is just convenient for me because it’s within walking distance to my house (or cab distance on those rare occasions when I go crazy). There’s also a discount store, which I’d rank slightly higher than “dollar” level, about a 15 minute walk away in the other direction, and a fancy home goods store pretty close by, which is pricey but carries cool stuff.

At my old apartment, the Goodwill and dollar stores were really close, as was the same Target complex, so I would start there. When we lived in Oakland, thrift stores, Goodwill, Ross and Ikea were all really accessible . They were my go-tos (and those were the glory days). In DC, it was Target (I would drive to one out in the burbs for house stuff and better deals), Marshall’s, a huge thrift store called Value Village, and a smaller one called Am Vets on Georgia Avenue. In any given place, I’ve narrowed down my frequent stops to a handful, which is helpful for sanity and convenience, but also for having a decent idea of prices and selection. You can’t realistically price compare between every store, but if you go to certain places repeatedly, you’ll develop a good idea for basic price points, sale schedules and selection.

I go to my go-tos about once a week (which is about how often toilet paper makes the list), and browse. I stop at the periphery stores, which for me right now is Goodwill, a pricier thrift store and the fancy home goods store, maybe once a month. And I venture out to the world of really fun places – actual décor stores, Container Store, HomeGoods – maybe once every three months if I have a day to burn in Manhattan or am in the Philly suburbs, and am looking for something specific.

Let me try to distill that all down.

1. Where possible, commit to the long game. First, decide what you can be in it for the long game for. If you’ve got time to wait ‘til the perfect thing comes along, sit back, relax and wait for it. By which I mean, work for it. You will need to invest some time and energy into finding a great bargain. It doesn't mean going out every day, or every weekend, but it does mean accepting that you'll have to put in some leg work, virtually, physically or both, and that might take time. You might be living with the Papasan until you find the perfect recliner, is what I'm saying. 

2. Know your favorite stores, whether they’re a matter of convenience or taste. It’s tough to browse every shop out there, even online, for what you’re looking for. Instead, when you know what you like, you can mostly stick to a small sample of venues for your searches. You’ll be able to keep tabs on things more easily that way. (And take advantage of loyalty programs and the like).

3. Start cheapest. When beginning your search, in general, the cheapest stuff is used – sorry, pre-owned – so thrift stores, consignment stores and Craigslist are where I begin. But places like Ross, Burlington Coat Factory and other overflow stores are a good place to look to, for smaller housewares like rugs, curtains, ottomans, small storage units and decor. The catch with all of these places: they might not have what you're looking for. So you spend some time at places like this having an idea of what you want, and hoping to get lucky. You might not get lucky, in which case you can either circle back - keep checking Craigslist, obsessively, for weeks, stop by Goodwill once a week on your way home from work - or move up the scale to level 2.

3. If you can’t find it cheapest, go to the next level. For me, level 2 is discount stores with larger selections. Ikea, Target, Overstock, Home Decorators, Rugs USA. These are the places where you can go looking for an ottoman (or rug) and be reasonably sure there’ll be more than one to choose from. Your level two might be CB2 or Restoration Hardware or Macy’s. Level 2 stores are where you might spend more, but you know you’ll probably find what you’re looking for.

4. Stalk sales and clearance. I tend to be a clearance gal. But when it comes to things you need for your home, sometimes you need what you need, and if the thrifts stores and Craig and clearance don't have it, then you have to resort to mere sale. Which is why, if you are stopping by occasionally (again, I’m using that term in the actual and virtual sense) you’ll know when to pull the trigger on a sale or good deal.

5. Hire me. That was pretty subtle, right? But I'm a good shopping buddy, and one thing I don't find overwhelming is selection or a challenge. Virtually or physically, I can be your pal and help you find what you need. So, if you’re worn down or overwhelmed, holla.

So, sorry for the wordy post.  I would have made it shorter but we're headed out and I wanted to get it up - so I may revisit and distill down further in the future. Or at least add some graphics. Something. Geez. I hope this total bargain hunting brain dump over the past few weeks (on Craigslist, on retail stores) has been at least a bit helpful, or clarifying. And keep the questions coming - it's useful to me to be forced to articulate all this!

In case you missed it this week, we did a bunch of pretty short posts on Black Bean & Edamame Sliders, homemade hand sop and DIY bathroom art, and a kid's calendar project. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!