While everyone is looking for vintage clothes, antiques and furniture in thrift stores they are walking past some of the best deals there are. While once people use to wrinkle their noses up at thrift stores thinking that there was nothing "good" in them, the secret is now out and savvy shoppers have descended on local thrift stores in droves.
But there are little treasures there that go almost unnoticed. Keep your eyes open for these fun and still inexpensive items that you are still able to pick up for a song. Most of the items in this list sell way below $5 and often for under $1.
1.Maps. Maps can be sold at thrift shops for as little a 10 cents! Cheaper than a sheet of wrapping paper! These can be used in all sort of craft. If you are planning to bring back souvenir gifts from a vacation, maps would make a cheeky gift wrap. Make like you did in Grade School and cover your books with maps, or make them into little envelopes for gift tags. You can cover mat boards for vacation photos or cover tins with them to make a desk set that holds pens, pencils and other desk knickknacks. Use it as you would any other decorative paper.
2. Stationery Boxes. While most are mistaken for very plain jewelry boxes, these refillable stationery boxes were very popular from the 1930's to the 1960's and are still relatively easy to find. Grouped together they can make a great display but separately they are wonderful for holding keys or remote controls
3.Books. While the prices of these have been creeping up you can still find real deals. Children's books are often in pristine condition and are great for giving as gifts for Easter, Christmas and birthdays . If your children are reading a series, like the Box Car Children, then keep your eye open for them. Picture books that have dirty and torn covers are often filled with sweet prints, great for framing. Art books are also filled with great prints and photography great for framing.
3.Books. While the prices of these have been creeping up you can still find real deals. Children's books are often in pristine condition and are great for giving as gifts for Easter, Christmas and birthdays . If your children are reading a series, like the Box Car Children, then keep your eye open for them. Picture books that have dirty and torn covers are often filled with sweet prints, great for framing. Art books are also filled with great prints and photography great for framing.
4.Etched Glasses. Sets of 4 or more can be a bit pricey but singles can be bought for $1 or $2 and sometimes less. What to do with these single beauties? They make stunning small vases for a single rose head or lily or a group of them filled with flower heads would be a breathtaking center piece. One gorgeous etched glass can sit on your vanity and be a catchall for your smaller earrings or for your rings. You could use them in the bathroom to hold Q-tips and cotton balls or small soaps. Similar shaped ones can be set out with liqueurs or make variations on the same desert and serve them in these. Where ever they are placed they add a bit of glamour.
5. Faux Wood and Horn Handled Cutlery and Serving Utensils.
These add a wonderful rustic quality to a out door meal or a fall supper. Easy to find, especially as steak knives, you can pair them with your simple daily stainless steel cutlery. They add some real country charm to your table.
6.Silver Plate cutlery and serving pieces. Start a collection of mish-mashed pieces for a breakfast or picnic set or look for specific pieces for particular uses. A ornate spoon that you would stir your morning coffee with or a ornate table knife that would be suitable for cutting birthday cakes. You often can find very practical piece servers, large spoons and serving forks.
7.Silk Scarves. They heyday for scarves died in the 80's for the most part so thrift shops are full of fabulous vintage and retro scarves. You don't have to wear them as scarves but look at them as amazing fabric that you can sew with. Two sewn back to back can make a pillow , a large scarf can be a table cover or if you have a small frame you can you a large one to make a scarf top. For a sewer the possibilities are endless.
8.Brass Candlesticks. With all the inexpensive imported brass candlesticks these are easy to find and often high quality antique ones are lumped in with them at incredible prices. Forget about trying to match these charmers to get pairs but enjoy the individuality of each one. Set out as a group on a table or a mantle they look stunning.
9.Potpourri Balls. Grandmother use to tuck these in her linen closet for a pretty decorative way to keep her linens smelling fresh. To refill them with a fresh scent it is easy to peel the backing off these and refill them with your favorite scent using perfume on a cotton ball or refilling the potpourri. They look lovely grouped together in a washroom or laundry room.
10. Lamps. Forget about the ugly shades and look at the amazing bases. Even if you don't like the color or material they are made from it is easy to spruce them up with a lick of paint. Learning to re-wire lamps is actually very easy, but leave multi-bulbed lamps to the professionals to fix.
Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
7.Silk Scarves. They heyday for scarves died in the 80's for the most part so thrift shops are full of fabulous vintage and retro scarves. You don't have to wear them as scarves but look at them as amazing fabric that you can sew with. Two sewn back to back can make a pillow , a large scarf can be a table cover or if you have a small frame you can you a large one to make a scarf top. For a sewer the possibilities are endless.
8.Brass Candlesticks. With all the inexpensive imported brass candlesticks these are easy to find and often high quality antique ones are lumped in with them at incredible prices. Forget about trying to match these charmers to get pairs but enjoy the individuality of each one. Set out as a group on a table or a mantle they look stunning.
9.Potpourri Balls. Grandmother use to tuck these in her linen closet for a pretty decorative way to keep her linens smelling fresh. To refill them with a fresh scent it is easy to peel the backing off these and refill them with your favorite scent using perfume on a cotton ball or refilling the potpourri. They look lovely grouped together in a washroom or laundry room.10. Lamps. Forget about the ugly shades and look at the amazing bases. Even if you don't like the color or material they are made from it is easy to spruce them up with a lick of paint. Learning to re-wire lamps is actually very easy, but leave multi-bulbed lamps to the professionals to fix.
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Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
Great list! I love this. There are so many hidden treasures to find, if we enter the thrift store with an open mind and creative eyes.
My favorite "hobby" is searching through thrift stores. Not only are most of my clothes vintage, but you can also find candles, baskets, picture frames, etc. I use flat frames and glue a variety of buttons on to make one of a kind gifts. Old silk and other curtain sheers can be sewn into pillows, wine bottle covers (again, makes a gift of wine more special). Most candles I find and buy are in perfect condition, but those that are not are great for melting down and making pine cone firestarters--another easy and great gift idea for friends and family with woodburning fireplaces/stoves.
Also great places to find those inexpensive Bunco gifts!
Have fun being thrifty!!
Tina