One of my favorite things to do is go to local thrift stores and find pieces that need some TLC. I love seeing the potential in them and transforming them into something new and beautiful. And did you know that today is National Thrift Store Day? Today, in honor of this momentous occasion, I’m going to give you my top five tips for shopping at thrift stores!
1. Look past the dirt.
Most of the pieces at thrift stores have seen better days. They have dust, dirt, rust, and who knows what on them. Try to look past that and see the bones of the piece. You can always clean it up later. (Related point: always bring hand sanitizer or wet wipes, just in case.)
Take this dingy little cart, for example.
It was nasty dirty. And a little rusty.
I did a lot of cleaning, a little sanding, and some spray painting and…
It turned into the perfect bar cart.
One more related point: if you are going to repaint or refinish a piece, factor in that cost to the cost of the piece, so you know what it’s actually going to cost you, in total.
2. Look at the bones.
Look for pieces with good bones. Research the brands that have withstood the test of time. Look for dovetail joints on wooden drawers in dressers and desks. Make sure the piece is solid; the rest is usually cosmetic and can be changed.
Found this beauty for $90 at a home consignment store. Just needs sanding and painting.
Here’s what that same chest in the above picture looks like now:
3. Buy with a purpose.
I am guilty of this, I admit, but don’t just buy something because it has a certain brand-name or because you saw it in a magazine or on Pinterest. Only buy it if you love it. If it’s going to go in your home, you should love it.
4. Even thrift stores have discounts or sales.
The thrift store nearest to us has a weekly coupon on its website. Also, it has colored tags and a different color (or two) is half-off each week.
Thrift store file cabinet turned brand new office organization!
Some thrift stores have frequent shopper cards that, after a certain number of visits, give you a certain percentage off your purchase.
These coupons and discounts give you even more savings! How great is that??
5. Shop for a cause.
Many thrift stores donate their profits or a portion of their profits to charity. For example, Second Life thrift store in Avondale Estates, near me, benefits animal rescue and homeless pets. I love shopping there not just because of their fun selection, but because I know that my money is going to a cause I believe in.
The tripod for my tripod lamp came from Second Life Thrift Store.
That tripod lamp is still one of my favorite projects ever!
The bench I built from a headboard from Second Life thrift store.
Bonus Tip: Shop on Tuesday morning!
What?? Tuesdays? Right. Sometimes late on Monday works, too. Here’s why: Lots of people shop on the weekends. So, by the end of the weekend, the store is pretty picked-over and a lot of the good stuff is gone. On Monday, the store will restock and process new donations from the weekend. Thus, Tuesdays have always been, for me, a great day to go thrift shopping!
Do you shop at thrift stores? What is your favorite thrift store find?
A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.
I think my husband would appreciate me keeping these helpful tips in mind, when shopping at the thrift store. Impulsiveness takes over and tips go flying out the window!
But thanks for a great list for those times I behave:)
LOL Sharon! (I’m the same way!)
I just shared this post with two friends. They are going to love it. That makes me happy. Thanks for sharing!
MarGO!
Thanks, MarGO! I appreciate that and glad that you enjoyed the post. Hope you are well!
Karen, I agree with your notes, but could you share the AFTER picture of the $90 thrift store dresser. I’m thinking it was better than it looks if you paid that much. I always enjoy your projects, and like your color bravado 🙂
Thanks, Cheryl! You bet I will, just as soon as I paint it! It’s still all chippy and flaky in our front entry. It’s on the long project to-do list! It’s got great bones – solid wood, dovetail joints, antique casters.
I have a weakness for pretty dishes at thrift stores, flea markets, etc. For cleaning up my finds, I have discovered BARKEEPER”S FRIEND cleanser. I get the liquid, but it comes in powder, too. You can use it on stainless steel, porcelain, Corian, fire clay, ceramic, acrylic, copper, glass, and enameled cast iron. First, I either hand wash my finds or run them through the dishwasher. Then I use the Barkeeper’s Friend for stubborn areas and then wash them again. They most often clean up very nicely. As I write this, two light yellow enameled cast iron sauce pans with covers made in Holland sit in my dishwasher at home. I got them at a “Fill a Bag for a Dollar” rummage sale yesterday. I have a larger light blue one from a yard sale that cleaned up very nicely with the help of the Barkeeper’s Friend cleanser.
Yes – that stuff rocks! I used it to clean my ReStore porcelain cast iron sink and it worked like a boss! Thanks for sharing that tip!!
Hey Karen,
A great find at the thrift store is thrilling to me, and I really like the gems you’ve found.
I’m not sure I know how to recognize well made, real wood furniture. Would you be able to edumacate me (and possibly others) by posting pics of dovetail joints, wood vs. veneer, antique casters, etc.?
Why is it that to me the most appealing item in the thrift store is the thing that I saw, but decided against, being bought by someone else?
Cathy B.
Cathy, That is a great idea! I’ll do a separate post (too long to do in a comment here) about well-made thrift store or estate sale finds. Thank you!! And yes, always the best item is the one that got away! I still lament not buying a beautiful chandelier that I saw at a Goodwill that someone else ended up buying – I later saw the same one in a catalog for several hundred dollars!!
To Cathy B. My friend taught me the “catch and release” method of shopping at thrift stores. If you like it and are interested in it, put it in your shopping cart. Before leaving the store, make your final decisions. By then you can prioritize and “release” the things that don’t make the cut. Hopefully, you will have left the store before you can see someone else buy a rejected item! : ) We always “release responsibly” by putting things back where we found the item! Many thrift stores are staffed by volunteers, and we don’t want to create more work for them. I hate when I’m on my way home and remember the idea I saw or think of a use for an item I just saw at the thrift store but left behind! Happy Thrifting!
“Release responsibly” – LOL! That’s awesome. Great advice, Karen! Thanks!