Grand Little Place

The best homes are ones that look collected and curated over time, but not everyone feels confident in sourcing items that don’t come from a big name store.  Today I’m sharing my top thrifting tips for how to decorate your home.  Happy hunting!

One thing I’ve heard over and over through the years is, “I just don’t know how you do it” when it comes to how to decorate your home with thrifted finds. Guys this is not rocket science.  But I am willing to admit that sometimes you have to think outside of the box.  Remember when I added those drapes to the bathroom as shower curtains?  Yeah, that was some out of the box thinking.  But using an old dresser in a bedroom?  Nope, that’s just shopping.

Let’s also talk a little about why someone would want to add these types of items into their decor.  At this point in my life and decorating it is probably more about the thrill of the hunt and finding interesting pieces than it is about saving money.  Of course saving tons of money always helps too.  (And when I say I save tons of money buying used that’s not an exaggeration.  The savings is ridiculous.  I recently got 4 West Elm mid century dining chairs for $5 each.  True story.)  I get bored seeing the same pieces over and over and over again in every Pinterest pin or when I walk in people’s homes.  Here I am channeling my inner Phoebe Buffay (I’m sorry to tell you but if you don’t know who that is, this probably isn’t the blog for you.) but I like my stuff to have a story – even if that means it isn’t perfect.  Knicks and scratches in wood don’t bother me, it means that they’ve stood the test of time.  I also love the freedom that a thrift find allows me.  If I paid $600 for a dresser I’d never dare to paint it or replace the hardware.  I’d also feel like I was stuck with it if my taste or decor changed.  If I pay $50 for a quality wood dresser and use it for a few years but decide to swap it up then I have no guilt about that.  There is also probably a good chance that I could sell that same item at a profit after all that time.  (I’ve done this countless times.)  Double win!

A lot of times people begin buying vintage or thrifted decor items to save money.  It’s an easy way to stretch your dollar!  Basic household items, like dishware, can be purchased for $1 or less.  Decorative items come at a huge discount and furniture can be picked up at a fraction of the normal price.

It can be easy to get off track when you step into a second hand store.  Here are my best thrifting tips for how to decorate your home:

1. Shop with a purpose:  This is the best way to dip your toe into thrifting.  If you need a specific item (dresser, desk, dishes, etc) then begin looking for that specific item.  It’s easy to walk into a thrift store and walk out a with a ‘haul’ because the prices are so low.  That can be fun but if thrifting is new to you, chances are you’ll end up with things you have no idea what to do with.  Lots of times though you’ll end up leaving without anything that you need or that has long term value.  Sure sometimes it’s fine to go browse, but if you’re just getting started stay on track!
2. But be flexible:  If you decide you are going to thrift an original tufted blue velvet mid century couch, the chances are that you are not going to find that item.  But if you’re goal is to look for a mid-century couch or a blue couch, or a couch with clean lines you’ll have a much better chance of finding what you’re looking for.
3. Shop with your gut, know what you like:  No one knows you better than you and thrifting is a GREAT way for you to experiment with your own personal style.  There have been times that I have seen an item in the store and then seen/purchased the exact item at the thrift store, but that is pretty rare.  Thrifting is an opportunity for you to think outside of the box.  You may find that you gravitate towards a style that you normally wouldn’t buy.  It might just be because it’s a style you don’t see in the big box stores right now.  If you’re questioning yourself about it I’m giving you permission right now to try out something a little different.  Remember the things that make our homes unique and OURS are the things that are different – not the things that are the same.
4. Be ok with browsing:  Most of my all time favorite thrift finds were found when I was on the hunt for nothing at all.  Most of the time when I thrift I walk out with nothing.  I’m ok with that because at this point I know that most things in life aren’t SO rare that I won’t ever find them, so I’m able to enjoy the hunt of it.  So grab a coffee and go for a stroll.  (BONUS:  Thrift stores are a low stress place to take your kiddos.  Displays aren’t precious and you have to worry so much less about things there so you can give your kids a little bit of a longer leash.  Not to mention that if they have a few quarters in their pocket they could find a treasure of their own.)
5. Start small.  If you’re interested in starting to thrift but feel like you’re going to buy the wrong thing then start small.  Be ok with browsing and don’t feel like you have to find the one perfect gem on your first trip out.  Browse when you have a few minutes or pop into facebook market place for a bit of screen scrolling.  You’re first thrift purchase probably won’t be a big furniture piece, more than likely it’s going to be something that costs $5 or less.  At that price don’t let your worries win out – try something new!

I hope that these thrifting tips for how to decorate your home prove to be helpful to you.  Just remember that great homes take time and we’re all in this together!

Don’t forget to pin!