While thrifting, it can sometimes be difficult to sift through aisles and aisles of items and determine what’s actually worth bringing home with you and what isn’t truly such a great buy. In speaking with expert thrifters, we learned about six categories of items that are definitely worth picking up if you happen to spot them.
Keep reading to learn more about these pieces and what makes them so special.
Silver
You may associate silver with estate sales and fancier shopping venues, but you can easily source incredible silver pieces at thrift stores, too, Becca Meyer, the founder of BB Meyer Design, says.
She encourages looking at the bottom of a piece to identify its origin and adds that a quick Google search can be helpful to learn even more as you shop. Her favorite types of silver finds to keep an eye out for include vases, votives, and smaller dishes that can be used as catchalls. Meyer loves silver pieces since they add a touch of elegance to any space.
Another tip Meyer shares is to not let tarnished pieces stop you since you can easily give your pieces a good polishing at home to make them look brand new.
Books
Coffee table books look stylish all throughout the home, but at $50 (or more) a pop, they can certainly add up. Meyer always makes a point to search for books at the thrift store for this reason.
“Finding interior design books at thrift stores from past eras is a fun way to get inspired and create timeless designs,” she says, adding that she also likes to stock up on travel books, cookbooks, and books about specific regions.
Brass Animal Figurines
By no means do you have to spend years and years accumulating a figurine collection when you can instead take to the thrift store in search of these types of pieces? Whitney Conard, the founder of Thrifty Whitney, always likes to add solid brass animal figurines to her cart.
Conard explains how home decor enthusiasts love to style them and they can also be gifted to anyone who loves animals. The more rare the species, the better, Conard adds. Conard often looks out for desert animals like roadrunners, armadillos, or even pigs.
Original Artwork
While most art pieces can be quite expensive, just because a piece of artwork is original doesn’t mean it’s going to cost you a pretty penny, as long as you find it at the right place. Conard has personally scored some incredible original pieces for cheap over the years.
Best of all, setting your sights on original pieces will ensure that your space doesn’t look exactly like everyone else’s.
“It can be an affordable way to infuse originality into your home’s aesthetic, instead of buying mass-produced art from big box stores,” Conard says.
Vintage Frames
Even if you struggle to find art pieces that speak to you, don’t forget to look closely at the frames in your thrift store.
They can be a steal and more interesting than their contemporary counterparts, Madelaine Mayer, the founder of ADROIT, says of vintage thrifted frames.
Get creative when you think about how to style frames from another period in your home.
“The juxtaposition of a modern painting with a decorative historic frame can be really interesting and the perfect finishing touch for a space,” Mayer says.
Glasses and Barware
Jazz up your home bar with ultra-chic thrifted glassware. Mayer always keeps her eyes peeled for glasses, decanters, candy dishes, vases, and more.
“These pieces are beautiful and timeless and while they may not appreciate significantly in value, they also won’t depreciate,” she says.
Best of all, these items are super easy to clean once you bring them home from the store, Mayer adds. Simply wash them in the sink using dish soap and water!
