6 Sizzling Summer Sales Tips: When & What to Shop For

Time your purchases right and you can get the latest trends at the lowest prices

These days, summer sizzles with sales—you don't need to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to score deals on everything from mattresses to home décor. As the weather warms up, many of the best shopping deals shift toward outdoor living gear, home electronics, furniture and seasonal décor. Here are some tips on how to take advantage of the biggest summer trends during some of the biggest summer sales.

Experts say late summer—from about July 4 through Labor Day—is one of the ideal times to find deals on outdoor furniture.¹ Upgrade your patio set now so you can enjoy end-of-summer soirées and early fall gatherings in comfort and style, without paying full price on chairs, tables, lounges or ottomans. In addition to patio furniture, keep an eye on your favorite retailers to catch sale prices on accessories like cushions and covers, outdoor rugs and lighting. Late summer and right after major holidays are also great times to buy special appliances like outdoor pizza ovens and grills—yum!²

While you're choosing your outdoor furniture and decor, consider these 2024 trends:

• Celestial themes: Try setting up chairs and blankets where you can see the stars at night. Appreciating nature is an important 2024 trend.³
• Sustainable pieces: For outdoor tabletop centerpieces, go sustainable by using rosemary sprigs, bark, red apples or other seasonal, natural pieces.³

There are some great gardening trends to jump on for 2024, but you'll want to time your purchases for when prices are typically lowest. Early summer, after the spring rush has ended, can be a great time to get plants on sale.⁴ Late summer is another good time to stock up on garden supplies and plants. Gardeners often start planting for the fall by July. So starting around that time, you'll see many retailers marking down seeds, plants and summer tools.⁵ Stores may also heavily discount their plants right after major holidays, like July 4 or Labor Day, to make room for new inventory.⁶

Some 2024 trends you might want to add to your garden include:

• Pollinator gardens: Help butterflies like monarchs by planting milkweed, butterfly weed and borage.⁷
• Eco-friendly lawns: More and more people are replacing grass with native plants more tolerant to droughts and disease, like clovers. Others are utilizing mulch instead of soil tilling to capture more carbon in their yards.⁷
• Wellness gardens: Turn your garden into a wellness space, whether you're adding a small pond for meditation or fragrant flowers for stress relief.⁸

Feeling rested? If not, summer is prime time to score mattress savings, especially later in the season as Labor Day nears and sales ramp up.⁹ Finding the right mattress can require a bit of a Goldilocks approach: You want to find a model that's not too soft and not too firm, but just right.

If you don't know exactly what you want in a mattress, shopping at the store lets you compare different models and sizes to find the perfect fit in terms of cushioning, support and materials. Getting to know your options in person can also help you pinpoint your preferences if you decide to purchase a mattress from an online retailer.

Sometimes the summer months get so hot that you want to spend more time indoors, where the air conditioner is keeping everything and everyone cool. The good news is that the summer also offers an opportunity to get great deals on indoor furniture. During holiday weekends, you can save as much as 20% to 60% on furniture. And in July, furniture prices can drop by 10% to 60%, just because of the time of year.¹

Some indoor furniture trends of 2024 that you'll want to keep an eye on include:

• Earthy brown and yellow: These colors are trending for tabletops, upholstery and painted cabinetry.¹⁰
• Boucle furniture: If you're looking for a statement piece, consider boucle in a more unique color than classic white or cream.¹⁰
• Seek curves and softer shapes: Furniture is trending toward softer curves rather than harsh lines.¹⁰

Whether you're feeling festive for the Fourth of July or looking for late summer décor to transition into fall, midsummer is the best time to shop for discounted home décor. The Fourth of July, for example, tends to have sales almost as good as Black Friday on practically everything.²

Redecorating your home and outdoor living spaces at this time can set the tone for the remainder of the year. So keep an eye on the latest decorating trends, like:

• Trending colors: Trending colors for 2024 include fiery red, vibrant orange, earthy brown, mustard, pale yellows and citrus or hearty greens.¹¹ Earthy colors are replacing grays and monotones.¹⁰
• Soft pink is replacing hot pink: Last year, hot pink was all the rage because of the Barbie movie. This year, trends are shifting to a soft, comforting pale pink.¹²
• Artisanal decor: If you're seeking a statement decor piece, consider handmade pieces, like handblown glass or hand-carved wood.¹⁰

July can be an excellent time to pick up personal electronics at a steep discount.¹³ Whether purchasing online or at a retail store, summer sales are ideal opportunities to prepare for the back-to-school season. July and August are also the times when many states have tax-free weekends for school supplies and some electronics.²