Vintage Home Decor on a Low Budget with Thrift Finds

I’ve got the secret to saving! Find top tips on how to shop for, and style, vintage home decor on a low budget with thrift finds.

Breaking news! What if I told you that you can achieve the vintage look without breaking the bank? Yes, you can, and don’t need to spend thousands to do so! With just a few thrifty finds and some creativity, you can transform your home into a timeless sanctuary. In this post, we’ll dive into vintage home decor on a low budget using thrift finds, giving you all the tips and tricks you need to create a stylish and unique space without overspending.

Vintage Charm on a Budget

In this thrifty post, I’ll cover topics such as why thrift for vintage, a recent thrift haul, styling principles, and pro thrifting tips.

Come on…let’s go thrifting!

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Thrifted Goodies Volume 37- Vintage Home Decor on a Low Budget with Thrift Finds

Hello, guys!

Welcome, or welcome back, to the blog and to the next installment in the ‘Thrifted Goodies’ series! If you are new around here, welcome!

This is a monthly series where my friend MaryJo from the blog Master’pieces’ of my Life and I share thrift hauls, thrifting tips, and general thrift shopping advice.

MasterPieces of My Life

My partner in this series, MaryJo, is sharing some amazing tips on things to always buy from thrift stores. How fun is that?! I can’t wait to see what’s on her list!

After you are done here, head over to her post and say hello! You may find just the thing you are looking for.

MasterPieces of My Life Social Channels:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest

Shop Favorite Vintage Decor

Why Thrift for Vintage Home Decor? More Than Just Savings

Yes, I find amazing vintage decor or other home items on the cheap. Yes, I save money on things that I use everyday. But, truly, its the mindful habit of spending less, buying less, and taking care of the environment that keeps me going.

Below are a handful of other reasons as to why I thrift (and why I think you should, too!):

• Affordability

  • Thrift shopping is affordable. Especially today, when everything costs so much more than it used to, the cost savings compared to buying new is a breath of fresh air.
  • Low budget doesn’t mean sacrificing style or quality, either. Most of the time, thrifted wares are of much higher quality than buying brand new decor from retail stores.

• Uniqueness & Character

  • Thrifted finds infuse any space with personality, history, and a story that mass-produced items lack.
  • Thrifting enables you to find one-of-a-kind vintage pieces for a timeless look.

• Sustainability & Eco-Friendly Decor

  • Choosing secondhand items contributes to a sustainable home decor approach by reducing waste and promoting reuse.

• The Thrill of the Hunt

  • The excitement of thrift shopping can’t be compared to anything else. It’s rewarding and thrilling because, each and every time, you just don’t know what you could find! It’s the nature of unknown that’s so exciting.

Basic Thrift Shopping FAQ’s

Below are a handful of quieres that others often ask about when it comes thrifting. Hopefully these basic answers will point you in the right direction!

What are the best items to look for when thrifting?

This is going to vary from person to person. Obviously, we all like, and gravitate towards, different things. Items can be anything from clothing to art to household products to decor.

For me personally, I love to hunt for vintage decor items to add to my collections such as milk glass, ironstone, and copper, as well as seasonal decor, versatile clothing, and vintage art. For more thrifting ideas, you can check out all my thrifting posts here.

How to find good stuff in thrift stores?

To find the good stuff, you have to go thrifting often, at least once a week.

Other tips include going on a weekday, arriving first thing in the morning when the store opens, and having a rough list of what you are looking for. For more in-depth explanation, read my top 10 thrift shopping tips.

Which day of the week is best for thrifting?

Again, this is going to vary by location. However, I’ve found that it’s best to go on a weekday, specifically Monday-Thursday. Donated items from over the weekend slowly get put out during the week, so you will have first dibs on the new merchandise. Also, weekday thrift shopping is much quieter and not as crowded as weekend shopping.

Vintage Home Decor on a Low Budget with Thrift Finds

With that, let’s get into this month’s thrift haul! I’ve found some incredible things and cannot wait to share them with you.

Thrift Haul: What I Thrifted and How I Styled My Finds for Vintage Home Decor

For each find, I’ll share how much I paid, why I bought it, and how I’ve styled it (or how I plan to use it).

1. 2 Rural Landscape Framed Art Prints

You guys…these were an amazing find.

I was on one of my weekly thrifting trips and, right when I came around the corner to the art section, I saw BOTH pictures sitting on the floor together. You know my love for barn and rural art but I was truly blown away by these…I’ve never seen anything like them! After getting on the floor and inspecting them up close, I had a feeling they were valuable.

So, there on the floor of the thrift, I did a quick Google search and yes indeed they are! I found comps on similar art from the artist for around $250-300!

These art pieces are etchings from an artist named Martian Tobias. This first one is a country scene, titled ‘Rural Landscape’, complete with not one but two barns. This is the larger of the two pictures and have it sitting up on the picture rail in my living room. I did pay up for this one, right around $13.00, but for how expensive they are, this was a no-brainer.

And, the beauty about a vintage art piece such as this one is that I can use it all year round!

Here is the second etching. This one is a tad smaller than the first…it’s titled ‘Ranch House’ and was priced at $10. Now, usually, I’m not drawn to the color red in art. But, for whatever reason, I totally dig the color palette in this one….well, and the fact that I couldn’t separate the two. They were most likely donated together and I didn’t want to be the one to break them up!

This etching is sitting on the picture rail in my office, right next to my desk actually. There is a little bit of water damage in the bottom right corner, but as you can see, I have another picture covering it up so it totally doesn’t bother me.

Here is a close up of the artist’s signature. I always like to share signatures when I can in case you are interested in the same artist.

2. Blue Ribbed Jar

This next find is super fun!

I love to decorate and style vintage blue glass jars around my house for summer. If they have galvanized lids or clasps, that’s even better.

Well, this pretty ribbed jar with floral detailing on the glass was sitting on the shelf, priced at just $1.00! I immediately snatched it up because I knew it would look perfect in my hutch for the rest of the summer season. So, that’s where she sits…in all her pretty blue glory, amongst other vintage and thrifted finds.

3. Vintage Plant Mister

You guys! This is the find of the whole haul. Do you know how hard it is to find these vintage misters out in the wild?! I’ve never seen one of these at a thrift store ever.

I actually almost completely missed this because it’s clear. It was sitting on a chair behind a bunch of other stuff and, just as I was about to move on from that section, I spotted it. Upon closer inspection, my heart lit up with joy. The glass is full of clear bubbles and it’s marked ‘Taiwan’ on the bottom, meaning it’s old and not a reproduction. And! It was just $3.00!! Wahoo!

I have my cute little mister styled in the hutch for the rest of the summer, alongside it’s vintage friends 🙂 The little blue topper is everything, don’t you think?!

4. Swan Towel Holder

Sometimes, when thrifting, you come across something that you didn’t know you needed. This vintage swan towel holder was that for me!

I saw it sitting on the back of a shelf and was instantly drawn to its minimal yet chic aesthetic. For just $2.00, I knew I had to bring it home with me…where I would put it, however, was yet to be determined

Well, upon getting it home, hubby helped me hang it on a very large screw to next to the kitchen sink. However, about two hours later, as he went to take the towel off, the whole swan came crashing down and broke into a million pieces! SO sad!!

This pretty swan had a lovely, short life in my house. Instead of hanging it, I should have just set it on the bathroom counter to hold hand towels. Hopefully I will come across another one of these sometime!

5. Milk Glass Creamer

Finally, I did find another beautiful milk glass piece to add to my growing collection!

A few weekends ago, hubby and I did some antique shopping. We were in an antique store that I do not get to frequently but holds some really good stuff. In the back corner booth, there was a cabinet with a bunch of milk glass in it. This lovely creamer was one of the pieces inside it.

I have seen this vintage Westmoreland pattern many times online but never in an actual store! There wasn’t a price on it, so I asked at the counter. The lady ended up calling the booth owner to see and he said he would sell it for $10. I thought that was super fair for an antique store so home it came with me!

I have my new creamer styled with all my other milk glass on the wall shelf with lemon decor for the rest of summer. The wavy edge around the top is just so cute!

Closing Tidbits on Vintage Home Decor on a Low Budget with Thrift Finds

With that, we’ve rounded out this month’s thrift finds and styling ideas! I hope you can see, or at least start to see, that vintage home decor on a low budget is entirely achievable. Through smart shopping strategies and the love of the thrift, any space can be decorated in an affordable way!