100 Amazing Thrift Store Upcycled Projects

DIY Chandelier Planter

Gail from My Repurposed Life

Have you seen old chandeliers at your local ReStore? When I visit I almost always see at least two outdated lighting fixtures like the one Gail found.

This is such a creative reuse of a chandelier that I have ever seen! Her step-by-step instructions will make you want to find a chandelier like this one for the upcoming planting and gardening season!

Rustic Red White and Blue Wood Flag

Kathy from Petticoat Junktion

Kathy has so many creative ideas. Every time I see a DIY project on her blog, I just know it’s going to be a good one!

This adorable patriotic flag porch decor is a great example of her work. She used recyclable materials like reclaimed wood and gave it a new use along with a thrift store bell, stars, and paint.

Isn’t this a fun way to welcome your guests on your front porch?

Plant Cloche from a Geometric Pendant Light

Sarah from Sadie Seasongoods

Speaking of light fixtures, Sarah found a way to give an outdated glass light fixture a second life. A cloche for a plant!

What a great idea, don’t you think? Cloches are so popular and can be expensive. This is one of the most creative uses for an item that could be considered waste materials from a room makeover.

And yet, Sarah envisioned a great way to keep it from the recycling bin!

DIY Galvanized Metal Tub Shelves for the Garden

Sue from Shop at Blu

Who doesn’t need more storage and organization? Even for our outdoor garden hoses! Thanks to Sue, we can have these outdoor supplies at our fingertips.

She gathered her old materials like a galvanized metal tub and scrap wood and turned them into a useful garden hose organizer.

Let me mention, this kind of project has such an environmental impact on our communities. Imagine all of the old galvanized tubs being used instead of thrown in the trash heap!

Vintage Clothes Hanger/Frame Photo Display

Carlene from Organized Clutter

Old picture frames are a common find when you are out thrifting. Carlene found this one years ago and has made it over 3 times! That’s awesome, an upcycled-upcycle project!

She used an old wooden clothes hanger and instead of hanging old clothes on it, she decided to use it as an easy way to hang a painted picture frame as art!

Can’t you see several of these hanging in a laundry room or on a kitchen wall? What a fun way to display vintage family photos or black-and-white images of your family!

DIY Faux Concrete Bunny Rabbit

Christy from Our Southern Home

Are you loving the concrete garden and home decor pieces that are popular right now? I am too! You are going to love Christy’s idea!

Christy found a creative way to upcycle these sweet little porcelain bunnies that had seen better days! One of the bunnies even had a broken ear!

Her method of creating this faux concrete look is a good example of creativity. She used a new-to-me product (you’ll have to read the post to find out what it is!), spread out large black plastic bags on her kitchen island, and gave these little bunnies a new lease on life!

How to Transfer a Handwritten Recipe onto a Cutting Board

Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Kristin came up with a nostalgic and easy upcycle with this handwritten recipe on a cutting board idea.

This project shows a great opportunity to pull out an old handwritten recipe and display it on a common household item like a cutting board. This is a fantastic way to honor the one who took the time to handwrite the recipe for future generations!

Can’t you just imagine other common household items you could use for this upcycling idea? Cutting boards, serving trays, or a wooden bowl are just a few things you could use this upcycling design process on.

Desktop Hanging Clock Makeover

Maryann from Domestically Speaking

You will love what Maryann did with a little chalk paint to this desktop hanging clock. The clock was already vintage looking as far as the shape but it needed a little help as far as the color was concerned.

She decided to change the color of the clock so that it would go anywhere in her living room. The best part about this upcycled home decor piece was painting it with only one coat of paint!

Simple tools like a foam brush and painter’s tape are all that she needed along with the chalk paint, for this makeover. BTW, you are going to love her mad skills with painter’s tape!

Window Art with Glass Plates

Pam from House of Hawthornes

Do you know the difference between cut glass and pressed glass? Pam can teach you while also sharing this amazing diy project!

She used common everyday items like pressed glass form the thrift store and turned them into this beautiful window art. Talk about giving thrift store finds a new lease on life!

This is something I love about the upcycling and repurposing community. People find new ways to use old stuff while also cutting down on the amount of waste we produce as consumers.

What to Do with Old Shutters

Cindy from Reinvented Delaware

Yep, that’s me! Maybe you have already seen this upcycled project here on my blog. It’s a practical use for all of the old shutters we find at auctions and salvage shops.

The lighting fixture can be found at thrift stores, so keep your eyes open when out thrifting. Then when you come across an old shutter, you can turn it into something useful for your home with your thrifted light!