5 Simple Tips to Thrift Like a Boss for the Garden
Looking for budget-friendly ways to grow and decorate a garden? Learn how to thrift like a boss with these simple tips.
You may be surprised by what can be found at the thrift shop.
Thrift stores are great places to shop for clothes, furniture, and other household goods that are in good condition.
But sometimes, you’ll find something unexpected and unique, too.
And because items most found aren’t mass produced, you can find things that lend a vintage aesthetic to your home and garden.
Whenever I go thrifting, I always look for things I can use in the garden.
Plants need support, cottage gardens need vintage decor, the eye needs a place to rest in good garden design, and I love a pretty flea market flip to use as planters.
Sure you can head over to the local nursery and find some great items to use. But there’s something about thrifted finds that lends a lot more interest to gardens.
Wait until you see what I found!
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5 Simple Tips to Thrift Like a Boss for the Garden
Because the deals can be amazing, sometimes it is tough to hold back on purchasing all of the cool items you find.
But sometimes you have too.
Or you’d run out of cash! LOL
Although thrift store deals can be pretty amazing, you can walk out spending hundreds of dollars in one trip.
So be mindful when perusing thrift shops and flea markets, prioritize what you need, want, and most importantly, might never see again if you don’t grab it now!

Shop Around
There are many things to consider when shopping for secondhand home goods.
While shopping, do a quick buzz around the thrift store or flea market to get a sense of what they have, what you might want, and what you need to grab immediately.
Because some items will be gone sooner than you realize if you don’t grab it first!

Be Patient
Thrift stores are often filled with good deals, but it can take time to find them.
To help save time, try looking for items that fit certain criteria you want.
Is it made of galvanized metal? Plastic?
Does it look old and vintage?
Is it real wood or is made from composite?
Does it have a lot of texture and details?
Will it fit in your garden or home???
Do I even need this???
LOL!
(Trust me, I’ve asked myself this question plenty of times. Sometimes I put the item back and regret it later, but most often, I didn’t really have the right spot for it).

When You Know You Know
When you walk by that item and just get that feeling it would be PERFECT in your garden or home.
Grab it.
Don’t wait.
Don’t walk away.
Because if you leave it and come back, it might be gone.
When you know, you know. Don’t leave it behind.
And if you aren’t sure whether you know?
Grab it and walk around with it or ask the vendor to set it aside for you so you can buy yourself a bit more time before deciding.

Thrift With a Budget in Mind
Because it’s easy to spend a lot of money at the thrift store, know how much money you want to spend BEFORE you go shopping.
It will be much easier to make decisions later about purchases knowing you only want to spend $50 than walking out spending $400!
Know When to Stop Shopping
If you find something you really love that’s more than you want to spend, buy it and stop shopping so you don’t wind up finding 10 other things you want that you can’t buy.
It’s easier to choose to stop shopping and didn’t buy more, than to feel that twinge of regret when you keep shopping, find more things you love, but can’t buy them because it blows the budget.

What to Look For at the Thrift Store That Looks Amazing With Plants and Flowers
There are lots of thrifted garden treasures that look amazing with plants and flowers both inside and outside the home.
Here are a few ideas of items you should never pass up while thrifting for the garden.
- Vintage crocks and urns
- Old tin cans
- Baskets
- Shutters, doors, and old windows
- Crates and trunks
- Milk glass and jadeite pieces
- Ladders
- Vases
- Dough bowls, soup tureens, and cake pedastals
- Vintage tool box
- Chicken feeders
- Metal pails, bins, and buckets
- Vintage watering cans, milk jugs, and bottles
- Pretty vintage dishes and tea sets

More About Planting in Containers
Do you grow flowers, herbs or vegetables in containers? Do you have any tips you’d like to share? I would love to know more in the comments below.
And don’t miss joining my Gardening DIY and Decorating Community on Facebook for more chatter. And follow along there and on Instagram as well. There are behind-the-scenes daily things that I share on Instagram that don’t make it to the blog. Would love to see you there too!
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Want to See More Thrift Store Finds?
I’ve been sharing lots of cool items I found for our new home and garden.
Come thrift with me!
- 7 Fun Finds from the Thrift Store Near Me
- Prettiest Thrift Flip Idea for the Front Porch
- How to Decorate on a Budget with Thrift Store Finds
- How to Plant a Fall Garden in a Flea Market Find
- Thrift Unique Decorating Ideas
- My Thrift Store Vintage Finds for the Garden

How to Arrange Flowers Like a Pro
Now that you found some cool flea market finds, how do you arrange them with fresh flowers?
It’s not hard to arrange your own bouquet or centerpiece and you can save a lot of money doing it yourself.
Click here to learn my best tips for arranging flowers.
And if you want to prolong the vase life of fresh bouquets, keep flower arrangements looking beautiful for longer with these tips.

Wait Until You See What My Friends Found Thrifting This Month!
My good friend Kim from Shiplap and Shells is showing off her garden with some gorgeous thrift store finds she discovered in the Pacific Northwest.
If you are not familiar with Kim, she has a GORGEOUS cottage garden by the sea that you will adore!
Kim adds lots of unique flea market finds you’ll find sprinkled throughout her gardens.

My good friend Jennifer from Cottage on Bunker Hill has been traveling around visiting vintage bazaars, thrift stores, and flea markets up in New England.
This month she found some pretty cool stuff for the garden at the Todd Farm Flea Market.
Wait until you see what Jennifer found that is perfect for her New Hampshire garden!

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Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

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