DIY My x Thrift Store Shopping Tips: How To Decorate on a Budget

Great ideas for creating a fashionable habitation on a modest budget DIY My 10 Thrift Store Shopping Tips: How To Decorate on a Budget

By now, most of you lot reading my weblog know that I beloved thrift stores.
My thrifting began out of necessity, but over the course of didactics of the past times few years, it's genuinely boot the bucket something I do for fun. I realize I'm kinda weird, together with I'm cool amongst that.

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

I've been a thrifter for hence long now, that when I demand something for our house, I almost ever seek 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 notice set inwards a footling extra travail together with discovery something I beloved for $5 at the thrift store. That existence said, I can't discovery everything I demand at a thrift store. Some things direct keep to last new. Like my couches, my mattress, together with my toothbrush. But, I've learned that I tin give notice purchase what I demand to at retail, together with and hence create total inwards the gaps at the thrift store.

Thrift store's got gaps, I got gaps, together nosotros create total gaps.
Anyone?

So, today's post is close the 10 basic habitation decor items you lot tin give notice discovery at thrift stores. Before nosotros start, you lot demand to know that the thrift stores inwards our expanse aren't anything special...at all. They are absolutely filled to the brim amongst junk nobody wants. 99% junk, 1% awesome. The fundamental is frequency. I direct keep close v local thrift stores I like, together with I seek to banking concern jibe them out ane time a week. I've been gathering photos for this post for over a month, hence I didn't merely walk inwards ane twenty-four hours together with discovery all this stuff at once. It took a lot of time.

This post is to demonstrate you lot that the proficient stuff exists.
It's out there.
So, if you lot 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 amongst the pep talks together with prefaces, let's acquire started amongst the 10 basic items you lot tin give notice discovery at thrift stores. I'll give you lot some ideas of what I would do amongst each one, but the possibilities are genuinely endless.

#1. Dressers

Dressers are a slap-up detail to thrift. I normally come across 2-3 dressers every fourth dimension I boot the bucket to our local thrift stores. Most of them aren't anything special, but every hence oft you lot tin give notice discovery an amazing ane for $50-$100.

Here are a few slap-up examples that I found.

I beloved this french provincial dresser. It's similar the sassy footling sis to my older together with wiser sleeping accommodation dresser. This dresser would facial expression amazing inwards distressed nighttime greyish chalk pigment amongst the existing hardware spray painted gold.

This mid-century modern dresser would last gorgeous inwards a fun color (maybe coral or aqua), amongst the existing hardware spray painted aureate or silver. I beloved the wheels on it, too.

Just squint your eyes until those lamps disappear.

When buying a thrifty dresser, discovery ane amongst a classic shape inwards decent condition. If it has whatever imperfections that I tin give notice easily create (like scratches that demand forest filler or a unloose leg that needs a novel screw) I volition overlook them if the toll is right. When thrifting, I seek to recollect that I'm non buying my adjacent household unit of measurement heirloom. I'm merely looking for affordable article of furniture that I tin give notice construct facial expression awesome inwards the meantime.
To come across the thrifty dressers I've redone, come across here, here, or here.

#2. Tables

Whether it's desks, destination tables, or dining tables you're looking for, you lot tin give notice discovery them at a thrift store. Here are merely a few slap-up options I constitute over the past times twain months.

These distressed dark-green destination tables are super cute for $20 each. I beloved that they are a slightly dissimilar shape together with color.

This adjacent tabular array has seen ameliorate days, but if you lot tin give notice facial expression past times what's there, you'll come across that it has slap-up legs together with would facial expression slap-up amongst a footling pigment together with glaze.

Also, I may direct keep catch the candleholder was a giant common salt shaker at first. I blame that picnic basket.

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

This adjacent tabular array was a slap-up find. I don't love the chairs, but I think you lot could update them a flake past times re-upholstering them amongst some bold stuff (Navy together with white stripes, perhaps?) I by together with large merely similar the pedestals on the table. The tabular array could last slap-up if paired amongst dissimilar chairs. I also think merely using ane of the pedestals equally a base of operations for a circular tabular array top would last great, too. The entire laid upward amongst half-dozen chairs was nether $150, which all the same makes it a slap-up deal.

#3. Sideboards & Armoires

Sideboards together with armoires are a footling harder to come upward by, but when I discovery one, they're normally pretty great.
I latterly came across this one, which may direct keep been the coolest ane yet.

Finds similar these are pretty rare, but they do happen. This was such an amazing find, together with I would pigment it brilliant dark-green or blue, or fifty-fifty yellow.
Although, the carmine is great, too.
As awesome equally it was, I merely didn't demand it together with had to walk away. It's super slow to boot the bucket a hoarder if you lot thrift a lot. Over time, I've pretty much figured out how to avoid those hoarder purchases. If I direct keep to halt together with think about an item, I demand to walk away. You should alone purchase the stuff that makes you lot confine upward together with downwards when you lot discovery it. Every fourth dimension I direct keep to stride around together with think close something, I destination upward regretting the purchase later.
Learn to trust your thrift gut.

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

#4. Chairs

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

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

#5. Headboards

Thrift stores are a slap-up identify to discovery former wooden headboards. I painted an former wooden headboard for our invitee bedroom and it was a inexpensive agency to create a prissy identify for our guests to stay.

The larger headboard inwards the moving-picture demonstrate below would last pretty cool if painted. The modest ane is direct from a 1980's beach condo, but its curved shape would construct a slap-up base of operations for an upholstered twin headboard. I seek to facial expression past times what's in that location together with think of dissimilar ways things could last used.

(See how I upholstered our chief sleeping accommodation headboard here.)

#6. Lamps

Thrift stores direct keep former lamps everywhere.
I think they reproduce after they acquire there.
All you lot demand is a few coats of spray pigment together with a modern drum shade, together with you lot direct keep a slap-up looking light for agency less than you lot would pay for elsewhere.

Most of the time, I merely discovery a unmarried light past times itself. That speedily becomes a hoarder situation, together with at ane fourth dimension I had v lonely thrift store lamps merely waiting for the soulmate that never showed up. These days, I've learned to agree out for a pair. The below lamps were a slap-up find. You could proceed them equally they are, or spray pigment them to complement your decor.

The below light has a slap-up shape, peculiarly for $5. It could last easily updated past times spray icon the brass a brighter gold, together with spray icon the carmine part a dissimilar color (like aqua, emerald, or white). You could also merely pigment the entire thing. Add an updated drum shade together with voila!

See my thrifty footling light makeovers here and here.

#7. Frames/Mirrors/Art
Thrift stores are a slap-up identify to acquire inexpensive decor for your walls. However, you lot direct keep to last willing to do a footling work.
The below mirror looks pretty outdated at offset glance. But, imagine it amongst the frame spray painted a brilliant gold, or fifty-fifty a glossy turquoise or carmine (Just because I don't decorate amongst carmine doesn't hateful I can't appreciate carmine done right!). For $10, that could last a total contestation piece.

I posted close this adjacent slice on my Instagram a few weeks back. I'm certain everyone catch I was a crazy at first, but I had a plan. I got this giant v human foot tall impress for $5. I doubtfulness I volition ever role the bold impress that's inwards the frame (although I volition relieve it inwards instance I ever desire to do something amongst it), but the existent argue I bought it was for the giant frame. I'm working on a giant icon for my office, together with this giant frame is the perfect size. It would last nearly impossible to discovery a frame this massive together with this prissy for $5 elsewhere.

Although, it's been sitting inwards my part as-is for a proficient calendar month now, together with it's kinda growing on me. I demand to complete my icon asap earlier this affair weasels its agency 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 discovery frames amongst mats together with spray pigment the mats (like I did here), but in that location are times when I purchase thrift store fine art merely for the frame. I'm working on a projection correct straight off together with these footling $1 thrift store frames volition last set to proficient use. They were originally wood-tone, but I've since spray painted them.

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

#8. Vases
Thrift stores are a drinking glass vase paradise. I tin give notice normally discovery them for $1-$2, together with oft times they are exact replicas of basic drinking glass vases you lot 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 equally Crest attaching a mini mouthwash to the toothpaste box. Like maybe I'll seek out that pinecone together with come upward dorsum for more.
Classic thrift store upsell.

I beloved to facial expression for bluish together with white porcelain at thrift stores. Ginger jars are ane of my favorite finds. Some are ameliorate than others, but every hence oft I come upward across a really slap-up looking one.

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

#9. Dishes
As you lot tin give notice come across inwards this post, my kitchen cabinets are filled amongst colorful dishes that I normally discovery at thrift stores. I discovery really unique dishes all the time. For example, I beloved these crystal emerald spectacles amongst aureate rims, at merely $9.99 for all 6. Those would facial expression fabulous on a bar cart.

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

As a full general thrift store rule, I discovery tons of aureate together with silvery trinkets. I think the 2 giraffes inwards the below moving-picture demonstrate would last super cute inwards a nursery. I would frame each ane inwards a shadow box together with add together them to a gallery wall. I also similar the silvery bowl together with the tiny silvery affair amongst the latch on it.

I direct keep no catch what that is, but it appeals to my beloved of miniature things.

Candlesticks are some other mutual detail constitute at thrift stores. They tend to all last brass or drinking glass together with circa 1985-1992, but sometimes you lot tin give notice discovery a footling diamond inwards the rough, similar that fine art deco ane below. You could locomote out it as-is or spray pigment the entire affair ane color.

So, those are my 10 things you lot tin give notice discovery at thrift stores.

Now, let's practice.
We're going to role my part equally an example. When nosotros moved inwards to our solid iii years ago, the part looked similar this:

and after a lot of pigment together with some thrift store shopping it straight off looks similar this.

I don't facial expression to come across this room inwards a periodical anytime soon, but I do think it's a slap-up representative of how you lot tin give notice contain thrift store finds into your decor. I did this entire room for less than $400, together with all of the below items amongst 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 former together with the new. So, I brought inwards a novel chair together with rug, together with added a few updated accessories similar some of the frames on the wall, together with the curtains. Some of the accessories I beloved the most came from the thrift store though, similar the footling aureate mug that I straight off role to agree my pens (previously seen here), the footling white vase, together with the former wooden tray that I spray painted a high gloss black.

And that my friends, is all for today. Abrupt post endings seem to last my specialty, hence I'll locomote out you lot amongst this:
Go forth, thrift, together with study back!