Lately I have been obsessed with the Goodwill Outlet. Meaning I go every Friday and dig to my little heart’s content through those bins.
Bins? Goodwill Outlet? What is this place? The Goodwill Outlet is not your normal thrift store. It’s where items that aren’t sold in Goodwill and items from other sources come to have another chance at being re-used. And the setup is completely different.
Huge bins (like those that collect sheets and towels in a hotel) are rolled out every 30 minutes or so with all items mixed together. All textiles are mixed together (clothes for kids, women, and men, as well as curtains, sheets, bedding, etc.) all housewares are mixed together, all books are mixed together, and all shoes are mixed together. You dig through these bins to find your goodies, and when you’re finished your cart is weighed and you PAY BY THE POUND! Yep, you pay by the pound. My local Goodwill Outlet has textiles and shoes priced at $1.39 a pound, so it’s quite a deal!
The catch is simply that you have to dig through the bins, wearing gloves to protect from touching yucky stuff, and you never know what the day might bring.
Since I’ve been going so often I thought I’d start sharing some of my recent flip to resell and finds for myself from the bins. As weird of a concept as it is, I have found some great current and vintage items there for a steal! Here are a few recent highlights.
1. Rothy’s Loafers
By far this is my BEST bins flip! We’re starting this list off with a bang 😉
I found these Rothy’s loafers in EXCELLENT CONDITION. Yes, you can find items in excellent condition, and even new with tags at the bins! These sold within 1 day of listing and for $135. It helped that they were a discontinued style and in a neutral color. I would even pay up for Rothy’s at the regular thrift, but at the bins these were truly the best deal.
2. Vintage Steve Madden Boots
For good reason everyone shopping at the bins passed these over because the leather was pretty scuffed up. But I watch a lot of Gen Z thrifters on Youtube and try to keep up with vintage trends, and these kind of 90s/Y2K Steve Madden boots are IN! I figured I’d take a shot at fixing them up with Dr. Marten’s Wonder Balsam and then just be honest in the listing about the wear and tear on the heels. Lucky for me the wonder balsam worked wonders! It’s a clear polish that can be used on all leather goods and a must in a reseller’s (or leather wearer’s!) toolbox.
These sold within an hour of listing for $35
3. Lucky Brand Culotte Overalls
I really wish I had found these in my size! I have been hoping to find some overalls while thrifting for myself, but reselling these trendy ones does make me just as happy! These have wide legs and can be worn with the straps crossed in the back, which I thought was a cool detail. How easy would it be to take these into fall with a long sleeve underneath, booties, and a wool hat?
These sold for $40.
4. Vintage Marmot Windbreaker
Pieces like this are exactly why I love shopping the bins! This vintage colorblock Marmot windbreaker is someone no one else is going to have, so buyers are really motivated to purchase. In fact, this one was sold via someone who reached out on Instagram even before I listed it for $30. It did have a flaw with a hole on the collar and some fading from the sun, but otherwise was in excellent vintage condition.
5. Lauren Ralph Lauren Animal Print Skirt
As a maxi/midi skirt enthusiast, I was thrilled with this bins find and ended up keeping it for myself. This isn’t from Ralph Lauren’s expensive line or anything, but I still love the print and style. I had to mend the fabric at one of the tiers, but other than it’s in great shape. It’s very lightweight and great for summer.
6. Vintage Inspired Grateful Dead Graphic Tee
I love this top so much! I’m pretty sure this t-shirt was sold at Target, since they often re-do vintage tees. It was a men’s large and I liked the textured velvet on the graphic. I couldn’t wash out a stain, so I ended up doing a little upcycle project where I sprayed it with bleach for a bleach dye effect, similar to the tie dye crazy going around. I like the way it turned out so much that I wore it afterward, and then listed and sold it for $22. For a bins flip I am more than happy with a $22 sale!
7. Disney Quarter Zipper Pullover
If you’re a reseller and you’re not picking up vintage Disney, you need to consider starting! It’s such a hot market right now and almost every vintage Disney item I pick up sells within 2 days max. Think Disney catalog from the 1990s and that’s the vibe, not the newer stuff they sell at WalMart. I’m not completely sure about the vintage nature of this top, especially since it was in such good condition, but it still is a great find with the neutral color and black and white embroidery. It had a lot of likes and ended up selling for $30.
8. Current Elliot Infantry Jacket
Another upcycled item with bleach dye! This is currently hanging in my closet so I can wear it a bit through fall before possibly listing it. This jacekt originally retails for $268 and is a celebrity favorite. The one I found at the bins is missing the belt and had a few spots that looked to be bleach stains. So a few sprays with some bleach allover and you have a custom bleach dyed jacket! I love how this one turned out.
9. Chacos Sandals
My first time ever finding Chacos and it was at the bins! What’s nice about Chacos are that you can clean the dirt off super easily, so even if they look a little worn at the bins they can be spruced up. Fortunately for me this style had a little tag on the strap that had the exact style name on it so I could find a stock photo and let buyers know specific kind of sandal. These sold for $50.
10. Lululemon Braided Energy Bra
My first and only time so far finding Lululemon at the bins! This is a really cool version of the energy bra in a pretty color called Persian red. What’s funny to me is that I found this bra in a bin that had been out for quite a while and picked over by many people. Because it ws inside out no one saw the logo! It just goes to show that you’ll find great stuff even if you don’t get to be first in line at a bin when they push the new ones out.
I had mulitple offers on this bra within minutes of listing and it sold for $36 on Mercari.
I really could keep talking about bins flips and finds, but I won’t bore you all! Perhaps over the next few months I’ll do another post with my next batch of bins faves?
