What I Buy at Thrift Stores (and tips so you can score great stuff, too!)

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of thrifting.  I love the thrill of the hunt, and consider it a badge of honor to find a great deal.  I often receive comments from people that the thrift stores in their area just don’t have good stuff. That may be true, but with a few tricks, some patience and perseverance, you will have the best chance of finding good stuff no matter where you live.  Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite items to buy at thrift stores, and tips to help you find great thrift store treasures, too.  Ready?  

Furniture (non-upholstered)

No surprise here. I always look for furniture when I’m thrifting. The furniture aisle is my first stop when I enter a thrift store.  If you follow my blog, you know that I’ve painted and refinished a lot of furniture. Yes, I love vintage pieces, but I also look for newer furniture, too.

Vintage Pieces

Sometimes you can get lucky and find a vintage piece in great condition.  Maybe it just needs a little cleaning, but nothing major.  When that happens praise the thrifting gods, grab the tag, and run to the cash register!

I found the beautiful oak dresser pictured below, and left it pretty much as found. Gorgeous, right?

Most vintage pieces will need some amount of work.  Deciding whether to refinish a piece or paint it is a discussion for another day.  However, the decision regarding the amount work you want to put into a piece really depends on your skill level, time and personal needs.  

When evaluating whether or not to buy a piece of furniture, I always consider the following:

1. Is the piece structurally solid? If not, is it something I can fix?
2. Is it well made? Look for quality workmanship and materials.
3. Do the drawers slide well?  Sometimes, drawers don’t slide well because they have been placed in the wrong slots, and it’s just a matter of figuring out which drawer goes where. Other times, the drawers may not slide well because they are falling apart or warped.  
4. Are there any funky smells?   This can be fixed, but some smells are pretty stubborn (like smoke), so you may want to pass.
5. Is there loose or missing veneer?  Completely replacing veneer is not easy, but minor veneer fixes are totally doable.
6. Is the original hardware missing?  If you plan to replace the hardware with something new, it’s not a problem. However, restoration hardware for some styles of furniture (like vintage campaign furniture) can be expensive and/or difficult to find.
7. Is there a furniture maker’s mark?  These are often on the inside of the top drawers (but check all the drawers because they might be in the wrong slot). 

Here are a few photos of some of my favorite furniture finds in the condition that I found them in. You can click the links below the photos to see the afters and for tutorials on how I refinished them.

(See the AFTER of this empire dresser.)

Pine hutch AFTER

Night Stand AFTER.

I found this cute vintage drop leaf table below for $7, gave it a quick weatherproofing makeover, and now it’s on my porch.  You can see more of my porch and the table here.

The beautiful vintage poster bed below was a great find at just $30.  

Newer Furniture Pieces

As I said above, I also look for newer (non-vintage) furniture pieces.  I found a great pair of night stands for $15 each.  They were in like new condition, and because I had my tape measure in my purse, I knew they would fit perfectly next to the bed in our master bedroom.  Who am I kidding, I probably would have bought these cute night stands no matter what!   All I had to do was give them a quick cleaning, switch out the drawer knobs, and they were good to go.

Upholstered Furniture

I generally pass on upholstered pieces (and something like a mattress is a definite no go for me).  Reupholstering a large piece of furniture like a couch or chair is not an easy DIY project.  It can be done, and there are great tutorials out there, but don’t go into it thinking it’s gonna be a quick job.  Just removing the old upholstery is a heck ton of work.  Having furniture professionally reupholstered is also quite expensive.   

That said, I have made exceptions. Like this gorgeous Ballard Designs club chair.  It was in beautiful condition (so no reupholstering needed), and new slipcovers were still available for purchase at a reasonable cost (they have since been discontinued). I paid about $80 for the chair, as I recall.  I absolutely love it and have no regrets about this purchase.

The other upholstered piece I found thrifting was the sectional in my den.  Like my chair, it was in great condition, and cost less than $100.  Sold!

I have since purchased new slipcovers for it and also added an extra section to better fit my space.  Even though I have made additional expenditures on the sectional, it still has cost far less than if I had purchased it new. 

Stoneware crocks

I also keep an eye out for stoneware crocks and jars.  They can be located in a number of different places in the store.  I look for them in the aisles with the dishes, vases, storage jars and canisters, and garden supplies.  

Mason Jars / Vintage Bottles

I have amassed a small collection of vintage mason jars, and I always look for them when thrifting. I have enough in my collection now that I only purchase one if it is unique in some way, such as a size or color I don’t already have. 

The blue mason jars are my favorite and they make such simple, but pretty vases.

I also collect old medicine bottles in pretty shades of blue and aqua, pharmacy style bottles that are great for storage, and old dairy bottles.

Linens

When purchasing linens, I always:

1. Inspect the entire piece for stains, holes and fading. Don’t be afraid to unfold the piece and spread it out to carefully look at it.
2. Look for a tag on duvets (usually located inside near the opening) and other bedding indicating the maker and the size.  Don’t rely on the store’s tag for the size; they don’t always get it right.  I’ve learned this the hard way.
3. Launder linens immediately when I get them home.

Both of the duvets in the following two photos were thrift store finds.  

Dishes and Glasses

I’ve heard some people say they are creeped out by used dishes.  As long as they can be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, I have no problem with it.  The way I see it, dishes and glasses at a restaurant have likely been used by many more people than the dishes you find at a thrift store, and I don’t think twice about eating from restaurant dishes.

I quickly spotted the set of 4 Pottery Barn “Emma” salad plates below.  I see them occasionally and buy them if they are in good condition.  I paid about $6.00 for the set. 

When purchasing thrifted dishes and glasses:

1. Check for chips and cracks.  That’s a no brainer.
2. As a general rule, I like to purchase at least 4 of any style.  That said, I do grab smaller quantities of pieces that I collect and look for regularly.
3. Sets often get separated at the store.  Always thoroughly check the shelves for additional pieces in the same pattern. Sometimes they even end up in an entirely different aisle. 
4. When sets are taped together (like the Emma plates above), don’t be afraid to remove the tape to examine each plate individually.  Sometimes stores get sneaky and slip a chipped plate in with the bunch. Yep, I learned this one the hard way, too.

I  created a pretty outdoor table setting below using thrifted Emma plates, thrifted lions head soup bowls, and vintage blue goblets.

Here is another table setting using vintage plates, thrifted wine glasses, and a thrifted ice bowl.

Baskets and Hats

There seems to be an endless supply of cute hats and baskets at thrift stores.  And, they are most often quite reasonably priced.  I like to decorate with hats and baskets to add texture, and they are beautiful and functional as well.  

I use thrifted baskets to store supplies and books on my office shelves. 

Art

There is also no shortage of artwork and frames at thrift stores, but finding something you like can take a bit of time and digging. My favorites are hand painted, one of a kind pieces, like those below.  Look for art with colors you love, and subjects that speak to you.  I think portraits are always so interesting and beautiful, and I grab those when I see them.

Final Tips

1. Shop early. I try to go early in the day when the stores are less crowded and shelves have fresh merchandise.
2. Go often.  I think this is really key.  I try to stop in to my favorite thrift shops several times a week. Many times I leave with nothing, but patience and perseverance pay off.
3. Branch out. Visit thrift stores in various neighborhoods or even other nearby cities and towns.  You will soon figure out which stores have the best merchandise.
4. Shop the sales. Many thrift stores like the Goodwill have weekly specials.  The Goodwill posts them on their website so I can check in advance.
5. Avoid weekends.  Weekend shopping can get crazy.  I try to stick to weekdays, if I can.
6. Shop prepared. Have measurements of your space on hand and bring a tape measure so there’s no guessing if a piece will fit. I keep a small tape measure in my purse at all times. Bring reading glasses (or a magnifying glass) to read small marks on the back of dishes and serve ware. Bring wipes because, well, some pieces can be gross. 
7. Have an open mind. The beauty of thrifting is discovering something you didn’t even know you were looking for.  Just make sure you love it and you have a place for it so it doesn’t become clutter.
8. If you love it, buy it. If you wait, there is a good chance it won’t be there when you come back.  You can also ask the store to put a hold on the item for you, which many will happily do.  
9. Give back.  It’s easy to drop off donations on your way into the store.  That way, you can make room for your new treasures! It’s a win win.

I hope you found my thrifting tips helpful.  I would love to hear about your favorite thrift store finds and any tips you have!

Susan