The Queen Of Clearance - Part 2

Last month (aka two days ago) I began posting about all the great clearance deals I've gotten over the years, and there were so many I didn't want to put them in one overwhelming post. I began thinking that maybe I have a problem. The more I thought about it the more items came to mind. Is there a CA (Clearance Anonymous) out there?! I may have to join!

The biggest clearance item in my living room is, of course, my sectional sofa that I got at Costco and paid $650 for after my rebate check. But I do have a few odds and ends in my living room that were once residents of the clearance racks.

This sweet jar is actually a candleholder with a flameless candle inside. The cutout is a flower. It's very rustic and sweet, and was only $7.99. I don't recall what the original price was; I bought it at Kohl's many years ago. It's still a favorite, and has found itself somewhere on my bookshelf ever since it entered my home.

This little cutie is a recent find from Hobby Lobby. The original price was $13.99 but I found it in the clearance section for a mere $3.49. I have several white animal figurines, but this one is the most unique.

I never pay a lot for pillows. I've seen throw pillows upwards of $80; that's not for me. Even pillows that are $25 and $30 are too much for my wallet. I think the most I have ever paid for a single throw pillow is $10. That's why, whenever I find throw pillows on clearance, I do a happy dance! I have several clearance pillows, but this one is a favorite. It's 24"x24", and y'all, I found it at Target for $8.00! I found another pillow at Target, this size and the same price, in pink. But the reason this one is my favorite is...

It's reversible! It's like getting two pillows for $8.00 instead of one! I love that the colors go with spring as well as fall. I can even leave it for late winter, since spring in South Florida typically begins in February or early March. We don't get much of a winter here.

This lumbar pillow would have cost me $24.99, but I found it at Target for $8.50. This is why I won't pay full price for pillows. If you look for them, you can find them. Patience is key; they don't always have them but whenever they do, it's a good deal. Flexibility is also necessary; you might not always find exactly what you want, but I don't feel like I've settled for less on either. In both cases I got brand new pillows for what a pillow cover might have cost.

I can't forget my olive tree that I found at Hobby Lobby shortly after the stores began opening up this year. Whenever I first saw it, it was on clearance for $29.99, but I was already at the checkout and I didn't want to hold up the line while I went to look at it. I decided to pass it up, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I went back the following week to buy an arch for above my front door, and I figured if they had any trees left I'd make a decision whether I wanted it or not. They were at the entrance whenever I got to Hobby Lobby; there were only two left, and they'd been marked down to $24.99 from the original price of $99.99. There was no thinking about it - this baby was coming home with me! It's been in my kitchen, and now it's in my living room. The white basket it's in came from the Target dollar spot.

Trays are another thing I like to get on clearance because they can get pricey. I like having things corralled in a tray; it makes it easy to move things whenever I'm cleaning. This one in my living room is from Target; I got it for half price, $12.00. 

This tray is in my kitchen. It's the same size as the Target tray but this one is mostly metal with wood sides where the handles are. I picked this up at Kirkland's for $7.78, reduced from $19.99.

I found some Pioneer Woman goodies in the clearance section of Walmart a few years ago and I was so happy because they are so beautiful and classy. They can go with all different types of decor. The salt and pepper shakers were $2.00 each, and the soup tureen was $19.99 (down from $30).

Another great clearance deal I got from Walmart is my Keurig. I actually had this on my Christmas list whenever I saw it in the clearance aisle for $50.00 - it was $99.99 regular price everywhere else! I've had it for four years and it still works like a charm. It's a One Cup Wonder, but even the newer "cheaper" one cup Keurig machines go for over $70 so this was definitely a great deal. It was brand new in the box too. I think this particular color was not available in store, only online, so they had to sell it for less. It had been reduced previously to $75 but it hadn't sold. I guess it was meant for me!

Whenever I'm at Target I check the Hearth and Hand section for clearance items too. I've found several really good deals, but none beats this one. These ceramic jars can hold pretty much anything. The original price was $9.99, but I got them for $2.50 each. I ended up paying less for all three of them than what one would have cost at the regular price!

And how about this gorgeousness?! Hobby Lobby put this on sale after spring. It was originally $49.99, but it was 75% off! I was able to get it for $12.50, and it is perfect in my bathroom.

I recently found this adorable little birdhouse at TJ Maxx for just $6.00, less my 10% senior discount for shopping on Monday. I believe the original price was $20 but I'm not certain. Anyway, the color is so cute and it's a nice addition to my patio.

I don't remember what the original price was for this ceramic lantern, but whenever I found it at Target I picked up two of them for $4.50 each and asked my daughter if she wanted them for her new house. She declined, so I kept one for outside and gave one away as a gift. It was greatly appreciated - no one would think it was so affordable!

I love a bargain y'all, not gonna lie. It's thrilling to me whenever I go in a store and I find really great deals like this. I've had to train myself, though. It was getting out of control. I was buying stuff not because I needed the items, but because the deal was too good to pass up. Problem is, it's not a good deal if you don't use it. Thankfully I've used much of my clearance purchases as gifts if I don't use them myself, but I'm learning to be more intentional with what I bring inside my house. If I don't have a place to put it, or someone specific to give it to, I walk away. And that there is another way to save!

The Queen of Clearance - Part 1

I've often jokingly referred to myself as the Queen of Clearance. That's because I love the clearance section of any store. It's where I gravitate to first whenever I'm shopping because if I can get what I'm looking for at an extra bargain, well, I'm all about that life :-). Of course there are many others out there who probably call themselves by the same name, so I thought I'd provide some proof of why I deserve the crown ;-). This is just a small sampling of my clearance buys; many of the items I've bought on clearance have left my home as gifts that are super cute and no one knows that they were purchased on clearance. I call that a win-win.

Starting in my entryway, a couple of clearance bargains I picked up just a couple of months ago.

 Once stores were allowed to reopen the sales were abundant. Clearance aisles were filled with all the spring and Easter items that didn't sell and that needed to leave the stores so summer and fall decor could start occupying the shelves. I found these arches for above our front and garage doors at Hobby Lobby. The original price was $49.99 each, but I was able to scoop them up for $12.50 each. In case anyone is wondering, the wreath is one I made many years ago. It has undergone several transformations. Right now it's a simple fall wreath.

The monogram sign in my entryway is also a clearance find. I don't know what the original price was, but I picked it up at Hobby Lobby for $6.49. 

This artificial snake plant was purchased shortly after we moved into this house. It's from TJ Maxx, and I got it for a double bargain - it was on clearance for $16.99, but since I bought it on Monday I got my 10% senior discount as well, so my price was $15.29. It's really nice quality and heavy.

Another Hobby Lobby favorite is this chalkboard sign at the top of the stairs. The original price was $59.99. When I saw the price was reduced to $17.49, I knew I would find a place for this in my house somewhere! 

I never pay full price for vases, but I especially like to find them on clearance. Target is my go to for clearance vases. This one was $4.50, originally $9.99.

I found these three planters at Target for $4.50 each as well, reduced from $14.99. They are ceramic and can hold artificial or real plants. In my case only the cactus is real. It's out on my patio. The others are scattered around my house.

Kirkland's is another store where I've been able to get really beautiful decor at rock bottom clearance prices. This gather sign, for instance, was originally $29.99 but I paid $8.00 for it. However, my best clearance find at Kirkland's by far is above my futon.

This is not a small piece, y'all. It measures 46" x 34". The original price for this beauty was $139. It was reduced several times and was all the way down to $23.99 whenever I got to the store. I had a coupon that day; I ended up paying $19.75 for it! I mean, that is garage sale pricing! That is what you'd pay at a thrift store kind of price! I was on cloud nine that day!

Also in my office is this rose gold candleholder that I snagged for $5.50 at Target. I don't remember what the original price was but, y'all know Target prices. 

And what about big pieces? Furniture sized pieces? Yes, I've managed to get some good clearance deals on those too, not just little decor pieces.

Whenever I found this futon on the Walmart website, I didn't know it was on clearance. I just knew that $280 was way less than I'd seen it for several months on Amazon, Wayfair, Overstock and the like. I later found out this style was being discontinued. Another very similar style was replacing it, and Walmart was trying to get rid of their inventory. I've since not seen this particular futon in this color anywhere; you can find it in other colors but not for less that $400.00.

My sectional was also a clearance item. Costco was selling it for $899.99. They'd dropped the price to $799.99 but I had my rebate check, so my cost was $650.00. It's five years old and still looks great.

Sometimes the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby is a letdown, but whenever I needed a lamp for the side table in my office this was the perfect fit and it was only $19.99, complete with the lampshade.

I didn't realize how long this post was gonna be, and I'm not halfway through yet! Time to make lunch - this list will continue in another post. Stay tuned!