5 Things Steve Always Looks for at Goodwill

I find myself in Goodwill often enough because my wife is a general manager of one of our local stores (hi, honey!) and it's pretty easy to find brand name clothing and toys, including LEGOs, at bargain prices. Not only does buying gently use items help the environment by sparing these items from the landfill, but every purchase helps people with barriers to employment get training and find jobs.

When I pop into Goodwill, I am always sure to look for:

1) Jeans and hats: Easily half my wardrobe and my wife's wardrobe comes from Goodwill. I always check all the clothing racks and most of the time, I walk out with clothes that still have their tags on them and have never been worn.

2) Sweaters/Hoodies: See above. They're wardrobe staples and Goodwill's inventory changes often enough that I always check to see what they have in my size..

3) Kid's clothes: My daughter, Charlotte, is 13 months old and grows so fast that Goodwill's prices just make sense for her clothes. And, many people don't realize that Goodwill also sells some new items, like the children's pajamas I found on my most recent shopping trip.

4) Beer glasses: I collect them, so it's always fun to look for unusual brand names and logos.

5) LEGOs: They can get a little pricey if you buy them retail, but I purchased a bag of random bricks at Goodwill. It had some really cool older sets from my childhood hidden in there — nice nostalgia.

I really like seeing how Goodwill gives back to the community, whether it be helping with an Eagle Scout project:

Or valuable job training:

You never really know what you'll find there, as Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids operates 20 stores in a five-county area, plus an online store at ShopGoodwill.com/GrandRapids.

Click here to find a location near you — and tell them I sent you!