Goodwill

I have tried to go to Good will a few times, but find it very frustrating.  I am leaving for Hawaii in a few weeks and the clothing that I bought on clearance last year trying to predict where I would be now are still just a little small.   I'm thinking by summer they will be too big, oh well!

I took my mom with me.  She was very helpful she did the sorting and pulled things out for me and I did the trying on.  I bought 5 dresses and 2 pairs of carpis.  One is a size 12!!!!  So it was pretty successful.  I am going to try to go this weekend to a store in a different location.

Any shopping tips to make it sane there?  Any help would be appreciated!  I will be on my own.

The color of the week thing is nice- but I only found two items with that tag.  Guess I will have to keep foraging...

 I've gone to Goodwill quite a bit, but I definitely can understand the frustration. I seem to do just as well hitting up clearance racks at stores though. Target, Kohl's and Old Navy have great clearance racks with good selections.  Good luck and have a great trip...Hawaii is beautiful!!

I tried to do Goodwill as much as possible while losing. I also shopped sales and clearance racks. Try not to buy too much while losing, just what you will absolutely need for your trip. Check the Facebook pages of stores you like, many times they have coupons. Have fun on your trip and good luck shopping!

Different thrift stores have different "flavors".  I shop them all.  There is one goodwill that has an excellant selection and is more orderly than most stores.  Others you have to hunt more in.  Don't limit yourself to just goodwill if there are others.  Here we have Humane Society and Council on Aging that offer good deals and good clothes.  My only new items so far are undies, everything else I own came from Thrift stores
One note.  Depending on where you are, consider the bed bug epidemic.  If you are in one of those areas, follow the procedures to be sure you don't infect your house and other clothes.

Wow - Hawaii - how fun!

Where I live we have a LOT of thrift/consignment shops, unfortunately they only are carrying winter clothing now... no summer stuff. 

You've had some good suggestions - stick with the clearance racks, that's where you're most likely to find the summer-like clothes.  Don't buy too much, you won't be in it long...

Have a great time!

I love Goodwill.  I do have a rule that I stick to so that I feel good about the hours spent there.  My rule is that if I walk away with 1 high quality item, it's been a successful trip.

My last two trips:

A brand new looking black wool coat from Macy's ($200-$250 new) for $9.95 and I've never gotten more compliments or looked better in a coat!

An Eileen Fisher Italian Wool sweater (I love almost anything in her line which is too expensive for me right now)  for $5.95.  I wore it almost everyday over the holidays back east.

Oh, I almost forgot.  Goodwill in Charlottesville I found a heavy cotten sweater with a big cowl neck in Red.  Perfect for christmas and looks great with jeans or cords.  $3.50

So each of those three trips I got only one item, but I wear them daily or several times a week.

Like Shannon, I don't want to buy too much new, except work cords, while I'm shedding weight. 

Have fun with it and have a great time on your vacation!!