7 HomeSense Tips & Tricks Every Shopper Needs To Know, According To Employees

Check the stationary section

Depending on what you're after, the HomeSense stationary section might be a must visit.

In fact, according to Joy, "Stationary is the best, hands down."

"If employees don't know where to put [an item], it goes to stationary," she said. "There are a lot of weird things in there that I've literally never seen anywhere else."

Heather agreed and mentioned that if your local store has a good stationary section you should keep an eye on the canvas print art.

"They don't move quickly so they go on clearance pretty regularly and honestly, HomeSense has some of the best prices I've seen for larger canvases," she said.

Timing is everything

Much like Winners, HomeSense receives stock in the morning. But, to get what you're after it might not be as simple as arriving as soon as the doors open.

"My store got five to seven trucks Monday through Friday, so we were always putting stuff on the floor," said Heather. "But in general, most things would be brought out during the morning."

However she also added that if you're looking for furniture, it would be best to come in the later afternoon, around 3 or 4 p.m., "because a lot of the time we have to build it in the back."

That said, every location is different so if you want to know when shipments arrive for sure, just ask an employee!

Smell the rugs

Okay, this might be a bit random but it's sound advice for buying nearly anything, especially rugs.

"Smell any hanging rug you're thinking of buying," said Heather. "Sometimes those things are in a warehouse for a while before they make it to a store."

So, unless you're willing and able to deep clean the rugs you buy, just give it a quick sniff. No one wants their living room to smell like a warehouse.

Avoid Sunday afternoons

As previously mentioned by Heather, shipments usually come between Monday and Friday, so Sundays can mean all the good stuff is gone.

Joy agreed, adding that "if you wait until Sunday afternoon, everything will be picked over."

This means to say that if you're looking to find the best stuff, it'll be worth it to go during the week instead.

Be nice to employees

Well, on a human level you should be nice to all people, but making a HomeSense employee's life a little bit easier could get you the edge you need.

"Be nice to your associates and they will make it worth your time," said Joy.

"The associates get put through a lot," she added. "If you're nicer to them, they'll be more inclined to tell you the tips of that particular store."

A little bit of retail quid pro quo never hurt anyone -- when it's being nice for shopping tips of course.

Shop often

Because stock is coming in an out of the store all of the time, the best things are always found by those who go and check it out often.

"The only reason we found all the good finds is because we're there every single day," said Joy.

While a little more time consuming, if you're after some specific items, checking back regularly is a good strategy for you to get what you want.

"Don't expect to find everything in one trip -- that's not how TJX works."

Be wary of expiry dates

HomeSense often will have food, snacks and things like that for sale, but Heather points out that you should be vigilant if you're buying that stuff.

"I personally don't buy 'grocery' foods at HomeSense," she said. "We're a reseller and I'm lazy about checking expiry dates."

But, items with a longer or no shelf life are typically good according to Heather.

"Real vanilla at TJX is so cheap compared to the grocery store. I guess the same goes for make up and the bath products," she added.