3 Tips on How to Find Vintage Pieces at a Thrift Store

Today, I’m sharing 3 tips on how to find vintage pieces at a Thrift Store.

Like the Currier and Ives collection of blue transferware in the photo above.

Thrifting was not on my mind before quarantine.

As everyone experienced, our world stopped. Being home has opened up many things for so many of us.

I never imagined I’d be blogging or having a YouTube channel. But here I am.

Nor did I think I’d be rummaging through a thrift store like Goodwill or Value Village either.

It all started with the need to declutter my house.

Did you get the declutter itch during quarantine? I did! I pulled out old junk from my closet and headed to Goodwill to drop them off. That’s how it all started for me.

On one of my drop-offs, I decided to walk into Goodwill to take a look. I had a project I wanted to do that was going to be expensive, and I wanted to see if I could find it cheaper.

Not only did I find what I needed cheaper, but the quality was better than I imagined. I was hooked!

You can see my project from that day here.

Now, I’m a savvy shopper when it comes to thrift store shopping.

Most of the time, I am amazed to hold something up and think to myself, I just spent a ton of money for the same thing, and here it is for a few dollars.

It’s addicting once you experience that moment of truth. There’s no turning back.

There have been times I found the exact antique piece at a thrift store that I had previously spent tons of money on (before 2020) at an online antique retailer and paid high shipping rates.

The thrift store sticker price was under $6.00 when I paid over $20.00 for the same item. Super sobering.

Like the Pfaltzgraff collection on my wall in the above photo. The four saucers and teacup is a collection I’ve been collecting for a year. I’ve found these pieces and more at Goodwill.

Or the platter above with gold etching and pink delicate flowers that were found at a thrift store for $12.00

These are just an example of items I keep finding.

That leads to my….

Tip #1: Know what you are looking for at a thrift store.

No matter what it is. If it’s furniture, frames, bedding, dishes, or whatever.

Have an idea in your mind what you want. It’s faster and easier to spot those items than going in blindly and overlooking things.

Sometimes, the best way to know what to look for is to go to higher-end stores and browse their shelves.

It gives me ideas and inspiration. I’ll take mental notes and go to thrift stores and look for similar or identical things.

You can view my YouTube video on the subject below.

Another place to get inspiration for decorating your home is Pinterest.

There you can make a board of what you love.

Using the board on Pinterest will give you ideas on what to search for at a thrift store.

Tip #2: Be willing to paint or wash something.

It’s ok that something is dirty or needs paint.

Those are the hurdles I had to overlook when thrifting.

I would get grossed out at first by the dust or dirt. But now, it is so much easier to pick things up and see past the dirt and chippy parts.

I usually find things with tags still on them.

Brand new items that are a fraction of the price. So not everything is super used.

I found some frames that were the wrong color. They were sturdy and some were new.

I took them home and painted them with chalk paint.

The little frame in the middle of the photo below is one of them. They look exactly like I wanted.

You can check out my tutorial on how to paint Goodwill frames here.

For some, buying bedding from a thrift store sounds disgusting. I thought that, too, when I first started thrifting.

It was a pleasant surprise to find quality crisp white linen ruffled shams with a sturdy zipper for under $2.00 each.

I brought them home and washed them with my homemade laundry detergent and essential oils. They smelled fresh and clean.

Those are just a few ideas of things I’ve bought. I’ve finally accepted it’s ok that things are dirty.

Tip #3: Be persistent.

Go often.

If you don’t find it on your first visit. Keep coming back.

There is new inventory brought in daily.

The trick to making the visit quick is to only go to the areas where you’ll find your item.

Like furniture, rugs, dishes, frames, etc, I can get in and out of a thrift store in 20-30 minutes most of the time.

These are some of the tips I’ve been implementing on my trips to thrift stores.

Hopefully, you are inspired not to feel overwhelmed and have a plan when you go.

Here is a YouTube video where I share some Thrift store finds.

Thanks for coming by Victorian Lane Farms + Happy thrifting!

Here’s another thrift store post of my most incredible thrift finds ever!