I’m sure we can all agree – who doesn’t love a good HomeSense run? You stop in for one thing and leave with all kinds of things you didn’t know you even needed. But who are we kidding, sometimes the deals are too good, not to. It’s the most realistic option for me to make subtle updates to our home when I’m feeling a change.

My HomeSense visits have become quite a popular topic and something many of you have told me you look forward to seeing on my channels. I was recently asked if I have a “strategy” for shopping at Homesense [you know, since I’m there so much], so here we are.

Now before I dive into that, it’s worth noting that the last thing I want [when shopping this route] is to buy a bunch of cheap junk. So in that sense, I guess I do have a strategy of sorts!

When I make a Homesense trip I’m either going for something very specific or for literally nothing at all. More than anything, going there is a fun little escape after my daily workouts, which is conveniently located right near my boxing studio.

A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Go with an open mind: some visits are a dud and some you score big, it just totally depends on what their inventory is like. You guys tell me all the time that the one I go to always seems to have the best stuff. I think it’s just because I go often and they’re always putting new items on the floor.

Take a few laps: around the store. I always seem to miss things the first go around. I start at the beginning of the store, working my way around the outsides, then working down each middle aisle until the checkout. I always grab a cart (let’s be real) and add as things catch my eye. At the end, I review what I found and make selects accordingly. Do I really need that? Will we use this moving forward? How many ways can I style this? You get the idea.

Must be multipurpose: it’s easy to go and blow your hard earned cash on senseless shit you won’t even like in a month. Instead of being impulsive, there are some criteria these items must meet for me to purchase. I prefer to buy items that we can use more than one way. Things like little marble bowls can be used as simple decor or to store jewelry and the same goes for trays, cosmetic organizers, candles etc.

I stick to neutrals: for the most part, I stick to a neutral colour palette. While I love some colour, I find it’s way easier to purchase items and home decor that belongs in the same colour family. It’s easier to introduce new items, mix & match what you have and continue to switch things up season to season.

MY FAVORITE SECTIONS TO CHECK ON A DRIVE-BY VISIT:

…if I have 5 minutes to spare, these are the departments I’m checking first!

+ stationary & office supplies: I have a habit of checking for office supplies like pens, notepads, file folders, magnets, paper clips like nobody’s business. September, they have lots!

+ candles & soaps: this is where I get our hand soap for the kitchen. They always carry fresh lemon & lavender scents that last forever. I also check for candles. Spoiler alert – the candles are by no means excellent quality but [I don’t discriminate] they have lots of fun seasonal options that smell good and have great packaging. As you know, we like to keep a candle closet at our house, so you better believe there’s a mix of highs & lows when it comes to spending on candles.

+ kitchen: I like to keep an eye out for any unique serving dishes, accessories or oils. They have a pretty decent selection of cook books, too at a fraction of the cost to get them from traditional book stores.

+ bath: I am regularly finding random, amazing pieces in the bath section. I’ve come across lots of really cute marble pieces / dishes that I like to style and organize smaller items in. These pieces will work in every room, I’ll switch them from my office / bedroom to the coffee table to house matches or palo santo sticks.

Any tips I should be adding to my list?