This “Inside-Outside” Method Helps Me Find the Best HomeGoods Deals Fast

Here at Apartment Therapy, I’m known as something of a HomeGoods and T.J. Maxx super-shopper. Co-workers are constantly asking me for HomeGoods shopping tricks, probably because I’m not shy about sharing the amazing gems I regularly find at these stores. And I’m not much of a gatekeeper either, so I figured I’d share the HomeGoods shopping tip that people ask me about the most — and how I used it recently — with you all, too.

The most basic thing you need to know about shopping HomeGoods, T.J. Maxx, and the like is that you have to go a lot — almost like it’s your job — and at different times and on different days. But that’s not the easiest thing to actually do in practice. That’s why I’ve developed my own time-saving method of shopping these stores for the best deals. I call it the “Inside-Outside” Method, and it’s what I follow when I don’t have the luxury of spending an hour or more at HomeGoods, leisurely going from department to department and looking at literally all the things. 

I like a good deal, and though HomeGoods is chock full of them, I always want to maximize my savings. That’s why the “Inside-Outside” method is my shopping short cut for those days where I’m strapped for time. What it entails is browsing the store in a methodical way, first heading directly down the center aisle (in some stores, this is literally straight down the center from the store’s entrance doors), where the smaller central department aisles often meet in an aisle of end caps. 

This central aisle of end caps is typically where you will find the first flurry of clearance sections, where the most discounted merchandise hangs out. From this aisle, you can also look for extra red signage, which denotes other clearance areas that extend into the aisles themselves (so beyond those end caps). 

Next, you’re ready to shop the “outside” part of my path. From that central aisle, I walk to the back of the store and hit its perimeter. Again, this is where you’ll find more of those coveted clearance end caps — and again, the most discounted merch. I usually walk one side of the store perimeter first then across the front of the store to the other. And then voilà, you’ve targeted a path that’s teaming with deals. 

I know what you’re thinking — yes, I’m missing a lot of valuable shopping real estate with this method. But when I’m not looking for a specific product on a given HomeGoods run or I just don’t have an hour or more to spend at the store, this is what I do. 

The “Inside-Outside” method feels time-efficient and gives me that dopamine rush deal hunting often does (even when you’re not buying or spending much in the end). And I’ve found such great items using this method that I rarely walk the whole store anymore (though, time-strapped or not, I always check out the Treasure Chests, too). 

Hopefully, this method will save you time and money. And it’ll make you feel like you’re on a mission, which I think also helps with the general overwhelm that some people feel when shopping at big stores.