Four Things I Always Look for in Thrift Stores
It’s no secret that I love to go thrifting. As a matter of fact, my entire home is filled with thrifted things. Today I am sharing the four things I always look for in thrift stores.
It’s no secret that I’m extremely frugal. I love saving money, especially on home decor. That is why I love thrifting so much. I also love that the items I fill my home with are unique. Especially the ones I buy to give a little makeover to. Little things can really make such a big impact in a room. There are four things I always look for in a thrift stores, and I thought I’d share them with you.
Furniture
There’s nothing more exciting than walking into a thrift store and finding just the right piece of furniture for your room. Years ago I walked into our local Salvation Army and found the sweetest little wing back chair. After reupholstering, it’s been one of my favorite thrift store purchases. I always look for small tables, chairs, lamps, pieces I can repurpose or makeover. It’s hit and miss, and thankfully I don’t find something fantastic very often. If I did, my whole house would be stuffed full of thrifted chairs. They’re my weakness.
Wall decor, frames, and mirrors
I am always looking for a good vintage mirror, frame, or mirror. I’ve been pretty fortunate to find some really nice pieces over the years. You may remember the mirror that I refinished using oven cleaner. You can read that post here: How to Refinish Small Furniture with Oven Cleaner. (Ps, that turned out to be kind of controversial, but it really did take the old paint and finish right off!) I love looking for wall art that I can repurpose too. Especially using them as picture frames. You can see how I’ve done that here: How To Reuse Thrift Store Wall Art as Picture Frames.
Most recently I purchased a beautiful old oak mirror for $2.99. I am hoping to use it in our bathroom! I can’t wait to share my plans for that space soon.
Vintage Platters and Transferware
I have a slight obsession with vintage platters and transferware. Every now and then I stumble on a real gem in a thrift store, and it makes the whole trip worth it. I especially love to find green transferware. I found an entire box of it for $8 at Goodwill once. It ended up being a whole set for four. I was so excited over that. I’ve hung the plates and platter in the dining room, and it’s one of my favorite spots in our home. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve probably seen I started a little dining room makeover. I am hoping to be finished and share that this Friday!
Baskets
Baskets are my kryptonite. I think I need one in every size, shape, and color. I love to find handmade ones, but really, most any basket will do. Since my collection has grown to a, ahem, sizeable amount, I do try to be a little more selective over which ones make it home. I adore the look of baskets hanging around the house, but especially in the kitchen. There’s something so cozy and comforting to it, I think. I also love that baskets are multipurpose. They’re beautiful to look at but become a staple in the summertime for my garden produce. I’ve hauled basket after basket of fresh produce from the garden in many of mine. I love when beautiful things have a practical purpose.
Are you thrifty?
I’d love to know if you enjoy thrifting, and what you look for first. I typically look for baskets first, transferware and platters second, furniture third, and wall decor, frames, and mirrors last. I hardly ever look at clothes, but occasionally something will catch my eye. I still try to keep my wardrobe pretty minimal. Steering clear of the clothes certainly helps that, but my collection of thrifted vintage home goods is getting a little out of hand. 🙂 You will certainly find these four things I always look for in thrift stores filling our home though.
I wrote an e-book some time ago about the transition we made when I quit my full-time job to stay at home full time. It was definitely an adjustment at first, but with a few minor improvements to our budget, we have been successfully living as a one income family for nearly 18 years. You can grab your copy below!
As always, thanks for spending a tiny part of your day with me!
Here’s an image to pin for later…
