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The Deals That Only Exist in the 10 Days Before Memorial Day

The Deals That Only Exist in the 10 Days Before Memorial Day

May 12, 2026

Memorial Day is May 25. That means the next 10 days are arguably the best time of year to buy anything that goes outside — and a handful of things that don't.

Here's what most people miss: the real Memorial Day deals don't happen on Memorial Day. They happen in the lead-up, when retailers are competing for your attention before the long weekend. By the time Monday rolls around, the best stuff is already gone or picked over.

Grills and Outdoor Cooking

This is the biggest window of the year for grills. Home Depot, Lowe's, and Walmart all run their major grill promotions starting about two weeks before Memorial Day, and the selection peaks right now. What you'll typically find:

  • Gas grills: 20–35% off on Weber, Char-Broil, Nexgrill
  • Charcoal grills: mid-range models can hit 40% off
  • Pellet smokers: discounts are shallower, but this is still the best pricing of the year
  • Accessories: covers, tool sets, and charcoal bundles often get bundled deals alongside

Don't wait until the weekend. Specific models go out of stock fast. If you see the grill you want at a price that makes sense, buy it now.

Outdoor Furniture

Patio sets, sectionals, Adirondack chairs, hammocks — all of them are in their prime deal window right now. Retailers front-load Memorial Day with their biggest outdoor furniture pushes:

  • Big-box stores typically run 20–40% off patio sets
  • Amazon's outdoor furniture section reliably has strong May pricing — filter by Deals under the patio category
  • Wayfair often runs major sales adjacent to this window

If you've been waiting on a patio set or a new sectional, the next week is the time to pull the trigger.

Power Tools and Lawn Equipment

Home Depot and Lowe's treat Memorial Day weekend like a second Black Friday for tools. Cordless drill kits, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, pressure washers — this is the window. If you've had something on your list, check this week. The deals are real.

Garden Supplies

Less exciting but genuinely useful: garden centers and home improvement stores run aggressive pricing on landscaping supplies right now. Mulch, potting soil, fertilizer, planters — all worth stocking up on before Memorial Day weekend, when garden centers get slammed and supplies run thin.

What to Skip Until Later

Not everything is worth buying in this window:

  • Pool toys and floats: peak summer pricing right now — wait until mid-June clearance
  • Window AC units: Memorial Day doesn't move the needle much; late July clearance is better
  • Patio umbrellas: often overstocked and will drop again in August

How to Move Fast Without Overpaying

A few habits that help in this window:

  1. Price-match now, revisit in a few days. Home Depot and Lowe's both price-match and often have post-purchase adjustment windows. Buy at today's price, then check again in 72 hours.
  2. Look for "last year's model." Grill manufacturers release updated models each spring. Last year's version is usually 25–30% cheaper and functionally identical.
  3. Check online clearance before driving anywhere. Home Depot's online clearance section often shows markdowns that aren't signed in-store.

The window is open. It closes fast.