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Thrifting for home decor allows you to have a unique, character-filled home easily and affordably. Here’s my list of favorite thrift store home decor finds that you should never pass up.
You really can find just about anything while thrifting at your local thrift store if you pop in often enough. We often joke that it really is the best store in our small town because you can find all kinds of really high-quality items at our local thrift stores that just aren’t available in our limited selection of regular retail stores. When it comes to home decor, household items, home goods, and furnishings the thrift store is one of the best places to find items to recycle that will really give your home a bit of character and make it feel like home in a way that new items never could.
The thrill is in the hunt, and it’s worth it to spend a few moments here and there sorting through the stacks of things to see what treasures you can find. Here are some of my favorite things to keep an eye out for when I’m shopping to achieve a timeless look in our old farmhouse. Make a mental note and see if you can find some of these items the next time you’re out thrift shopping at your local second hand store.
Baskets
Pictured above: Glass Doorknobs | Large Cubby Baskets
I don’t know if I’ve met many baskets in my lifetime that I didn’t like, but if we’re being honest, thrift store baskets always stand head-and-shoulders above the rest when it comes to character and charm. When you buy vintage baskets, you often find unique, one-of-a-kind items at a bargain that bring so much warmth and texture to any area of your home. I make sure to pass down the basket aisle every time when I’m thrift shopping, and every once in a while I come across one of my favorite old picnic baskets, or a solid, real wicker basket that I know I’ll want to use in my decor for a long time.
I often give my thrift store baskets a little paint makeover, and the results are always surprisingly beautiful, especially when you consider that most thrift store baskets come to a grand total of about $1.99.
Here’s how I paint my thrifty baskets for a vintage look: How to Paint Thrift Store Baskets
See also: How to Clean Wicker Baskets
Good Frames, Framed Prints, and Paintings
Picture frames are one of my favorite used items to purchase at a charity shop or our local thrift shops. As far as household-goods go, they’re something that most homes have quite a few of, so they’re one thing that is quite common for people to donate when they’re decluttering and tidying. Not only are thrifted frames usually quite inexpensive, they’re just so much more beautiful than the ones you can find on shelves at big box stores, particularly when you find solid wood antique frames or vintage brass photo frames. I make a habit of walking down the frame aisle if I’m in a Savers Thrift or Value Village thrift store just to see what’s available. If I see something that meets my criteria, I pick it up and hold onto it until I need it. I’ve learned that I always seem to have a need for just one more frame on a pretty regular basis. Sometimes I keep the wood frames in the wood tone that I found them with and sometimes I like to paint them gold for an elevated vintage look.
Read about how I paint solid wood frames gold here: The Secret Formula for the Perfect Painted Gold Frame
Pictured above: Take My Hand Print in Darla Vintage Frame | Flower Print | Tub Filler
Beautiful vintage oil paintings and framed etchings are a bit difficult to find in antique markets and thrift stores right now, but I do still come across them, and when I do, it’s magical. I like to pair these pieces with new wall art finds to bring authentic character and personality to my spaces. Collecting these pieces is a bit of a slow process, but they bring real depth and soul to my home.
More charming home decoration ideas: 8 Home Decor Items That Show You’re Definitely an Old Soul
Pictured Above: Gold Lamp with Black Shade | Affordable Horse Print
Mixing Bowls
My eyes were recently opened up to the magical world of vintage mixing bowls, and I don’t think I can ever go back. While they aren’t really technically decor, you can display them as collectibles if you have open shelving or use them to display fruit on your counter. I’ve always felt a little frustrated by the fact that most mixing bowls that I see in stores are kind of sad-looking compared to the works of art that I see people like Martha Stewart using, or they’re just really crazy expensive. I found a pretty great loophole when I started scoping out the mixing bowl section of the thrift store. These milk glass bowls make me so happy every time I go to use them, which is quite often because they’re the best. The shape, size, and weight is just perfect and if you’re in the market for a large mixing bowl, definitely check out the kitchenwares section.
Here’s a beautiful display of antique mixing bowls at an antique booth at St. Jacobs Antiques Market in Waterloo, Ontario. Definitely a favorite place for finding inspiration for decorating with vintage finds and antiques of all kinds.
Tea Towels
Another recent discovery of mine when it comes for thrifting for housewares. Not only are the tea towels at the thrift store usually unused, they’re often pretty old and really high quality. They say they just don’t make them like they used to and that applies to linens and textiles as well. Look for high-quality Irish linen tea towels if you really want to experience what a great tea towel feels like. I often find lots of great kitchen towels in different colors and patterns that I wouldn’t normally buy and set them aside for a pop of color in recipe photos… then I usually realize I really like them and start using them as my regular tea towels anyway.
Wool Blankets
This category has been a real problem for me because there are just so many of these that pop up in my local thrift store. I love these for camping, picnics, soccer games, and just sitting around the fire pit in the backyard. You just can’t beat a good quality wool blanket for warmth and coziness and I have to admit that my collection is really starting to outgrow the little cabinet that I’ve been keeping them in. I like pretty much any old wool blanket, but I give myself bonus points for plaid ones. You may not think of thrifting for bedding and pillows, but wool blankets are almost always easy to wash with great success. Hang them out in the sun to dry, disinfect, and deodorize and you’ll be able to use them for years to come.
Cute Little Tables and Plant Stands
OK, so the reason I say you should never pass up a cute little table is that I’ve actually left one in the store quite a few times, and I’ve always regretted it.
Every. Single. Time.
Pictured Above: Rug | Similar Marble Table | Floral Pillow | Bookcase Lights | Ivory Velvet Curtains
Each time I’ve returned home after leaving a little table behind in the furniture donations area, I’ve always immediately seen the perfect spot for it in my home or realized just how great my need for tiny tables is. Lesson learned: You really can never have enough little tables around the house, and the selection of gently used furniture at your local second-hand shop might actually be better than what you can find new in stores. I especially love using tall plant stands as tables because they hardly take up any room, and they’re the perfect size to hold a mug, a phone, and a pen, which is usually exactly what I need in a side table.
Below, I used a little table (OK, actually an antique ashtray) as a plant stand in my bathroom. It was the perfect size to tuck in right next to the tub, and the beautiful, deep wood tone just brings so much to this space filled with ceramic, porcelain, and stone finishes.
Pictured Above: Tub Filler
Here you can see I used a couple of little $5 thrift store tables to gather my plants around a sunny window to ride out the winter. They get the job done and create a charming and cozy scene at the same time. So glad I didn’t leave these ones behind.
Pictured Above: Wicker Chair | Wicker Lampshade | Custom Pinch Pleat Striped Curtains (use code CH12 for 20% off entire Curtarra order)
What to do with that amazing secondhand Facebook Marketplace Find: How to Clean Used Furniture
Small Vintage Brass Home Decor Items
Secondhand shops, upscale boutique consignment-store locations, and vintage shops are full of unwanted but high-quality brass items that can add a lot of personality and elegance to your home decorating scheme. These vintage items are prized by expert antiques retailers because they know that these beautiful pieces of merchandise will sell, but shoppers can also come across them pretty regularly at their local Resale store or Goodwill thrift store.
Look for aged brass candlesticks of all shapes and sizes, bookends, and small brass figures like tiny cranes, herons, or nautical items the next time you’re out thrift store shopping. These collectibles are always easy to find the perfect place to display within your home.
Ginger Jars
Ginger jars are such classic vessels to be displayed on their own or as vases for floral arrangements. Classic blue and white jars fit right into traditional, cottage, English country, and farmhouse style home decor aesthetics. I used a grouping of a few different thrifted jars and vases I’ve collected over the years this Christmas, to hold fresh greenery and dried hydrangea blooms, and I loved the effect.
Pictured above: Gold arch mirror | Similar blue and white ginger jars
Chinoiserie jars in deep, moody tones fit in beautifully with current design trends, which are leaning more and more traditional, but if you find a jar with a great shape in a color you don’t love, they look great spray-painted matte white as well. I found this little jar a few years ago and originally had planned to paint it white, but just couldn’t bring myself to do it, and now it’s actually very much on-trend.
The ginger jars I have displayed in my dining room are timeless pieces that I actually purchased new, but you can achieve a similar look with thrifted ginger jars and some cream-colored spray paint.
Pictured above: Chandelier | Ginger jars: Large and Small | Lamp | Affordable Horse Print
More inspiration for vintage style home decor: Bookshelf Wealth is the Trend That Needs to Not Be Just a Trend
Blue and White Dishes, Vases, etc.
Although this stuff has been having a trendy moment for the last few years, these will always be classic pieces. I’ve had times where I’ve displayed them prominently and other times where I’ve just kept the collection mostly tucked away in a cupboard, but I’ve never regretted adding to my blue and white collection. Every traditional space should have at least one blue and white piece in it. By the way, you can find the recipe for these chewy oat bars here. 🙂
Thrifting for Old Books
Not only are old books fascinating to read through, but many of them are really beautiful and look great in a farmhouse-style or traditional setting. They’re often just the little bit of character that a vignette on a coffee table or a little shelf needs to give it a bit of personality. I have a few really old books that were passed down to me from my family, and you’ve probably seen them pop up in my photos quite often. I often add to my collection during a thrift store trip if I can keep myself from being distracted by the cookbooks when I walk through that section of the store.
More upcycled home decorating ideas: Modern Decorating With Thrift Store Finds
Best Types of Stores for Thrifting
Thrifting and vintage shopping have become quite fashionable for used clothing shopping, particularly for those looking to add quality clothing to their wardrobe, but many of the same stores also carry items for the home. If you find you like to drop-off at your local thrift store and then go straight in to hunt for more treasures, you may want to look into other types of stores as well.
Vintage stores often offer a more curated shopping experience with the owners sourcing items for the shop themselves. Items are often priced a little higher in these shops, but it can be worth it when you find just the right item. Thrift stores run by charities are meant to raise money for various causes and are often less picky about the items they bring in, but many people prefer to donate their used items to a charity, so there are plenty of good things to found. Flea markets can offer just about anything from larger furniture pieces, to hard-to-find collectibles. Online thrift stores and auctions are another great place to look and allow you to get your thrifting in from the comfort of your own home.
With so many great options available, there’s an affordable, convenient, and ecologically friendly thrifting solution that will work for everyone.
What are some of your favourite timeless thrifting finds? Do you agree with my list, or have I left off something essential?
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.