I love shopping at thrift stores and have been doing so for many years now. It is SUCH a great way to save money, and also just so fun – finding a diamond in the rough is the best feeling, and it’s icing on the cake when you realize the thing you found costs just a few dollars!
Here are 10 things you can always find at thrift stores that’ll help make your home or wardrobe super cute for a fraction of the price of retail.
This post is all about 10 awesome things you should always look for at thrift stores.
1. Candles
Candles can be really expensive, but at thrift stores, you can find great candles (that actually last and smell great!) for a really low price. Don’t get me wrong, I loveeee a good candle from TJ Maxx, Yankee Candle, etc., but every now and then it’s nice to save a little money and find a great candle for your home at just a fraction of the cost.
Most recently, I found these three cute little candles for $2 total:
And this one for just 50 cents:
2. Wall Art / Decor
If you have a bare wall in your home that you’d love to fill up with art, your local thrift store may just have the thing you need. It’s no secret that home decor can be expensive, but luckily, your local thrift store likely offers a bunch of wall art at just a few dollars a piece!
I found all 4 of these pieces on my most recent thrift store run:
I stumbled upon this Marilyn Monroe piece for just $6:
I bought this piece for just $3:
And this NYC style frame for $4:
And lastly, this piece for $5:
But I painted the frame gold with paint from Michaels that cost me $2.13:
And don’t be afraid to upcycle the things you find at thrift stores – it can make for a fun DIY project!
3. Clothing
You should be sure to always check the clothing racks at your local thrift store, because you never know what you’ll find. You may just stumble upon a completely unique piece that’d be the perfect addition to your wardrobe.
Here’s a pro-tip if you are currently paying off debt: Perusing the clothing section at thrift stores, even if you aren’t looking for anything for yourself, can be beneficial for you, too. Here’s why: if you find a piece of clothing that is high quality, but maybe not something you need/want personally, you can sell it online for a profit on Poshmark, Mercari, eBay, etc. to make a little extra money to put toward your debt. Reselling helped me make an extra couple hundred dollars during my debt free journey, and I had a lot of fun searching for clothing items to resell, too.
4. Shoes
The shoe section can be great as well. Whether you are looking for sandals, boots, heels or anything in between, thrift stores often have a wide variety of options. And again, if you are interested in reselling, this is a great spot to look for items to sell, too.
5. Lamps
Thrift stores typically have lamps galore, as well as a ton of lamp shades! The next time you need a lamp, other than buying something brand new that can be much more expensive, stop by your local thrift store to check out what they have in stock.
6. Vases / Glassware
There is always a ton of glassware at thrift stores. My local thrift store has an entire wall dedicated to just glassware alone! You can find glasses for your kitchen, shot glasses, vases, mason jars, etc. if you spend a little time looking.
Most recently I found a glass trivet that I’ve put one of my plants on for $1.50:
As well as a large mason jar that I am going to use as a flower vase for $1.00:
And this decor piece for my kitchen for just $1.00:
7. Picture Frames
There are usually a ton of frames, both old and new, at thrift stores. If you have pictures around your house that are needing frames – try looking at thrift stores before you head to Amazon or TJ Maxx! You can usually find quality picture frames for very low prices.
8. Books
I have seen a ton of New York Times Bestselling books at thrift stores over the years (even ones that were just recently released!) as well as older classics. You may even stumble upon magazines, cookbooks, CDs, records and stationary near your thrift store’s book section, too.
9. Mirrors
Mirrors are a great buy for décor purposes – and are just fun to have in the house in general. You can find all different shapes and types of mirrors and then even upcycle them by painting the frames.
At the top left of this picture, you can see a mirror I recently purchased at a thrift store for just $8:
10. Furniture
Thrift stores usually have a bunch of furniture for a really great price. If I’m not getting furniture handed down to me from family, my local thrift store is the first place I go when I need something for my house. Make sure to check your thrift store first if you need furniture and don’t forget that you can always spruce it up later with a little DIY!
This post was all about 10 awesome things you should always look for at thrift stores.
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