Christine Found (Almost) Everything She Needs for Summer at Goodwill

I love everything about summer: Being lazy by the pool, hitting the beach, canoeing or kayaking, BBQing. Basically, I love doing anything with friends but honestly, the sand and water take its toll, so I don't like spending too much on summer gear.

That's a large part of the reason I hit Goodwill this week to stock up on summer staples. I know they have new and gently used products at low prices, so I stopped by to see what I could find:

1) Swimsuits, summer clothes and accessories: They have a huge selection of outfits and summer accessories to shop for. When it comes to suits, I love to mix and match tops and bottoms. It doesn't necessarily all have to match but I did find a bathing suit bottom with a floral design that went perfectly with two different colored/style of tops.

2) Pool accessories galore: They have a million cute beach bags in different colors — you can keep it stocked with everything you need and just grab it on your way out the door. I loved that some of their tubes and rafts to float on even had cup holders!

3) The perfectly sized cooler: When you're kayaking, you need to take drinks and snacks with you but you don't have tons of room. This cooler is the perfect size. I could see using it for car trips, too!

4) Be prepared for a rainy day: Seriously, it's been raining so much lately, I grabbed another umbrella. Might as well keep one at home, in the car and at the office.

Another cool thing about shopping at Goodwill: You never know what you'll find. Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids operates 20 stores in a five-county area, plus an online store at ShopGoodwill.com/GrandRapids. Inventory is changing constantly based on donations, and every purchase helps people with barriers to employment get training and find jobs, so click here to find a location near you.

What are you waiting for? Stock up on your summer necessities at Goodwill and tell 'em I sent you!