HomeSense is a discount retailer that's all about the home but if you thought only home decor items were sold there, well, you're wrong and just like me.
I haven't been there in a long time and the retailer doesn't have an online store so I decided to go shopping at a HomeSense location in Canada for the first time in years to find out what's sold in stores.
Since it had been a while, I didn't know all of the products the retailer offered shoppers in Canada.
I thought it was just home decor items like candles, pillows, rugs, plants and accent chairs.
That was very much not the case!
There were so many products available to buy at the retailer that actually surprised me.
Regardless of whether you shop at HomeSense all the time or have never been in the store, you might be wondering exactly what was surprising about the retailer to someone who hasn't shopped there in years.
So, here are a bunch of products — including some pretty pricey items and a few cheap products — that were completely unexpected HomeSense finds for me!
Food
After walking into my local HomeSense and browsing the decor at the front of the store, I went down a few aisles and was shocked to find food on the shelves.
There were grocery items like honey, quinoa, honey, oil, pasta, sauce, baking mixes and more available for purchase.
If we're splitting hairs, groceries are technically part of the home so it's not out of the realm of possibility that they'd be sold at HomeSense but it still felt out of place to me.
Narcity has chatted with former employees Heather* and Joy* about what you should and shouldn't buy along with tips and tricks for shopping at HomeSense.
Heather recommended steering clear of food items that are more perishable.
"I personally don't buy grocery foods at HomeSense," she explained. "We're a reseller and I'm lazy about checking expiry dates. Things like snacks or items with a long shelf life are generally fine though."
The ex-employees also both said that the worst HomeSense section is food and grocery.
Books
Finding books at HomeSense was a pleasant surprise!
There was a wide selection of novels, including classics like A Tale Of Two Cities and The Great Gatsby along with recently published titles, and coffee table books as well.
While I wouldn't buy a book at HomeSense because most of them looked pretty beat up like they've been tossed around on the shelves, it was still nice to find this section at the retailer.
Mirrors
Since HomeSense is a home decor retailer, I expected that I would find mirrors made for fitting on vanities available to buy in the store
Instead, there were massive mirrors that really had me questioning where people who buy them would even put them in a home.
Agendas and planners
Agendas and planners are also products that surprised me at my local HomeSense store, which also goes along with the stationery section.
Like with the books, these items are what I'd expect to find when shopping at Indigo or Staples.
Former HomeSense employees Heather and Joy, both told Narcity that stationery is the best section in the store.
"Stationery is the best, hands down," Joy said. "If they don't know where to put it, it goes into stationery."
That means you can find unique items in that section you might not easily find at other retailers.
Snacks
Given that I was surprised to find food items at HomeSense, it's probably no surprise to you that finding snacks on the shelves was also unexpected for me.
There were nuts, cookies, sour candies, taffy, dried fruit, toffees and more available for people to buy.
While I'm sure these products are appealing to shoppers, especially if they're cheaper than at grocery stores, I still wouldn't buy snacks or grocery items at a home furnishing store.
Birthday cards
Who expects to be able to find birthday cards at a home decor store? Not me!
These cards were also an unexpected find because they were just in a clear bin shoved on one of the shelves beside fake bouquets in the seasonal section of the store.
So, if I wasn't looking at each shelf to see what HomeSense offers customers, I would have completely missed them.
Pet toys
After wandering through the aisles of kitchenware, bakeware and dishware at my local store, I was pretty surprised to find pet toys mixed in there with the pots, pans and dishes.
Not only are pet toys available at HomeSense but scratching posts, cat houses, dog beds, treat bins and other pet supplies are also sold.
Whatever the hell this is
Finding this old-style U.S. Navy diving helmet in HomeSense was a shocker, to say the least.
It was tucked away on the bottom of a shelf in one corner of the store and it caused me to do a double-take when I saw it.
I have absolutely no idea what anybody would use this for or where they would even put it in their home because I tried to pick it up off the shelf and almost dropped it because of its weight!
Also, it's $349.99 which is shocking to me since HomeSense is supposed to be a discount retailer.
If you're looking for HomeSense shopping tips, ex-employees Heather and Joy told Narcity that most products are brought out in the morning, so 11 a.m. is an "ideal time" to go shopping at the retailer.
For deal hunters, the former employees said, "Don't expect to find everything in one trip." You should go into stores often to find discounts on the items you want.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality. Narcity has verified their identity.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
I Went To HomeSense For The First Time In Years & Couldn't Believe These Products Are Available
Source: News Article Viral
0 Comments