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Packs of AA batteries, birthday cards, reading glasses, movie-night candy: They’re just a few of the money-saving finds dollar stores regularly stock. But these deep discount stores are also chock-full of organizational items and home goods, and while the expression “you get what you pay for” certainly applies to some of the inventory, there are actually several items designers agree are worth stocking up on if you spot them in the aisles of your local dollar store.
A general rule: “When shopping at a discount store, keep an open mind and an eye out for quality,” Megan Pflug of Megan Pflug Designs says. “Look for small-scale items made of natural materials, rope, wood, metal, or glass, and stay away from plastic or composite wood products.”
Ahead, designers give us their two cents on the best dollar store finds. Keep reading for the eight items at discount stores they never pass up.
For more designer-vetted deals:
- A Dozen Things Designers ALWAYS Buy at HomeGoods
- 10 Steals Interior Designers ALWAYS Buy at Costco
- 17 Things Designers ALWAYS Buy at Wayfair
Designers shop the dollar store for candles, but they’re picky about which ones they put in their basket. Tea lights are often an item that the dollar store has in spades, says Pflug, who is based in upstate New York. You might also be able to source some small jelly jars or glass tumblers that could double as holders, she says.
Pillar and taper candles are also worth seeking out at dollar stores, says Morgan DiRocco, cofounder and designer at Kindred Interior Design, a Connecticut-based interior design company that works with clients across the country. “You don’t necessarily need to light them to have them add to your home’s ambiance,” she adds. DiRocco’s tip: Place them in a corner that needs some height.
Christiane Lemieux, a designer and founder of the luxury home brand Lemieux et Cie, recommends candles of all kinds, from votive to pillar, with one exception: “Never buy the scented ones—you don’t want that at a discount.”
Related: 15 Best Candle Brands to Buy, According to Editors
Small trash cans are common finds at discount stores, Pflug says, but you can also get creative with what’s in stock. “A basket or a metal planter can double as a waste-paper basket in a powder room,” she says.
Related: 15 Stylish Kitchen Trash Cans We Love
From champagne flutes to stemless wineglasses, beer mugs, and cooler glasses, dollar stores are well stocked with glassware, which makes it easy to put together a bar cart on a budget with a proper collection of glassware, says Allanah Barnes, interior designer and renovation advisor at Freemodel, a presale home renovation company.
Plastic tumblers are also a mainstay in dollar store aisles, and are great for alfresco dinners when you’re hauling dishes back to the kitchen to wash and you don’t want to break anything special.
Related: Shop Amazon's Trending Colorful Glassware Section
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Stock up on stackable planters each spring when they make their way to the front of dollar stores, suggests Barnes. They tend to be much cheaper than the ones you’ll find at home stores, though you may need to drill some drain holes in the bottom. Dollar stores usually stock these in neutral colors, and they’re great for growing your own herbs.
Related: 20 Best Indoor Flower Pots
If you see ceramic fragrance warmers or incense holders at the dollar store, snap them up because they often cost 10 times the price at other stores, Barnes says. Then splurge on what matters: Higher quality wax melts or incense sticks, she says.
Related: Where to Buy the Viral Candle Warmer Lamp
When DiRocco is shopping for picture frames at discount stores, she looks for ones that are a bit unique.
“Faux leather wrapped, wood, ornate gold—we have seen some adorable and affordable options that add a touch of interest to whenever you decide to place them,” she says.
Related: 14 Best Cheap Picture Frames
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Don’t overlook these large bowls when you see them in the discount store aisle, DiRocco says. “They can hold lemons on a table to add some color or moss balls on an entry table for texture, or even be used when hosting a dinner party,” she says. “The versatility of a large bowl is unmatched.”
Related: 15 Easy Dining Table Decorating and Styling Ideas
Whether they’re paper or fabric, discount stores often sell gorgeous napkins that are great for styling a tablescape, says Lemieux.
Related: How to Fold a Napkin Six Ways
