CALLING ALL DEDICATED SHOPPERS – Goodwill Glitter Sale Nov 11 – 12 2017

I get Professional Organizer perks. Excellent perks. Fierce and fabulous perks. A behind-the-scenes tour of Goodwill Seattle‘s premier retail location at 1400 South Lane Street last night, was, for the second time I’ve taken the tour, my favorite perk of all time. My NAPO Seattle Area chapter colleagues and I were hosted by a good friend to our community, a senior manager in Operations – I’ll leave him nameless so he isn’t besieged by other requests for tours. But he does a WONDERFUL job.

Shriners Hats for sale at Goodwill Glitter Sale Nov 2017

It’s not enough that Goodwill helps connect employees with over 400 regional employers. Not enough that it provides free English-as-another-language classes to people who bring over 100 languages to our melting pot, and other skills-building courses such as resume-writing and computer proficiency. Not enough that it diverts millions of pounds of materials from landfill. Goodwill gives us SPARKLY. Goodwill gives us an excuse to SHOP. I toured just in time for a glimpse of the bounty to be had at the Glitter Sale this Saturday November 11, 2017, 9:00AM – 6:00PM and Sunday November 12, 2017, 9:00AM – 6:00PM. But be fairly warned, the Glitter Sale is NOT for the weak-of-spirit. There are warriors who camp out all night for the first few prized Saturday admission bracelets. But what you’ll find! These pictures are only one 1/1,000 of the spoils.

Enough shoes?

I love process. Show me sorting bins and I’m thrilled – Goodwill has very pretty ones in yellow and blue. Tell me about your quality control protocols and make my day. Goodwill takes its mission very, very seriously. Everyone from the first clerk helping you haul Grandma’s favorite six-foot-tall vase (the one she turned into a lamp, and nearly burned down the house so then she let you send it to an electrician) from the back of your van to the last person who places an item on the floor has a responsibility to check the quality, rarity, and appropriate pricing of an item. Our guide has a favorite story of an employee finding a 1928 ukulele (sold for $700) in a collection of items from a school fundraiser. Yup, another Goodwill service: donation drives – they send the truck, you fill it, they pay you. WAY TO GO! Goodwill also partners with multiple other non-profits in the area for those non-profits to most effectively make use of their donated resources.

So go ahead, try on a pair of shoes for me. I only wear sneakers these days. Lots of heels are scary.