My Ten Thrift Store Shopping Tips: How To Decorate On A Budget

Great ideas for creating a fashionable dwelling on a minor budget My 10 Thrift Store Shopping Tips: How To Decorate on a Budget

By now, most of yous reading my spider web log know that I honey thrift stores.
My thrifting began out of necessity, but over the course of pedagogy of the past times few years, it's genuinely acquire something I do for fun. I realize I'm kinda weird, as well as I'm cool alongside that.

Thrifting is basically a beautiful synergy of my 2 favorite things: decorating as well as treasure hunting.

I've been a thrifter for thence long now, that when I demand something for our house, I almost ever attempt to thrift it first. It's really difficult for me these days to pass the large bucks on something at the real store when I know I tin give the axe seat inwards a piddling extra travail as well as notice something I honey for $5 at the thrift store. That existence said, I can't notice everything I demand at a thrift store. Some things receive got to survive new. Like my couches, my mattress, as well as my toothbrush. But, I've learned that I tin give the axe purchase what I demand to at retail, as well as thence fill upward inwards the gaps at the thrift store.

Thrift store's got gaps, I got gaps, together nosotros fill upward gaps.
Anyone?

So, today's post is virtually the 10 basic dwelling decor items yous tin give the axe notice at thrift stores. Before nosotros start, yous demand to know that the thrift stores inwards our expanse aren't anything special...at all. They are absolutely filled to the brim alongside junk nobody wants. 99% junk, 1% awesome. The fundamental is frequency. I receive got virtually v local thrift stores I like, as well as I attempt to cheque them out in ane lawsuit a week. I've been gathering photos for this post for over a month, thence I didn't but walk inwards ane twenty-four hr current as well as notice all this stuff at once. It took a lot of time.

This post is to present yous that the practiced stuff exists.
It's out there.
So, if yous acquire discouraged because you're coming upward empty handed inwards your thrifting adventures, don't give up.
You've got what it takes, girl.

Now that we're done alongside the pep talks as well as prefaces, let's acquire started alongside the 10 basic items yous tin give the axe notice at thrift stores. I'll give yous some ideas of what I would do alongside each one, but the possibilities are genuinely endless.

#1. Dressers

Dressers are a corking detail to thrift. I normally encounter 2-3 dressers every fourth dimension I locomote past times away to our local thrift stores. Most of them aren't anything special, but every thence oftentimes yous tin give the axe notice an amazing ane for $50-$100.

Here are a few corking examples that I found.

I honey this french provincial dresser. It's similar the sassy piddling sis to my older as well as wiser sleeping room dresser. This dresser would facial expression amazing inwards distressed nighttime grayness chalk pigment alongside the existing hardware spray painted gold.

This mid-century modern dresser would survive gorgeous inwards a fun color (maybe coral or aqua), alongside the existing hardware spray painted gilt or silver. I honey the wheels on it, too.

Just squint your eyes until those lamps disappear.

When buying a thrifty dresser, notice ane alongside a classic shape inwards decent condition. If it has whatsoever imperfections that I tin give the axe easily laid upward (like scratches that demand forest filler or a free leg that needs a novel screw) I volition overlook them if the cost is right. When thrifting, I attempt to recollect that I'm non buying my adjacent identify unit of measurement heirloom. I'm but looking for affordable article of furniture that I tin give the axe construct facial expression awesome inwards the meantime.
To encounter the thrifty dressers I've redone, encounter here, here, or here.

#2. Tables

Whether it's desks, terminate tables, or dining tables you're looking for, yous tin give the axe notice them at a thrift store. Here are but a few corking options I constitute over the past times twain months.

These distressed light-green terminate tables are super cute for $20 each. I honey that they are a slightly unlike shape as well as color.

This adjacent tabular array has seen improve days, but if yous tin give the axe facial expression past times what's there, you'll encounter that it has corking legs as well as would facial expression corking alongside a piddling pigment as well as glaze.

Also, I may receive got see the candleholder was a giant tabular array salt shaker at first. I blame that picnic basket.

This adjacent ane was inwards much improve condition, alongside barely a scratch on it. I don't honey the forest color, but I experience similar this ane has some potential, too. It has a sleek, modern shape that would facial expression corking painted alongside some shiny lacquer.

This adjacent tabular array was a corking find. I don't love the chairs, but I think yous could update them a flake past times re-upholstering them alongside some bold stuff (Navy as well as white stripes, perhaps?) I by as well as large but similar the pedestals on the table. The tabular array could survive corking if paired alongside unlike chairs. I also think but using ane of the pedestals every bit a base of operations for a circular tabular array top would survive great, too. The entire laid alongside six chairs was nether $150, which nevertheless makes it a corking deal.

#3. Sideboards & Armoires

Sideboards as well as armoires are a piddling harder to come upward by, but when I notice one, they're normally pretty great.
I of late came across this one, which may receive got been the coolest ane yet.

Finds similar these are pretty rare, but they do happen. This was such an amazing find, as well as I would pigment it vivid light-green or blue, or fifty-fifty yellow.
Although, the cherry is great, too.
As awesome every bit it was, I but didn't demand it as well as had to walk away. It's super slow to acquire a hoarder if yous thrift a lot. Over time, I've pretty much figured out how to avoid those hoarder purchases. If I receive got to halt as well as think about an item, I demand to walk away. You should solely purchase the stuff that makes yous boundary upward as well as downwards when yous notice it. Every fourth dimension I receive got to stride around as well as think virtually something, I terminate upward regretting the purchase later.
Learn to trust your thrift gut.

This sideboard was also pretty cool. It would require some work, but yous could easily re-coat it or pigment it.

#4. Chairs

I come upward across chairs all the fourth dimension at thrift stores, which may receive got been evident past times the fact that I've redone over 10 of them. If yous follow me on Instagram, yous may receive got seen when I happened across some totally awesome cherry tufted chairs at a thrift store for $15 each. I'm certain these were scooped upward inside the hour, every bit they looked to survive construct new.

It's every bit if the universe is telling me to decorate alongside red. I'm ignoring him for the fourth dimension being.

#5. Headboards

Thrift stores are a corking identify to notice erstwhile wooden headboards. I painted an erstwhile wooden headboard for our invitee bedroom and it was a inexpensive means to create a prissy identify for our guests to stay.

The larger headboard inwards the moving ikon below would survive pretty cool if painted. The minor ane is direct from a 1980's beach condo, but its curved shape would construct a corking base of operations for an upholstered twin headboard. I attempt to facial expression past times what's at that topographic point as well as think of unlike ways things could survive used.

(See how I upholstered our principal sleeping room headboard here.)

#6. Lamps

Thrift stores receive got erstwhile lamps everywhere.
I think they reproduce after they acquire there.
All yous demand is a few coats of spray pigment as well as a modern drum shade, as well as yous receive got a corking looking light for means less than yous would pay for elsewhere.

Most of the time, I but notice a unmarried light past times itself. That chop-chop becomes a hoarder situation, as well as at ane fourth dimension I had v lonely thrift store lamps but waiting for the soulmate that never showed up. These days, I've learned to agree out for a pair. The below lamps were a corking find. You could locomote past times away along them every bit they are, or spray pigment them to complement your decor.

The below light has a corking shape, peculiarly for $5. It could survive easily updated past times spray ikon the brass a brighter gold, as well as spray ikon the cherry part a unlike color (like aqua, emerald, or white). You could also but pigment the entire thing. Add an updated drum shade as well as voila!

See my thrifty piddling light makeovers here and here.

#7. Frames/Mirrors/Art
Thrift stores are a corking identify to acquire inexpensive decor for your walls. However, yous receive got to survive willing to do a piddling work.
The below mirror looks pretty outdated at root glance. But, imagine it alongside the frame spray painted a vivid gold, or fifty-fifty a glossy turquoise or cherry (Just because I don't decorate alongside cherry doesn't hateful I can't appreciate cherry done right!). For $10, that could survive a full disputation piece.

I posted virtually this adjacent slice on my Instagram a few weeks back. I'm certain everyone see I was a crazy at first, but I had a plan. I got this giant v pes tall impress for $5. I incertitude I volition ever purpose the bold impress that's inwards the frame (although I volition relieve it inwards illustration I ever desire to do something alongside it), but the existent argue I bought it was for the giant frame. I'm working on a giant ikon for my office, as well as this giant frame is the perfect size. It would survive nearly impossible to notice a frame this massive as well as this prissy for $5 elsewhere.

Although, it's been sitting inwards my part as-is for a practiced calendar month now, as well as it's kinda growing on me. I demand to complete my ikon asap earlier this affair weasels its means onto my wall.

I think it's glamouring me.

These days, I acquire almost all of my frames from thrift stores. Most of the fourth dimension I notice frames alongside mats as well as spray pigment the mats (like I did here), but at that topographic point are times when I purchase thrift store fine art but for the frame. I'm working on a projection correct straightaway as well as these piddling $1 thrift store frames volition survive seat to practiced use. They were originally wood-tone, but I've since spray painted them.

I've also gotten most of the mirrors inwards my describe of piece of occupation solid from thrift stores (like the ane inwards my closet). Sometimes, I come upward across mirrors that are means to a greater extent than unique than anything I could notice inwards a retail store. Just recollect to focus on the shape of the frame. You tin give the axe easily alter the color of the frame alongside spray pigment or rub as well as buff.

#8. Vases
Thrift stores are a drinking glass vase paradise. I tin give the axe normally notice them for $1-$2, as well as oftentimes times they are exact replicas of basic drinking glass vases yous would spent $10-$20 on elsewhere.
My favorite thrift store loves to sprinkle pinecones inwards the vases. I experience similar it's the same strategy every bit Crest attaching a mini mouthwash to the toothpaste box. Like maybe I'll attempt out that pinecone as well as come upward dorsum for more.
Classic thrift store upsell.

I honey to facial expression for bluish as well as white porcelain at thrift stores. Ginger jars are ane of my favorite finds. Some are improve than others, but every thence oftentimes I come upward across a really corking looking one.

This peacock vase was really something I brought home. I'm pretty certain the peacock direct upward seduced me.

#9. Dishes
As yous tin give the axe encounter inwards this post, my kitchen cabinets are filled alongside colorful dishes that I normally notice at thrift stores. I notice really unique dishes all the time. For example, I honey these crystal emerald spectacles alongside gilt rims, at but $9.99 for all 6. Those would facial expression fabulous on a bar cart.

#10. Small Accessories
Thrift stores are corking places to notice fun piddling accessories to vogue upward your home. These brass bookends would facial expression corking on a desk or bookshelf. Some tell that whatsoever decor inwards the fowl identify unit of measurement is totally passé but I squawk at the mere suggestion. These piddling fellas could bring together my nest anyday.
Officially tally: That's 2 bird-puns.

As a full general thrift store rule, I notice tons of gilt as well as silvery trinkets. I think the 2 giraffes inwards the below moving ikon would survive super cute inwards a nursery. I would frame each ane inwards a shadow box as well as add together them to a gallery wall. I also similar the silvery bowl as well as the tiny silvery affair alongside the latch on it.

I receive got no see what that is, but it appeals to my honey of miniature things.

Candlesticks are some other mutual detail constitute at thrift stores. They tend to all survive brass or drinking glass as well as circa 1985-1992, but sometimes yous tin give the axe notice a piddling diamond inwards the rough, similar that fine art deco ane below. You could exit it as-is or spray pigment the entire affair ane color.

So, those are my 10 things yous tin give the axe notice at thrift stores.

Now, let's practice.
We're going to purpose my part every bit an example. When nosotros moved inwards to our describe of piece of occupation solid iii years ago, the part looked similar this:

and after a lot of pigment as well as some thrift store shopping it straightaway looks similar this.

I don't facial expression to encounter this room inwards a magazine anytime soon, but I do think it's a corking illustration of how yous tin give the axe contain thrift store finds into your decor. I did this entire room for less than $400, as well as all of the below items alongside arrows were secondhand (either thrift store, craigslist, eBay, or garage sale).

I've constitute (through all my many failed decorating attempts) that it helps to mix the erstwhile as well as the new. So, I brought inwards a novel chair as well as rug, as well as added a few updated accessories similar some of the frames on the wall, as well as the curtains. Some of the accessories I honey the most came from the thrift store though, similar the piddling gilt mug that I straightaway purpose to agree my pens (previously seen here), the piddling white vase, as well as the erstwhile wooden tray that I spray painted a high gloss black.

And that my friends, is all for today. Abrupt post endings seem to survive my specialty, thence I'll exit yous alongside this:
Go forth, thrift, as well as written report back!