4 Things You Should Always Buy at HomeGoods (and 3 You Shouldn’t)

Our favorite easy decor update? New throw pillows, duh. But for something so small, they’re so. Damn. Expensive. Not so at HomeGoods, where the average cost of a throw pillow hovers around $25. Better still? Most come with down feather pillow inserts inside (which are sold separately from pillow cases at full-price retailers). With a huge selection in every shape, color and size imaginable, there’s something for all tastes and seasons.

Since most of the linens stocked at HomeGoods include synthetic fibers (with some exceptions, of course), we think it's a better bet to go elsewhere and opt for high-grade cotton that will both breathe and stand up like a champ to frequent use and washing.

We’re vehemently against spending hundreds of dollars on a woven basket when you could buy (basically) the same thing at HomeGoods for a third of the price. From wicker firewood baskets to canvas hampers, you don’t need to spend a fortune—and you won’t sacrifice any style.

Yes, we know that blown-glass fish sculpture is adorable, and yes, we know that at $20, the floral screen print seems like a solid option to hang above the sofa. But the whole point of amassing art is acquiring pieces that mean something to you—and we’re gonna bet that a budget impulse buy en route to checkout does not. 

With average prices on chic, contemporary options clocking in around $30, HomeGoods is pretty much the only “showroom” we want to shop when it comes to accent lighting. Unlike many other bargain retailers, shades are included in the sale of the lamp, and most are displayed plugged in so that you can 1) see how they look lit up, and 2) know that they’re actually working. 

While in theory we love the idea of a budget dresser, the truth is that much of the furniture at HomeGoods comes as result of overstocking or not passing product inspection. (Think: a chest with one sticky drawer, or a chair with nailhead that isn’t quite in line.) When you’re spending upwards of $100 dollars on a piece, you'd like it to be perfect. Spend the extra to get something solid.

When your MIL knocks over the cocktail table at Thanksgiving, she—and you—will be glad you spent $5 dollars on wine glasses. Back to HomeGoods, it is!