A Guide To Thrifting Home Decor: Easy, Cheap, And Quick Tips

Benefits Of Thrifting For Home Decor

Shopping at your local thrift store is a great way to find unique pieces to decorate your home. With a little creativity, you can transform a thrift store find into your personal style and enjoy current trends for a fraction of the cost.

Breathing new life into a thrifted find is not only a money-saving way to decorate, it’s also a great hobby! Many people even turn this hobby into a business!

Know What You’re Looking For

It’s best to go thrift store shopping with a plan in mind. It is also fun to be on the lookout for those one-of-a-kind pieces that you can find at the thrift store.

We will talk more about those random vintage pieces later in this post. First let’s chat about having a plan.

Set A Budget And Stick To It

Most of us need to work from a budget. I like to use cash when I am thrift shopping. I only take the amount of money I am willing to spend. This is a great way to stay on budget.

Having a list of items that you would like to find is another great way to stay on budget. Shopping willy-nilly is fun but it can be hazardous to the wallet!

notes app

Use whatever notes app you like on your phone. You could also use a good old-fashioned notebook! Keep a running list of rooms that you are shopping for and the specific home decor pieces needed for that room.

I am currently redecorating two of our guest bedrooms so I keep a list of each of those rooms on my phone.

Take measurements of the room and areas you are shopping. Knowing the sizes of furniture pieces, rug sizes, and window measurements is so helpful when you are in a thrift store like The ReStore!

organize by room

Make a list in your notes app for each room. Even if you are not currently shopping for that specific room, you make come across one-of-a-kind pieces that would work perfectly in that space. It will be good to have the cost of the vintage piece in a safe spot.

kitchen and laundry room

Kitchen items are one of my favorite pieces to shop for! There are so many options at the thrift store for kitchens and even laundry rooms! Baskets for storage, vintage dishes and bowls, glass vases, silver trays, and pottery are among some of my favorite finds.

dining room

If you are looking for pieces to update your dining room then you are in for a treat! Vintage pieces like table linens, random ironstone platters and artwork can be found while out thrift shopping.

The frames on the artwork can be updated. Look for frames to go with your decor. I like vintage style so I look for ornate frames that can be painted. The art can be changed out with printable vintage art.

living room and entryway

Lamps are one of my favorite finds at the thrift store, especially brass lamps. These can be cleaned and  polished or left with the original patina.

Coffee table books are another great find. Remove the dust jacket on the book to reveal beautiful hardback binding. 

Throw pillows can be washed and reused. Here is a tip: look for down filled pillow inserts. Toss them in the wash as soon as you get home from shopping. The Spruce offers this amazing article on caring for feather pillows.

Look for old candles on the home decor shelves of the thrift store. Melt them down and add new fragrance oils to create cozy candles for your home or to give as a gift. Look for jars that can be used for the new candles!

Small furniture pieces like an entryway table or end tables can be found at the thrift store. Keep track of the pieces your need for those spaces on your phone notes app.

bedroom

A solid wood dresser for a bedroom can easily be found at the thrift store. Keep a measuring tape on hand to insure you purchase a piece that will work in your bedroom.

Keep an eye open for side tables for next to the bed. Often you can find pairs of tables or at least, two tables that would look nice together if painted in the same color.

Bed linens are another great find. Bedspreads, throw blankets and sheets are available. I recommend checking out the sheets thoroughly before purchasing. Fitted sheets wear out quickly since they take most of the wear and tear. 

Look for picture frames that you can add family photos to for a personal touch to any space.

child’s room

Keep the child’s age in consideration when shopping for their room. If you child is old enough, take them to the thrift store and have them help you find pieces to decorate with!

Teach them how to stick to a budget when shopping for the items they want in their room.

garden shed

If you have a she shed or outdoor space, the thrift store is your best friend! I have found so many items for my garden shed at the thrift store.

Planters, wicker baskets, shelf brackets, terra cotta pots, and gardening tools can be found at the thrift store. I especially like The ReStore for these items.

Shop At Different Types Of Thrift Stores

Head out and go thrift shopping! Visit the familiar stores but also shop at stores you are not accustomed to!

favorite thrift stores

It is smart to shop at different types of thrift stores. The big name store like Goodwill and Salvation Army work differently than a local thrift store. They have policies that they follow nationwide. 

Independent thrift shops have their own set of policies. You can often find the owner of the shop working the counter. That means you may be able to negotiate prices for your secondhand finds.

Another benefit of shopping at locally owned thrift stores is finding unqiue and authentically vintage pieces. The larger stores sort through the donations for antique and valuable pieces to sell online leaving the less desireable finds for the stores.

Become familiar with your local secondhand shops. I have a little route I take in our town when I am out thrift store shopping for secondhand finds.

Do a quick online search in your area using terms like: thrift shops or stores, antique stores, flea markets, consignment shop and resale shop. 

Flea markets, consignment shops and auctions are great places for finding good quality pieces. Prices can usually be negotiated at these types of thrift stores.

Check out antique stores too! Many times individual vendors will run a sale on their booth. And others will have their own clearance section!

online thrift store options

You can find so many great deals on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. It is best to check listing regularly because you never know when someone will offer the vintage piece you are looking for!

Use search terms to find the home decor pieces you want for a specific room or project. Add your location in the search field aloong with the categories that interest you and then scroll through endless possibilities!

EBay and Etsy are similar when searching for a specific piece. Add the item name you are looking for in the search field and you will see so many options to choose from! 

Keep in mind, the prices can be higher because someone else went to the thrift store, auction or consignment shop and found that piece.

Look For Quality And Well Made Items

Be sue to look for quality in the treasures you find. The last thing you want to do is bring home a pile of junk! Look deep on lower shelves for the hidden gems!

Search for vintage finds that you love! I like to say that I want “to do back flips about a piece” before I buy it. Our homes are more than a place to store stuff. Let’s create and curate homes with pieces that will bring joy and enhance the cozy vibe we all desire.

Don’t Be Afraid To Diy

If you find pieces that do not exactly go with your decor consider turning them into diy projects. You will see here on my blog and YouTube channel, that I have given so many pieces a makeover and turned them into completely new looking pieces!

It’s fun to do a flea market flip project and it is rewarding to see it in your home knowing you did it!

Mixing and matching thrifted home decor with the new items you purchase is a great way to curate a custom look for any room.

Clean And Sanitize Your Finds

Here are some tips to insure your thrift store finds are clean and sanitized:

• Wash large items like bedspreads, pillows and blankets at the laundry mat. I recommend heading straight to the laundramat with the items before taking them into your home!
• Wipe down hard surfaces with a warm soapy cloth as soon as you get it home.
• Use your home washing machine for smaller items like linens, clothing and curtains.
• Spray furnitue with bug spray before bringing it into your home. Use a shop vac to remove accumulated dust.

Final Thoughts And Recommendations

I hope you found this post helpful! I’m excited to hear about your thrifting adventures! The thrill of the hunt in finding the perfect piece of thrifted home decor is so much fun!

Be sure to comment below and tell me your favorite finds. 

thanks for being here!

I hope you are enjoying this project! Let me know if you have any questions. Or leave me a comment to tell me about your project and ideas!

thanks, Cindy 😀

Tap here to comment!

Youtube videos

Join me over on YouTube and watch the full playlist of thrift shopping trips! We’ll visit so many thrift shops and you will be inspired to go out thrifting for home decor!

Tap the image below to watch the full playlist!