15 What to Buy at the Thrift Store for Home Decor

What to Buy at the Thrift Store for Home Decor is the question friends ask me most, usually while standing in an aisle full of things that all look like bargains. After years of thrift runs, I have a short list I trust: solid materials, classic shapes, and pieces that need at most one easy fix. Everything below passes that test, and I have bought every category here myself, sometimes more than once. Use these fifteen picks as your shopping list, and you will leave the store with pieces that look thoughtful instead of random.

How this list is grouped: first the wood and metal pieces that last for decades, then the soft goods worth a careful look, and finally the pieces that need one small fix to shine.

1. Solid Wood Frames in Odd Sizes

A solid Wood Frames in Odd Sizes earns its place fast, because it works in more than one room and pairs with furniture you probably own already. First, sniff it, lift it, and open anything that opens, since weight and smell tell you more than looks do. Then, wash it, sand any rough edge, and add a liner or felt pads where it will touch floors or shelves. I learned this the hard way after bringing home a piece that smelled fine in the store and not at all at home. A quick sniff test in daylight has kept me from repeating that mistake. Put it where guests actually see it, not in a spare room, because a good thrift find deserves daily use.

Cost: ~$8 | Time: 150 minutes

2. Brass Candlesticks and Candle Holders

If you have never tried a brass Candlesticks and Candle Holders, start with the cheapest solid one you can find, since the first try teaches you more than any guide. First, compare the thrift price with what the same thing costs new, including paint or fabric if it needs a refresh. Then, buy only if the total still lands well under half the new price. The one I kept longest cost under ten dollars and needed only a wash and new knobs. Fancy finds I paid more for never got the same daily use. When the room feels full, move this piece to another room for a month, and you will see it with fresh eyes. It pairs well with (see also: thrift-store-shopping-tips) in the same room.

Cost: ~$11 | Time: 46 minutes

3. Ceramic Vases in Neutral Glazes

A ceramic Vases in Neutral Glazes is the kind of thrift find that looks plain on the shelf and brilliant at home, once you style it with things you already own. First, bring it home and live with it plain for a day, so you see how the light hits it. Then, make one change at a time, starting with the change that fixes the biggest flaw. I once bought three of these in one week because they were cheap, and two never found a spot. Now I buy one, place it, and wait a week before hunting the next. Pair it with warm wood and one green plant, and the whole corner looks planned rather than patched together.

Cost: ~$14 | Time: 63 minutes

4. Linen Curtains Worth a Second Look

I look for a linen Curtains Worth a Second Look on nearly every thrift run, because it solves a real problem at home for a few dollars instead of a full store price. First, measure the spot at home and take a photo of it, so you do not haul home the wrong size. Then, clean the piece well and fix anything loose before you style it. A friend talked me out of passing on a scuffed one, and that piece is still in our entryway. Scuffs sand out, but a solid frame at that price does not come around often. Keep the rest of the surface simple, so this piece stays the star instead of fighting three other thrift finds for attention. Save this idea for your next thrift run.

Cost: ~$17 | Time: 80 minutes

5. Real Wooden Crates and Boxes

When a real Wooden Crates and Boxes shows up at a thrift store, I check it the same way every time: solid frame, no smell, and a size that fits a spot I already have in mind. First, check the joints, the underside, and any moving parts, and walk away if the damage is structural. Then, give it a deep clean and one simple upgrade, like new hardware or a fresh finish. I tried this with one I almost left behind, and it now sits in our living room getting compliments. My early mistake was buying on looks alone, so I never skip the underside check anymore. Swap the styling with the seasons, and the same piece looks new again without spending another dollar.

Cost: ~$20 | Time: 97 minutes

6. Cast-Iron Bookends and Doorstops

The best version of a cast-Iron Bookends and Doorstops is rarely the prettiest one on the shelf, since a quick clean and one small fix usually beat a perfect-looking piece that costs five times more. First, decide exactly where it will live and what job it has to do there. Then, clean it, repair the obvious flaws, and test it in that spot for a few days. My first attempt went wrong because I skipped measuring, which cost me two return trips and one very annoyed afternoon. Now the tape measure lives in my car. If it wobbles or squeaks after a week, tighten it again before you blame the piece, since thrift joints often settle after the move home.

Cost: ~$23 | Time: 114 minutes

7. Woven Rugs Without Stains or Smell

A woven Rugs Without Stains or Smell earns its place fast, because it works in more than one room and pairs with furniture you probably own already. First, sniff it, lift it, and open anything that opens, since weight and smell tell you more than looks do. Then, wash it, sand any rough edge, and add a liner or felt pads where it will touch floors or shelves. I learned this the hard way after bringing home a piece that smelled fine in the store and not at all at home. A quick sniff test in daylight has kept me from repeating that mistake. Put it where guests actually see it, not in a spare room, because a good thrift find deserves daily use. It pairs well with (see also: budget-home-decor-finds) in the same room.

Cost: ~$5 | Time: 131 minutes

8. Glass Decanters and Simple Stemware

If you have never tried a glass Decanters and Simple Stemware, start with the cheapest solid one you can find, since the first try teaches you more than any guide. First, compare the thrift price with what the same thing costs new, including paint or fabric if it needs a refresh. Then, buy only if the total still lands well under half the new price. The one I kept longest cost under ten dollars and needed only a wash and new knobs. Fancy finds I paid more for never got the same daily use. When the room feels full, move this piece to another room for a month, and you will see it with fresh eyes.

Cost: ~$8 | Time: 148 minutes

9. Wooden Bowls and Serving Boards

A wooden Bowls and Serving Boards is the kind of thrift find that looks plain on the shelf and brilliant at home, once you style it with things you already own. First, bring it home and live with it plain for a day, so you see how the light hits it. Then, make one change at a time, starting with the change that fixes the biggest flaw. I once bought three of these in one week because they were cheap, and two never found a spot. Now I buy one, place it, and wait a week before hunting the next. Pair it with warm wood and one green plant, and the whole corner looks planned rather than patched together.

Cost: ~$11 | Time: 165 minutes

10. Lamps With Good Bones and Bad Shades

I look for a lamps With Good Bones and Bad Shades on nearly every thrift run, because it solves a real problem at home for a few dollars instead of a full store price. First, measure the spot at home and take a photo of it, so you do not haul home the wrong size. Then, clean the piece well and fix anything loose before you style it. A friend talked me out of passing on a scuffed one, and that piece is still in our entryway. Scuffs sand out, but a solid frame at that price does not come around often. Keep the rest of the surface simple, so this piece stays the star instead of fighting three other thrift finds for attention.

Cost: ~$14 | Time: 61 minutes

11. Vintage Mirrors With Honest Patina

When a vintage Mirrors With Honest Patina shows up at a thrift store, I check it the same way every time: solid frame, no smell, and a size that fits a spot I already have in mind. First, check the joints, the underside, and any moving parts, and walk away if the damage is structural. Then, give it a deep clean and one simple upgrade, like new hardware or a fresh finish. I tried this with one I almost left behind, and it now sits in our living room getting compliments. My early mistake was buying on looks alone, so I never skip the underside check anymore. Swap the styling with the seasons, and the same piece looks new again without spending another dollar.

Cost: ~$17 | Time: 78 minutes

12. Stoneware Crocks for Kitchen Storage

The best version of a stoneware Crocks for Kitchen Storage is rarely the prettiest one on the shelf, since a quick clean and one small fix usually beat a perfect-looking piece that costs five times more. First, decide exactly where it will live and what job it has to do there. Then, clean it, repair the obvious flaws, and test it in that spot for a few days. My first attempt went wrong because I skipped measuring, which cost me two return trips and one very annoyed afternoon. Now the tape measure lives in my car. If it wobbles or squeaks after a week, tighten it again before you blame the piece, since thrift joints often settle after the move home. It pairs well with (see also: thrifted-vase-ideas) in the same room.

Cost: ~$20 | Time: 95 minutes

13. Quilts and Throws in Natural Fibers

A quilts and Throws in Natural Fibers earns its place fast, because it works in more than one room and pairs with furniture you probably own already. First, sniff it, lift it, and open anything that opens, since weight and smell tell you more than looks do. Then, wash it, sand any rough edge, and add a liner or felt pads where it will touch floors or shelves. I learned this the hard way after bringing home a piece that smelled fine in the store and not at all at home. A quick sniff test in daylight has kept me from repeating that mistake. Put it where guests actually see it, not in a spare room, because a good thrift find deserves daily use.

Cost: ~$23 | Time: 112 minutes

14. Plant Pots in Terracotta and Stone

If you have never tried a plant Pots in Terracotta and Stone, start with the cheapest solid one you can find, since the first try teaches you more than any guide. First, compare the thrift price with what the same thing costs new, including paint or fabric if it needs a refresh. Then, buy only if the total still lands well under half the new price. The one I kept longest cost under ten dollars and needed only a wash and new knobs. Fancy finds I paid more for never got the same daily use. When the room feels full, move this piece to another room for a month, and you will see it with fresh eyes.

Cost: ~$5 | Time: 129 minutes

15. Small Side Tables and Stools

A small Side Tables and Stools is the kind of thrift find that looks plain on the shelf and brilliant at home, once you style it with things you already own. First, bring it home and live with it plain for a day, so you see how the light hits it. Then, make one change at a time, starting with the change that fixes the biggest flaw. I once bought three of these in one week because they were cheap, and two never found a spot. Now I buy one, place it, and wait a week before hunting the next. Pair it with warm wood and one green plant, and the whole corner looks planned rather than patched together.

Cost: ~$8 | Time: 146 minutes