If you shop at Goodwill often enough, you know you never know what you’ll find. One day, you’re picking up a perfectly good picture frame for $3. The next, you’re standing in line with something so unusual that even you’re questioning why you put it in your cart.
Goodwill cashiers probably see their fair share of strange purchases, but some items are bound to get a second look. From questionable clothing to items that should have been thrown away instead of donated, these 12 purchases might make someone at the register wonder what you plan to do with them.
Used Underwear
Buying someone else’s used underwear might make the cashier wonder what you’re thinking. Even if it looks clean, it’s a pretty personal item to buy secondhand, especially when you can’t know its history.
Secondhand Bras
A stretched-out bra with worn straps, faded fabric, or questionable stains might earn a second glance at checkout. The cashier may wonder whether you noticed its condition or just couldn’t pass up the price.
Related: 8 Sustainable Ways to Get Rid of Old Bras
A Mattress With Questionable Stains
Dragging a stained mattress to the checkout counter might raise a few questions for the cashier. Between the mystery stains, possible odors, and potential bed bugs, this purchase might be better left behind.
Something That Smells Absolutely Terrible
Imagine putting a jacket, pair of shoes, or couch cushion on the counter that smells so bad the cashier notices immediately. Whether it’s cigarette smoke, mildew, or something nobody can identify, they might wonder how you managed to shop with it in your cart.
A Completely Unrecognizable Object
Walking up to the register with a strange gadget nobody can identify can spark an interesting conversation. The cashier may ask what it is, only to discover that you have absolutely no idea either.
A Pillow That Has Clearly Seen Better Days
A yellowed, flattened bed pillow with years of visible wear might get a few questionable looks at checkout. Between the old stains and whatever else it has absorbed over time, the cashier might wonder why you’re bringing it home.
A Random Stuffed Animal
Watching a grown adult walk up to the register with a giant teddy bear or a random stuffed animal tucked under their arm might be a little amusing. Maybe it’s for a child, part of a collection, or simply because they couldn’t resist, but the cashier might still wonder what story it has.
Something That’s Obviously Broken
Placing a lamp with exposed wiring, a cracked vase, or an appliance missing half its parts on the counter might leave the cashier wondering whether you realize it’s broken. Of course, you might have a DIY project in mind, but they have no way of knowing that.
A Cart Full of Identical Items
Showing up with 25 identical coffee mugs, a dozen matching picture frames, or an entire cart of the same random item might make the cashier curious. They may wonder whether you’re opening a business, hosting an event, or know something about those items that everyone else doesn’t.
An Unusually Creepy Doll
A porcelain doll with cracked skin, missing eyelashes, and eyes that seem to follow you around the room might get a second look. The cashier might be wondering why anyone would willingly bring something that creepy into their house.
A Pair of Shoes That Are Falling Apart
A pair of shoes with worn-out soles, damaged heels, and interiors that have clearly seen better days might leave the cashier scratching their head. At some point, even a $3 price tag doesn’t make a pair of shoes worth bringing home.
A Shopping Cart Full of Christmas Decorations in July
Rolling up to the Goodwill register in the middle of July with a cart full of Christmas ornaments, plastic Santas, and holiday wreaths might earn a few curious looks. The cashier might wonder whether you’re planning Christmas six months early or simply couldn’t pass up the deals.
