Holiday Clearance Shopping Year Round...

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AuntJamelle

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Thought it might be fun to approach the topic of post-holiday clearance shopping as a whole - a big picture look at the opportunities over the year and how they could be used. I'm sure we all have lots of great ideas to share!

Please, please share those treasures from your brain!

Colors to Consider:

Red
– Valentines, July 4th, Christmas

Blues – Easter, July 4th, Christmas (winter themes)

Greens – St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Christmas

Oranges/Browns – Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving

Black – Halloween

Purple – Easter, Halloween

Yellow – Easter, Spring

Gold – Any holiday, especially St. Patrick’s or Christmas

Silver – Any holiday

Copper Metallics - Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving

Striped or polka dot items also work for multi-purposing, most common I’ve seen are red and white combo but sometimes I find others…


Items to keep in mind for multi-holiday/season purposing:

These are all going to lend themselves to multiple uses if found in solid colors, or paired with white or even a metallic in some sort of pattern like polka dots, stripes, chevron, etc....

Paper Plates

Paper or Plastic Cups

Plastic Silverware

Paper Napkins

Straws – Plastic or Paper

Plastic Tablecloths

Ribbons, all kinds

Wrapping Paper and Bows

Tissue Paper

Hershey’s Kisses or other candies wrapped in foils – Separate the colors and use as desired

What else can you think of?


Classic Holiday Clearance Approach:

We’ve all done it – buying things on deep discount right after the holiday to tuck away for next year. Tried and true and totally worth it – if you can remember you bought it and find it again! LOL

Does anyone have tips or tricks for that part of things?

What are your favorite stores to hit after each holiday? Best times to go? Do you wait for deep discounts or go the day after?

What are your favorite things to buy on holiday clearance?

TIP: The week of/right before a holiday JoAnn’s will go to 70% off. So last minute shopping can still snag great prices for that same year’s celebration!


Other Holiday Clearance Opportunities:

Faux Eggs
– Sold by the dozen near egg dying kits at stores like Walmart…I’ve filled a wire basket with these and put on top of my kitchen cabinets as part of a farmhouse décor look. They are also great to use in various crafts for spring and Easter – make Easter ornaments, garland or a wreath using these to jumpstart the project! Walmart usually has a TON left after Easter and I’ve gotten them as low as 90% off some years – and they aren’t that much to start with – maybe $1.99 a pack regular price

Easter Grass - Not only buy enough for next year's Easter uses, grab bags of paper crinkle style in plain green for Christmas gift basket filler. I've also found the plain silver, gold or iridescent filler that works for both uses as well!

Candy – I know we’ve discussed this one before! Snagging a deep discount on candy can be great when you turn around and use them in baked goods. Halloween candy can be rolled into Thanksgiving and Christmas baking recipes. Depending on the packaging it can be used for those final touches on candy trays and inside Christmas stockings too.

Candy also gets marked down after Easter – not having as many ideas come to mind on this one…I think blue and silver wrapped Hershey’s Kisses could be paired with a red foil wrapped candy for July 4th classroom treat bags perhaps? What else can you think of?

Wrapping Paper – When scanning post-Christmas bins of wrapping paper, look for plain colors or colors paired with white or a metallic. Sometimes you’ll find plain pinks and blues as well. I grab these for wrapping birthday presents. That fun metallic blue paper looks like a million birthday bucks paired with red/green/yellow curling ribbon bows! Pinks are fun for baby showers, little girl birthday gifts, etc. I often see white and silver or white and gold papers – those work great for anniversaries and wedding related gifts. It’s all in what ribbon/bows you pair them with.

Wrapping paper can also be used to whip up simple table runners for your own table as desired or for parties of all kinds.

Hair Bows/Barrettes – If you have little ones that love these, they could be a great item to search out when Easter and Christmas clearance time rolls around. I suspect that these are the types of items that get marked down but NOT moved so you have to be looking for them to snag them.

What else have you done to take fullest advantage of holiday clearance items? Or have you always wanted to do?
 
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Minta

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I keep all the paper goods and cups together on a shelf in the garage, all the holiday themed ones are kept in a basket on the same shelf.

When I buy new holiday themed pot holders and kitchen towels they get washed and then placed in those collapsible cube bins and place on the top shelf of my coat closet. All my holiday flags are stored together in a drawer so as soon as I buy a new one I toss it in the drawer.

For those with kids that are into Minecraft .. those left over holiday M&Ms, jelly beans, small chocolate eggs and Hershey kisses are perfect for a Minecraft Themed Birthday Party.

Now is also a perfect time to buy new hats/gloves/scarves/slipper socks for next season. I have an over the door soft shoe rack on the inside of the coat closet. Those pockets are perfect the gloves, hats, etc. extras are placed in anther collapsible bin cube and places on the shelf in the closet. Kids are notorious for loosing a glove or 2.
 

AuntJamelle

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Great ideas, Minta!

I thought of some more things:

Any Holiday Post Sales:

Dish Soap/Hand Soap - Holiday themed ones are nice to snag at a fraction of the cost, whether for your own home or for part of a gift basket. NOTE: Once you have the foaming hand soap bottles you can refill them - I can share how if anyone is interested!

Baskets - Often see plain wicker baskets that are marked down because they have a holiday price tag/label. I got a plain medium green woven basket after Easter that I ended up using for a Christmas gift basket too.

Kid’s Clothing - Holiday sweaters, dresses, etc. Grab the next size up for next year. For girls, often tights and leggings in plain colors are included in the sales that can be used year round.


After Christmas Sales:

Bakeware - Need new spatulas? Baking sheets? Who cares if your spatula has a Rudolph on it? Probably not YOU since you’re on this board - lol! Whisks, cooling racks, cheese boards, who knows what you’ll find. Keep this type of thing in mind when planning a post holiday shopping trip! Either to replenish your own kitchen or plan for next year’s gifts - kitchen themed gift basket anyone?

Cupcake Liners! Those folding paper boxes that baked goods go in! Also great to nab for next year or to repurpose sooner, colors depending!

Food - I always struggle with this one. The aisles FULL of holiday food items - popcorn tins, sausage and cheese sets, nuts, dip mixes, etc. I usually pass it by. BUT there are things to consider if the discount is deep enough for you. Could the item stock your own pantry? Snowflake shaped pasta might be fun in January! :)

Going to a New Years party - maybe those summer sausage/cheese sets are looking pretty good for that!

Barware - Cocktail shakers, specialty glasses, etc. Items like these could be used for summer parties or be tucked away as part of a themed gift basket for next year…

Holiday China - Have you always wanted a set of Christmas dishes??? I really need to remember this one! I used to have a setting for 8 pre-fire and miss it!!! However, I always saw these at reasonable prices at KMart - since they closed I’m not sure what good options are - anyone have any thoughts on that one?

Candles - How could I forget about candles??? Seriously! Love stocking up on these! They keep, folks! I have a candle STASH...fed year round! Need to beef up a gift basket? A teacher gift? A hostess gift? Some are packaged in ways that link them to certain holidays but not always...worth taking a look for sure!

Nail polish and lip gloss - lip balms, chapsticks, etc. Holiday ones go on clearance at Target after Christmas every year - I pick up for myself or to save as gifts for following year - think stocking stuffers!

Bath and Body Sets - These are great to break up and use in gifts throughout the year - or just for yourself!

Bulbs - Paperwhites and Narcissia - have a friend with a green thumb that has a January birthday? Or do you have a green thumb and want something blooming on your kitchen counter? I’ve always wanted to do this - and I often see leftover bulb kits on clearance...

Easter Clearance Ideas:

Easter Candy - Thought of something - Freeze it! Serve frozen snickers to kids in the summer? Use in ice cream type cakes then too!

Easter sidewalk chalk and bubbles - Can be used for summer play
 

jollykelly

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I am always on the look out for seasonal/holiday sales to add to my Christmas gift closet

Winter sales - As Minta had mentioned, this is a great time to find hats, mittens, cozy socks etc at a deep discount. These gifts are always a Christmas staple at my house. In the past I have also found great deals on sleds and other winter snow toys that made great gifts for Christmas.

Spring sales - I always get my Christmas ham on sale right after Easter. It will be marked down to 0.99 cents or less per pound. I get a spiral cut ham that would normally be $50-$60 for $10 or so. It keeps just fine in the freezer. I have also found some great deals at the Christian Store after Easter on everything from jewelry to movies to bibles, and they make great Christmas gifts.

Summer sales - great time to find stocking stuffers for the kiddos such as bubbles and sidewalk chalk. I also use the Memorial/Labor day sale to get great deals on cases of soda and water that I will save for hosting Christmas, 4th of July is a treasure trove of red napkins, plates and cups

Fall Sales - back to school sales are a great time to get wrapping supplies cheap, such as tape and scissors. I also pick up gel pens, colored pencils, crayons etc. on the cheap for stocking stuffers. Clothing staples such as socks and undies are usually on sale and I pick up for Christmas. I buy the candy after Halloween that I will need for baking.....Hershey kisses, Hershey bars, rolos. I take advantage of the Thanksgiving sales to start bulking up my baking pantry.


As for where I shop for the after Christmas sales....I am cheap so I will not go until at least 70% off. I like to go to Target, Kohls, and Bed Bath and Beyond. The only exception to this is Bath and Body Works and Yankee Candle. Their sales are usually the day after Christmas so I hit those up early.

I also find great deals at stores that are not the "traditional" shopping places. Rite-Aid and CVS has great deals...though I wait until 90% off sale is going on. This year I got rolls of wrapping paper for 0.59 cents each, a pre-lit tree in an urn for $10, lots of stocking stuffers (Christmas chapstick, lotion, hair clips, nail polish)
 

tanya

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I shop all year round but our sales after the event don't seem to last very long.... Maybe its our weather and time of year. Christmas stuff is packed away really fast to enable stores to move to Back To School and Australia Day, this rolls straight into Valentines Day, then really fast to Easter. After Easter there seems to be planning for Winter- with homewares etc.... Here it seems if you dont move fast you miss out!

I really only go overboard for Christmas- other holidays are much more simple here.
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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I am a shop all year rounder too.
When I see anything marked down after Christmas I always grab it. I find that like Tanya, bargains are often hard to come by. Once I have bought the item I sit and decide what to do with it. The items are often the inspiration for a gift. For example: after Christmas my mum and I found lovely baskets for $4.00.
Too good to pass up and we decided that we would use them for friends. We made a gardening basket for one and one will be a family games basket for another family that my mum buys for.

For the gardening basket we have added, hand soap and hand cream, gardening gloves, a handtowel with a crocheted edge, some slow release fertiliizer and a trowel. We will add seeds and gardening magazine for the summer when one becomes available, and we will add a bottle of water. For the most part this one is finished.

For the game basket we have bought a pack of cards, a travel sized game of hangman and twister. We have added four fun drinking glasses and some paper straws and some paper napkins. A bit closer to Christmas we will add a bottle of soft drink, some popcorn and some chips and if it needs a bit more we will add some chocolate bars or a cheap DVD.

End of summer sales are starting here and I have bought a summer nighty for my mum and summer pj's for DD. Both were heavily marked down and are now in the gift closet. I told my mum that I will need a new summer nighty for next summer and we got one last week for $4.00.

It is a great time to stock up on sunblock, chap stick, gradual tanner, moisturiser, bug repellent, summer scented air fresheners.
Back to school items are now being reduced so a great time to stock up on stationary supplies, sticky tape, drink bottles and the like. I picked up a bunch of stickers over the last few weeks along with sticky notes and notebooks. I will make my mum a gift box full of stickers etc for when she decorates her planner for next year.
My mum got insulated lunch coolers last week reduced from 12.50 to 2.50. We will fill these with juice pouches and little bags of trail mix and chips etc for 2 young children that my mum buys for.

Often I can pick up marked down items that will not be suitable for any one that either my mum or I buy for. If I think that it is a great buy, I will get the items and store them at home. Just before Christmas we will take them all to the charity Christmas tree in the local mall near our house. This is a great way to help out others, and is a great way of emptying the gift closet of unwanted/unused items ready for the new year.

Planning is a great help. Mum and I have already got an idea of what we will be serving for Christmas lunch and also what we will be baking this year.
I am keeping an eye out for the ingredients that we will need and if I see them at a reduced price I am buying them. We always check the use by date and make sure that it will still be usable by Christmas. Most items are able to be stored or frozen very safely this far out.
Any savings now really help the Christmas budget come December.

I am loving this thread and look forward to reading all of your great ideas.
 
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luludou

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I'm loving this thread too! I used to go more often to the store and always found some things on sale that would do for gifts. Now I go much less so miss out on the sales :(

However, I always have a list of gifts I give with me.... so that helps when I see something.

I bought 3 bags of candy on sale (expiration date is quite far) and I'll bring those to mom for a candy bar at Easter.
 

AuntJamelle

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Great, GREAT ideas everyone! We have some bargain minded shoppers on here!

And it's fun to hear from those of our group that are heading into summer instead of winter and the kind of deals they find this time of year!

Thought of a few more things that I often see marked down - especially right after Christmas. All of the following items come out in holiday specific packaging - the product itself may not be any different. But because the box is holiday it is often included in the sales.

Pair a coupon with the sale and you are golden. However, I've noticed that most coupons for these items expire on Dec 24th anymore. Everyone once in a while you'll find one that goes past Christmas Day, but sometimes only by a day - so you have to be on it to get the combined benefit of sale + coupon.

Paper Towels

Facial Tissue (Kleenex)

Foil

Plastic Wrap

Baggies

Plastic Food Storage Containers

Glad brand candles, wax melts, etc.

Air Fresheners

Snagging these types of items is a nice way to just supplement your pantry stock for the coming year! Or things like air fresheners and candles can be put away for the next time the holidays roll around - they will keep!
 
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Minta

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Roasting pans are also marked down this time of year and are for a perfect gift for a house warming, bridal shower or Christmas.

Speaking of coupons, it will not be long before we bbq sauces, steak sauces, marinades and rubs on sale in the stores and matching coupons appearing in the paper. Perfect to make a basket for the griller in your family.
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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Sadly in Australia we do not have coupons. It would make my shopping better for sure.
 
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AuntJamelle

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Katrina - Boo to no coupons! That stinks! Although I will say that it is really hit or miss with them here lately - no stores do double coupon events anymore and most are for things that I don't care to buy. But sometimes, sometimes they help!

So I've been thinking a bit more about which stores are best to shop at for clearance/after holiday sales. I know that personally, this is a great time of year in the US to shop for clothing. All the stores are marking down the winter items to make way for summer. The mall, outlet malls, wherever, are places to watch for those clearance racks!!!

When it comes to best places and timing of after Christmas shopping:

Hobby Lobby - I have noticed that in recent years they put ALL of their Christmas merchandise at 50% off for 1-2 weeks before the holiday. The day after Christmas it is still 50%. So I have started getting what I really want before Christmas - best pick of cards, wrapping paper, etc.

Then I wait until it goes to 66% off after a short while and then to 80% and finally 90% by mid January. Not much is left by these points, but you can still find some good deals!

JoAnn's - I mentioned before that they go to 70% on holiday items the week OF the holiday. So you can sneak in before the big day - any holiday - and get good deals! Get their app for extra coupons - sometimes they will offer 20% off entire purchase including sale items which is GOOD because almost everything in the store is always on sale!

Walmart - They go to 50% the day after Christmas and other holidays...they will deepen the discount - I've gotten Easter at 75% off before...

Target - See the following link for a great article on shopping Target clearance period including info on holiday events...here is a quote "The holiday items will go to 50% off the day after the holiday. If the holiday involves bagged candy (Halloween, Christmas, Valentines), then the candy will usually start out at only 30% off. Usually a week or so later the items will get marked down to 70% off, a few days after the 70% markdown, everything that is left gets marked down to 90% off"

http://www.allthingstarget.com/clearance-info/

Sam's Club - I am not sure because I rarely make it out there the day after Christmas, but I know they go to at least 50% the day after. I have found things at random in the week following the holiday for 50% or more of a discount. One year it was large rolls of beautiful wide wired ribbon at 75% off, another year is was their bulk packs of white tissue paper for a similar deal. You never know what you might find and it is often tucked away on a back aisle endcap, but not always. Keep an eye out!

Meijer - 50% the day after with deepening discounts the farther you get from the holiday

Here is a nice article about the different places with sales in 2017 that kind of gives a general idea of the type of sales going on each year I imagine:

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/day-after-christmas-sales-2017

Another thing I totally recommend is getting familiar with deals websites - pick your favorite one or ones and follow them leading up to each holiday and right after.

I most often use:

All Things Target http://www.allthingstarget.com/

Meijer Madness https://www.meijermadness.com/

Hip2Save https://hip2save.com/

The first two are store specific but Hip2Save, although billed as "Not Your Grandma's Coupon Site" lol - is more than just coupons. They post ALL kinds of deals and sales - both in store and online as well as freebies - free pancakes for kids at IHOP at such and such a day and time and so on.

I have been alerted to some killer deals by keeping an eye on this site.

How about you guys? Any in store advice? Things to look for? Online sales? Deals websites you can recommend?
 

housewife2

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i shop all year whenever i see something i get it. great ideas on here tfs
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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I have been seeing much the same here over the last couple of years.
Most Holiday stuff goes on sale a week or two before the holiday. If there is anything I am really interested in I get it then rather than missing out.
Most of the items that are left after Christmas etc are very picked over and not really worth looking at. You will occasionally pick up a bargain. It is a bit hit and miss.
 

AuntJamelle

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I'm starting to think about post Easter clearance shopping this year...I want to try and find a wooden bunny, free standing, that is a silhouette type bunny shape. It could even be from the $ store and as tacky looking as can be because I want to paint it chocolate brown and tie a white bow around it's neck - voila! Chocolate Bunny! lol

Anyone else spotted Easter items they want to try to snag once the sales start?
 

sweetpumkinpye

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I have an eye on a few Easter items. I have asked the girl at the shop if they are going to be reduced and she said yes but could not tell me when. They have some beautiful Easter tea towels that would also be great for Spring but I don't want to pay $9.95 each. Will check tomorrow while I am there.

The Summer clothes and items are making way for Autumn and Winter so it is time to stock up on Summer PJs, tees shirts, dresses etc that will be reduced. As we celebrate Christmas in Summer these make for great gifts. I know that I need a new Summer nighty (my mum bought me one for $4,00) and a few more dresses so if I see them at a reasonable price I will get them and put them away for Christmas.

Also a great time to grab sunscreen (check the use by date), lip balm, self tanner, Summery air fresheners and all those seasonal things that are on clearance now. As long as the use by date is OK they will all store well in the gift closet.
 
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MinnieCo

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What you've mentioned about about deep sales and clearance before the holidays is why I just don't buy much anymore. I just don't want to spend my time the week of Christmas shopping if I can avoid it. So I seem to miss out on alot. I think if I spend the whole year trying to avoid the last minute hustle and bustle of Christmas, I just don't want the stuff bad enough to give up that time. A few years ago I decided I'd rather buy a few wrapping papers I really, REALLY like at full price or on sale, then hunt down wrapping paper that is just so so for me. Wrapping is a big even for me, so I'm willing to pay a little more.

BUT I'm a sucker any other time of the year. The past few weeks wal-mart was clearancing out many of their baking pans. I was in desperate need of sheet pans and cookie sheets and replaced them all for about $5.00 a piece and got some sizes I didn't have before. I'm super happy with those finds. I also picked up some shower/wedding gifts for my daughter that way too.
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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Good bargains Michelle. I am super excited when I pick up a great bargain