Skip the big box stores & unleash your inner magpie! Join me on a treasure hunt through thrift stores, unearthing hidden gems & transforming them into stunning home decor. Vintage finds, repurposed wonders, & budget-friendly magic await!
Do you love to go thrifting or antiquing and find pretty things with the best deals? I love to thrift unique items for my home and garden because you can decorate your home on a dime with rare finds and other interesting keepsakes.
This weekend, I traded my trowel for a treasure map and embarked on a thrilling thrifting adventure, searching for hidden gems to spruce up my home and garden.
Let me tell you, the sun didn’t just shine – it positively beamed down on my bargain-hunting spree, and let me tell you, I unearthed some seriously cool finds you won’t want to miss!
From vintage birdbaths singing forgotten melodies to quirky planters with more personality than a rogue squirrel, buckle up, because I’m about to spill the dirt on my thrift haul and show you how to transform secondhand treasures into garden (and home!) gold.
So grab your metaphorical watering cans and a sprinkle of imagination, because we’re about to get down and dirty with some seriously sustainable style! Wait until you see what I found thrifting this month!
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Why It’s Fun to Thrift Unique Items and Other Rare Finds
Thrifting for unique items for your home and garden is a treasure hunt for the soul, a delightful blend of nostalgia, creativity, and sustainability that tickles every pleasure center. Here’s why it’s so darn fun:
The Thrill of the Hunt
Every thrift store visit is an expedition into the unknown, a rummage through forgotten chapters of lives past. You never know what quirky gem might glint at you from a dusty shelf – a chipped ceramic birdbath whispering secrets of forgotten gardens, a faded floral teapot yearning to cradle new blooms, or a chipped enamelware colander begging to be reborn as a rustic planter. The thrill of discovery, the potential for transformation, that’s the magic of the thrifting hunt.
Uniqueness and Character
Mass-produced decor? Meh. Thrifting injects your space with a dose of individuality, a whisper of stories untold. Vintage finds carry the patina of time, the faint echo of laughter and sunlight. A hand-painted watering can becomes more than just a tool; it’s a silent partner in nurturing life, a link to the hands that once wielded it. A chipped stoneware pot cradling a jade plant tells a tale of resilience, of beauty emerging from imperfection. Thrifting allows you to curate a space that speaks of your personal journey, a collection of whispers from lives past and present.
I love shopping in all the local thrift and antique stores in Vermont. When we are up at the cabin, I’m always finding something cool to bring home.
The town where our cabin is even has a weekly outdoor antique market in spring through fall. We stopped by this weekend and I am sharing some of the pickins today! Wait until you see the unique thrifty finds I found!
What to Look For When You Go Thrifting
For the budget-conscious decorator and lover of all things unusual, it’s an adventure playground bursting with pre-loved gems waiting to be rediscovered. But navigating aisles overflowing with potential can be overwhelming. Where do you start? I got you. Here’s a list of thrifty unique decorating items ripe for the picking:
- Vintage Glassware: Imagine Depression-era coupes like milk glass clinking as chic candle holders, or funky 70s tumblers adding pops of color to your shelves. Embrace the unexpected – a decanter might become a quirky vase, while mismatched coupes transform into charming planters.
- Architectural Salvage: Corbels, mouldings, and weathered shutters can morph into stunning wall art, rustic shelves, or even headboards. Embrace the story etched in the wood, and let your creativity take flight.
- Upcycled Textiles: Vintage quilts hold generations of dreams, waiting to be reborn as throw pillows, reupholstered furniture, or vibrant statement rugs. Think beyond their original function – a tablecloth can become a whimsical window treatment, while mismatched throws make cozy patchwork blankets.
- Quirky Kitchenware: Let your kitchen sing with the charm of enamelware, mismatched china, and even rusty colanders. Imagine chipped plates adorning your walls, mismatched mugs hosting a thriving plant collection, or that colander reborn as a hanging fruit basket.
- Forgotten Furniture: With a little paint, new hardware, or fresh upholstery, that dusty dresser or chipped side table can become the star of your living room with a little DIY.
- Tarnished Treasures: Silverware tarnished with time, brass candlesticks whispering forgotten stories, and old doorknobs yearning for a touch – these forgotten friends are eager to shine again. A quick polish or a splash of color can unleash their vintage elegance or industrial chic.
- Unexpected Canvas: From vintage suitcases transformed into charming shelves to ladders reborn as plant stands, the possibilities are endless. Breathe new life into forgotten objects and let your imagination run wild.
- Nature’s Bounty: Wicker baskets woven with sun-kissed memories, chipped ceramic pots cradling forgotten stories, and even rusty watering cans with dreams of hydration – these are nature’s gifts, waiting to be embraced. Let your plants thrive in these vessels, adding a touch of organic magic to your decor.
- Themed Inspiration: Dreaming of a nautical haven? Seek weathered lanterns and ship wheels. Craving mid-century modern vibes? Hunt for funky lamps and geometric prints. Let your theme guide your treasure hunt, and watch your vision come to life.
- The Power of Play: Vintage toys, games, and even children’s books can add a playful touch of nostalgia to your space. Use them as quirky sculptures, create a whimsical gallery wall, or simply let them spark conversation.
Remember, the magic of thrifting isn’t just about finding unique pieces, it’s about the thrill of the hunt, the joy of transformation, and the satisfaction of giving forgotten treasures a new chapter.
What I Found Thrifting Unique Decorating Items at Wilmington’s Antique Flea Market
I love to go finding but there aren’t a lot of options to go thrifting near me that are a close drive. And the options there are, have limited hours of operation so I can’t always get out when they are open.
So when I’m up in Vermont, I make it a point to get out to the cool shops to see what I can find. This month, I found some few cool items for my home and garden.
One of my favorite places to thrift is the antique flea market in Wilmington, VT. There are lots of great vendors that find some cool vintage and salvage finds. You can pretty much find anything you want there.
While you can go every week and I do when we are up there, I’ve found there are more vendors on holiday weekends with lots more to pick through.
From t-shirts, to jewelry to architectural salvage and plants, this outdoor flea market has it all. Wait until you see what I found!
My daughters Mackenzie and Shana came with me. They enjoyed looking at crystals, clothing, jewelery, and some decorating items for their dorm rooms at college.
But I found these totally awesome egg crates!
Aren’t they fabulous? Perfect for my garden. I’m not sure where they will go yet but could stick a container garden in it or just add it to the beds for some cottage garden interest.
One of my favorite finds, and I’m so upset it was already sold is this rustic find!
Isn’t it so cool! That would look awesome in my garden all planted up, right?
And speaking of gardens, while I was walking through the flea market, I came upon these gorgeous sunflowers!
Aren’t they amazing? If I was up here full time to care for them, I would get them just to spruce things up outside our cabin.
My small gardens there right now don’t have much planting space, we don’t have a water source outside, and I’m not planting anything while I’m here this weekend. So I generally don’t do a whole lot of gardening while I’m up here.
But they really struck me while I was walking through the flea market.
In addition to those beautiful sunflowers, this seller had lots more flowering plants to select. Not gonna lie, it was not easy to leave without anything green!
After we were done shopping at the flea market we stopped by my favorite antique store that I told you about last month.
Unique Thrift Finds Found at My Favorite Antique Store in Vermont
Since my favorite antique store is right near the antique flea market, the girls and I dropped in to see what he had. And I’m so glad I did because I found this adorable wrought iron basket.
It’s got the perfect cottage-style too it. And it’s a rare find for me because I’ve not found anything like this around me before, so of course, I snagged it.
I’m not sure where it is going yet, but I love it!
And I also found a few crocks and jugs that I’m bringing home. I love using crocks with my decor. They are perfect for tucking in my plants and flowers.
I use them all the time! They look so pretty, add a lot of character and there’s no chance any water will seep out onto the table surface.
More About Thrifting for Unique Items and Other Rare Finds
What’s your favorite thrift store find? Do you have pieces you love to search for when you go? I would love to know more in the comments below.
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Want to See What the Gals Found? Click on the Name Below!
- Bricks ‘n Blooms (You are here)
- The Ponds Farmhouse
- Dabbling and Decorating
- White Arrows Home
- French Creek Farmhouse
- Sonya Burgess Blog
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Thank you so much for following along.
Enjoy a beautiful day! xo
Thrifting with the Gals
Have you been following along with the monthly thrift hauls?
Every month my friends from around the country get together and go thrifting.
It’s so cool to see how different the thrifting is in different parts of the country!
If you are coming from Kristin’s at White Arrow Home, Kristin has such a beautiful log cabin home in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
