Bargain hunter and author of The Good Deal Directory Noelle Walsh shares her money-saving expertise and reveals how to spend less and buy more
Reproduced from the January 07 issue of Good Homes magazine. This month's issue on sale now. Subscribe now and save 40 per cent.
'When I was a journalist
25 years ago, I had
a pretty low salary
and a flat decorated in minimalist
style out of necessity, but a chance
lunchtime outing in London
changed my life. I saw a crowd of
well-dressed young ladies waiting
outside a designer's showroom
and joined them. Inside, I found
rails of this-season clothes at
wholesale prices. My career as
a bargain hunter had begun.
'As the years went by, I extended my research to interiors. I discovered that every retail business had its mistakes, its overstock, its last-season designs and patterns. Some shops set up clearance outlets or departments, while others passed products back to the manufacturer.
'Large purchases, such as beds, sofa suites and bathrooms, are where the greatest savings can be made - you can save hundreds on a single item. Here are my choices for the best deals around...'
Year-round
clearance shops
Missed the annual sale? These five famous brands run year-round clearance shops where you can pick up end-of-line, ex-display or slightly damaged stock at bargain prices.
Habitat
(0161 902 0441; www.habitat.net) It has a clearance
department in Wythenshawe, Lancashire, which is part
of a full-price store and specialises in furniture rather than
smaller household items. Find sofas, sofabeds, chairs,
dining suites, desks, chairs, tables and kitchen units.
Lombok
(020 7736 5171 on Fridays and Saturdays only; www.lombok.co.uk) The London warehouse sells some of the
core collection of furniture designs, from desks to dining
chairs, as well as accessories, at discounts of between
50% and 90%. Open on Saturdays only, from 10am-5pm.
Multiyork
(01924 457328; www.multiyork.co.uk) There is a
clearance department upstairs in the Redbrick Mill, West
Yorkshire store where you can find ex-display suites, tables,
chairs, fabric and cushions at reductions of 50% or more.
Oka
(0870 160 6002; www.okadirect.com) At its three
clearance shops - one each in Oxfordshire, Surrey and
Edinburgh - you can buy seconds at discount prices, as
well as full-price new stock. Depending on availability,
you could find sofas, beds, curtains, throws, lighting,
cushions, storage and garden accessories.
Sanderson
(0161 272 8501; www.sanderson-uk.com) It sells
seconds and discontinued patterns in fabrics, wallpapers,
curtains, duvet covers, pillows, towels, rugs and
cushions, as well as sofas and chairs, many at half price.
10 top clearance events
Although most shops have sales in January, you may want to find bargains at other times of the year. Many companies have clearance events throughout the year - but these are not always advertised and you may have to be on their mailing list to receive information. Sign up to these 10 clearance sales and fill up your diary.
- Arthur Price
of England
(01543 257775; www.arthurprice.com) As the UK's largest cutlery manufacturer, Arthur Price of England runs quarterly sales at its factory shop in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Discounts of up to 50% are available. - Brixton Pottery
(01544 260577; www.brixtonpottery.com) Based in rural Gloucestershire, Brixton Pottery is famous for its spongeware designs. It holds one-day half-price sales in London twice a year, usually in June and November. Add your name to its mailing list for details and exact dates. - Colefax & Fowler
and Jane Churchill
(020 7493 2231; www.janechurchill.com) Look out for its annual fabrics, wallpaper and trimmings sale at The Royal Horticultural Halls in London's Victoria each January. - Designer's Guild
(020 7893 7400; www.designersguild.com) A biannual warehouse clearance offers discounted fabric, furniture, paint, wallpaper, bedlinen, throws, blankets and cushion covers. Add your name to its mailing list for details. - Graham & Green
(020 7471 9328; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk) An annual warehouse sale showcases Graham & Green's eclectic and unusual range of products - from smart deco mirrored lamps to vintage embroidered Chinese wedding skirts. The in the near future, so add your name to its mailing list or contact the head office for its new address. - Welbeck Tiles
(01909 476539; www.welbecktiles.com) This manufacturer produces wall tiles made using traditional techniques. Once a year, usually the last weekend in November, Welbeck joins other local companies selling glass, silver, textiles and cushions in a big clearance sale called the Annual Grand Seconds Sale Weekend. Add your name to its mailing list for details. - Mulberry Hall
(01904 620736; www.diningwarehouse.co.uk) The Dining Warehouse January sale is hosted by Mulberry Hall each year. There are reductions of 25-70% from top china brands, such as Emma Bridgewater, Villeroy & Boch, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Coalport and Alessi, as well as cookware from Berndes and Cuisinox. - Osborne & Little
(020 7352 1456; www.osborneandlittle.com) Its annual fabric and wallpaper extravaganza at London's Battersea Town Hall also features Nina Campbell and Liberty Furnishing ranges. Stock is divided into three categories - discontinued, remnants and ex-display - and priced accordingly, with discounts averaging between 60% and 70%. It is usually held in June or July. Add your name to its mailing list for details. - SCP
(020 7739 1869; www.scp.co.uk) As one of the largest outlets for contemporary furniture and home accessories in Britain, SCP has its flagship store in London's Curtain Road, which holds biannual, oneday clearance events. Its sales usually take place in January and July. - Wesley Barrell
(01993 893100; www.wesley-barrell.co.uk) This company designs, makes and sells exclusive sofas and chairs. The second floor of the showroom in Witney, Oxfordshire, always has sell-offs at discounts of up to 50%. Every autumn, there's also a clearance sale with scores more sofas brought in from showrooms around the country.