Let me help you find an eye for secondhand shopping! I’ve outlined 10 things you should never pass up when searching for thrifted home decor.
Who else loves thrifting? The dictionary may say “thrifting” is not a verb but I say otherwise. It definitely is to me! Call me crazy, but I spend every Friday after work thrifting. It’s my reward for making it through another week.
I’m going to share my favorite thrifted home decor items to help sharpen your eye. But first, you need to find the best local thrift spot in your area.
I have had hit or miss luck with Goodwill, and in my hometown I used to love an offshoot of a Salvation Army thrift store. It’s important to note that thrift stores are a bit different than “Antique” stores. They often require more sifting but have better prices!
Sometimes I will browse Flea Market booths for ideas, then keep an eye out in thrift stores for items I could make myself! Below is a cheap, simple thrifted home decor piece based on an idea from a Flea Market. I removed the cover of an Ernest Hemingway book and used twine to tie the pages up like a package! This accessory in the Flea Market booth was priced at $15, my version was $1 for the book and some twine I already had on hand.
Below I’ll outline 10 things I never miss at a thrift store to help guide you to improving your thrifted home decor collection.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience which may reward me in the event of a sale. Note that I only recommend tools and products I have personally used and loved.
1. Mirrored trays
These can be great additions to a bar cart or used for bathroom counter storage. I picked mine up for $5, and found some similar at higher end stores for $100+. I use mine in the bathroom to keep the counter space organized and store items I use daily.
2. Candlesticks
There are so many options here! The key is to picture them cleaned up and/or painted. See past the dingy exterior to visualize their full potential. Depending on your style you can find pretty glass candlesticks, antique brass, and larger wooden ones.
For antique brass, I have had great luck cleaning them up with a rag and BarKeepers Friend. You could alway spray paint wooden ones to match your style, or sand them down for a natural raw wood look.
*Decor tip- style in threes! I typically pick up candlesticks when I can find a set of three that would go together.
Thrifted Home Decor Idea #3. Baskets
Have you seen the basket wall yet!? You can buy pre-grouped baskets from Etsy, but in my experience you can typically find your own for $3-8 a piece.
Source: WildRoseCountryHome.com
Itching to give this basket wall a try? Start with a grouping to decorate above your toilet, or maybe your bed. Or maybe you are needing more inspiration to decorate these tricky places in general? Check our my design dilemma series to help find 9 solutions to decorate above your toilet, 13 ways to decorate above your bed, fill bookshelves, or how to style a dresser. Lots of my top thrifted home decor items make it into these lists!
In lieu of baskets, you could also hang natural woven placemats or chargers in groups as wall art. I initially planned a basket wall in my guest bedroom that evolved into something different, but still managed to use the baskets around the house! I use them as toilet tissue holders in the bathroom, on top of the toilet to hold odds/ends, and on tables to organize decor.
Don’t want to lose this list? Pin it here to safely save it for later.
4. Vase/lamps with a good shape
There are so many ways to update, give texture and new life to old vases and lamps with good shapes! What is a good shape? Large, robust, round- see these for inspiration.
Before & After my paint+baking soda hack
But, let’s say you find vases with a great shape in a finish you don’t love. You can use my tried and true paint+baking soda method to give them a blank slate with some texture! I’ve done this to thrifted vases and even a small teacup and saucer. The baking soda provides just enough texture that it sticks well to any type of glass.
I used the small teacup and saucer as a planter to hold my DIY succulent made out of pistachio shells (you might have to see that DIY yourself to believe it). They turned out so well!
5. Books
I love vintage books! They look so pretty to add height to your coffee, end or bedside table vignette. Be mindful of keeping books within the same color family to accessorize together, but you always have the option to turn the book around so that the pages face out to add a neutral touch.
I have also thrifted some fun coffee table books for a great price, covering topics ranging from Rembrandt art, Hamilton, and Paris.
Thrifted Home Decor Idea #6. Mirrors
Mirrors can get expensive! If you can find a sizable mirror in good condition, always buy it. There are some great tutorials floating around recently about how to update mirrors as well. This one from @athomewithmadeline is the best dupe I’ve seen to create an affordable dupe for the Anthropology Primrose mirror with a little Rub ‘n Buff and a lot of creativity!
Lauren at Bless’er House created an amazing vintage mirror gallery wall. I think it turned out beautifully.
7. Wall Art
Sometimes you can find vintage oil paintings at great prices that are beautiful as is. Other times, you may just find a frame you like, or art prints you could always re-frame.
I’ve created my own abstract texture art using wall plaster to cover up Subway vegetable art (the back story is in this post). You could always do this for large scale art to cover a picture or print you find for a steal at a thrift shop.
Wall art could also include hats, plates, cutting boards, spoons, or an oversized map.
The picture above is from my absolute favorite bakery in Jackson, Wyoming, Persephone Bakery! How cute is that spoon wall?! You can click here to read more.
8. Frames
Some of my best and most unique picture frames have come from thrift stores at a great price.
You can also usually find affordable frames from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Home Goods, but they will not be the same one-of-a-kind finds you may come across secondhand.
Thrifted Home Decor Idea #9. Unique glassware
I think glass is so neat and always affordably priced at thrift stores. Whether you are looking for barware, glasses or vases you are sure to find a plethora. I love these decanters I found recentlyat an Estate sale for under $10. They have found their way onto my refinished vintage cane bar cart!
I’ve recently gotten a lot of questions on Instagram about estate sales I shop. They can seem elusive or be intimidating at first, but they don’t have to be. I’ve shared all my tips and tricks in a dedicated post including how to find local sales, get the best prices, and learn common etiquette and other FAQ’s.
Another fun idea similar to glassware is searching for unique teacups & saucers! I have recently started a collection of English teacups after a trip across the pond to 8 cities in the UK. I have a fun idea to display them, and want to eventually host an afternoon tea party with my mismatched thrifted set!
10. Wooden bowls
Bowls are great decor pieces. I’ve seen some neat tutorials on how to sand down very basic or dated dark or orange stained wooden bowls to get down to a natural, raw wood texture. Similar to the candlesticks and vases, you could also spray paint to get your desired finish.
Bonus- Vintage Turkish Rugs are the Ultimate Find!
Hand knotted vintage Turkish rugs can be found scattered throughout my home. I’ve built this small collection over time, and love to hunt for them when I am thrifting.
Like a fine wine, these rugs get better with time. They retain their value, and their textures and patterns have existed for thousands of years which means they are timeless. Often, these hand-knotted rugs can be passed down for generations if well maintained.
If you want to find out more about these rugs, how to style them, or specific places to shop, you can read more here!
Overall, it’s important to be able to recognize decor pieces that have potential. Over time, you will develop an eye through exposure for how to turn your budget finds into treasure! Need more convincing that shopping secondhand is worth it? Discover 5 reasons you should be thrifting home decor.
Sometimes I like trendy decor pieces, but I will say vintage one of a kind accents are always better conversation starters. And I don’t know about you, but I love dropping a humble brag to reveal how little I spent on it. What do you think about my 10 things to always buy at a thrift store?
Enjoy the process,
