On the hunt for the best home decor? Check out these 7 easy tips for thrifting home decor!
I’m a lover of home decor. Buuuut, I’m not a lover on spending a ton of money on home decor. I have a tendency to change my mind and like to switch things up.
I love the thrill of a good deal. It is amazing what you can find if you’re willing to have patience and hunt! That’s why I love thrifting home decor.
That being said, thrifting home decor has not always been my go-to. I used to walk into a thrift store, look for 5 minutes, and leave. I didn’t have a strategy to fight my overwhelm in order to find those “just right” home decor pieces.
Through trial and error (and some questionable purchases), I have learned a trick or two. In this post, I am sharing my top 7 simple tips for thrifting home decor!
Thrifting Tips
1. Choose Your Thrifting Spot
Thrifting home decor became much simpler when I found my “spot”. This is where I always go looking first (oftentimes only) for home decor. I will admit, I was not a successful thrifter until I found my favourite thrift store. I knew it was my spot when I had success almost every time I went.
Now that I have built up my confidence, I look elsewhere on occasion (especially if I’m looking for something very specific that requires more searching). But no matter where I am, my favourite spot always gets first dibs!
2. Know What You Can Find Thrifting
You can find almost anything while thrifting home decor! It is definitely worth taking the time to search before buying new. These are my favourite categories:
- Kitchen Goods
- Baskets/Storage
- Trays
- Vases/Pots
- Art/Frames
- Trinkets
- Books
- Toys
- Clocks (over half of our clocks are thrifted!)
3. Have a Running Home Decor List
Have a list of home decor items that you are always looking for when you are out thrifting. It can be a list on your phone, in your notebook or in your head. Having a running list, or inspiration photos on pinterest, will help you feel less overwhelmed when you are on the hunt. It may also help you from buying unnecessary items (guilty!).
Here is what’s (currently) on my list:
- Kitchen Goods (I’m working on building a collection for our hutch – stay tuned for a makeover!).
- Baskets/Storage (this is always on my list #momlife)
- Books (I love decorating with books!)
- Toys (that also act as decor)
4. Keep an Open Mind when Thrifting
You have to be willing to go thrifting home decor and not find anything at all. Or, sometimes find everything all at once! Each time you visit can be drastically different – which is part of the thrill (#thrillthrifters). Keeping an open mind will also allow you to see potential in other items that you may not have thought of previously. I love how thrifting can spark creativity!
5. Make Sure It Is Your Home Decor Style
Knowing your home decor style before going thrifting helps narrow down items and find things you truly love. I love the term “cozy minimalist” to describe my home decor style. By nature, I love keeping things simple. You can read more about how I see simplicity here.
I like to thrift vintage art, furniture and kitchen goods to help me achieve that “collected overtime” feel against my overall neutral aesthetic. I love how found pieces make a home feel cozy and lived in!
6. Know Where You’re Going To Put Your Home Decor
Whenever I buy something without thinking about where to put it, I end up feeling a little buyer’s remorse. To avoid this feeling, I highly recommend knowing at least a couple of places each piece could go before even leaving the store.
7. Narrow Down Home Decor at the End
Before you checkout, go through each item in your cart and decide if it’s truly worthy of coming home with you! Remember, each piece should either be sentimental or add value to your life in some way – whether by solving a problem (baskets) or to complete a space (decoration). The key is not to add clutter but to elevate your space in a way that is special and meaningful to you!
What are some items on your to-thrift list? I would love to read them in the comments below!
Happy thrifting!
