10 Thrift Store Tips for Scoring Home Decor For Less

There are few things I love more than thrift shopping, particularly for home decor. love thrift shopping for lots of reasons, but if I’m being honest, I think the biggest one might be the dopamine hit that comes with digging absolute treasure out of a pile of junk. I also like that it’s an affordable and sustainable way to furnish my home. But man, the thrift rush is real.

I’ve been a thrifter for years now. My gateway thrift spot was actually a “swap shop” at the local dump when we lived in Hingham, Mass. The swap shop was basically where people would drop off any old furniture or nicknacks that were “too good” to throw away. I was in my late 20s and had just bought my first home, and I had no shame in my dump game. I still have a buffet cabinet I got from that dump.

Since then, I’ve thrifted dozens (hundreds?) of things for my home, from smaller decorative items, to vintage dishware, to antique furniture and art, and many of my thrift finds are some of my favorite items in my home. If you’re just starting out on your secondhand shopping journey, here are some of my best thrifting tips for finding things you love.

My favorite thrift store tips for finding exactly what you want

Know what you’re looking for.

Walking into a thrift store, especially if you aren’t a seasoned thrifter, can be overwhelming. There is a lot of junk in thrift stores, and if you don’t have a loose plan for what you’re looking for, you might end up leaving before you find the good stuff, or perhaps worse, you might leave with a bunch of stuff you don’t need or love, and decide that thrifting is a waste of time and money.

Before I go shopping, I always take a quick mental inventory of the things I’m looking for so I know what to focus on. I’ll even write it in my phone if there are a bunch of things. Sometimes, it’s books with neutral-colored spines to fill out a bookshelf. Other times it’s candlesticks for a holiday tablescape. Or maybe it’s a small accent table for the side of a sofa. Then, when I get to the thrift store, I’ll literally just scan the rows for what I want, and if I don’t see it, I move on.

Measure before you leave the house

If your’e looking for furniture for a specific area of your home, take measurements and put them in the notes section of your phone. I save them in a list, so when I’m out thrifting I can quickly reference my measurements to see if things will fit. If you’re shopping for furniture, bring a tape measure with you, too.

Go often

Thrifting is a game of odds. The more you go, the better your chances of finding great stuff. I usually go once or twice a month, but more often if I’m really looking for something specific or trying to finish a room.

Set low expectations

Another reason I like to thrift often is that it helps you lower your expectations. You start to realize that, sometimes you just don’t find anything good, and that you’ll be back again. Not all thrifting excursions will be fruitful, so I try not to put too much pressure on any one shopping trip, because that’s when I end up buying things I don’t really love or need, just to buy something.

Go Mondays, if you can

I always find that, at least at the Goodwill, the earlier in the week you go to the thrift store, the better the items you’ll find. This is because a lot of people do their decluttering and donating on the weekends, so the stores are better stocked right after.

Look at wholes, and their parts

Sometimes, I like a frame, but not the painting. Or the lamp but not the shade. So, I’ll buy the frame and change the art, or the lamp and change the shade. I try to see things a little less literally when I thrift shop, and look for their potential instead. Can something be refinished or painted? Can the upholstery be changed? The possibilities can be endless.

Go for the good stuff

I have a whole blog post on the best things to look for when thrifting, so check that out if you need an idea for what to shop for. These are my go-tos, and it includes things like coffee table books, art and frames, and wood furniture.

Test out electronics first

Before I buy anything electronic from a thrift store, I plug it in first just to make sure they work before I bring them all the way home. Most thrift shops have an area where you can plug in lamps and electronics to test them before you buy them. Which brings me to:

Understand the return policy

Lots of thrift store won’t let you return items. The exception is, sometimes, for electronics that don’t work. The Goodwill gives you 24 hours to bring those back, but everything else is final sale, so give everything a good look over before you put it in your cart.

Know when to haggle, and when not to

Flea markets, antique malls, and estate sales are usually open to haggling. Retail thrift outlets, like Savers and Goodwill, generally are not.