Do you love the idea of upcycling thrift store items but get overwhelmed by where to start? Stepping into those second-hand stores can be daunting, especially when thinking about what to get for crafting. Let us tell you the 10 best things to look out for in your local thrift store to upcycle. With a few essentials and a little imagination you’ll be on your way to upcycling thrift store finds in no time!
Getting Started with Thrift Store Makeovers
Over the past year I’ve been challenging myself to give new purpose to items from the thrift store. With a little paint and some crafting basics such as decoupage glue and some pretty napkins, repurposing old stuff can be a great way of trying new craft techniques. Even better, you can make beautiful new home decor items or gifts to give loved ones.
Here are a few tips for the next time you’re in the thrift store:
- When looking at secondhand items focus on items made of good quality materials such as wood and stainless steel or silver (when possible).
- Check to make sure they aren’t broken or missing pieces.
- Don’t over-spend. Keep a budget in mind (I rarely will pay over $7 for thrifted items unless it’s furniture) and avoid going over it.
- This may sound odd, but give the piece a quick “sniff test”. Yes, actually smell the item! I once bought a large buffet for my dining room only to discover a lingering odor every time I opened the drawers of the vintage piece. If you are sensitive to smells, just keep this in mind.
- I have a dust must allergy so tend to stay away from textiles. If you do choose to get linens or throw pillows for your thrift store DIY projects, be sure to wash and dry them on high heat as soon as you get them home.
Regardless of the item, I try and leave my thrift store treasures outside to air out when I bring them home. Then I’ll clean the item with a damp cloth and some warm, soapy water.
Common Thrift Store Finds to Upcycle
Below is our list of 10 great things you can find at your local second-hand store or flea market to transform into something new. Have you tried any of these?
Thrift Store Tray
Trays are pretty easy to find at the thrift store and are so versatile for decor and crafting. The smooth surface makes them easy to paint and apply pretty papers or transfers.
We found this yellowing Hallmark tray at our local Value Village for $3.99. I painted the rim of the tray with a fun driftwood effect and then applied this pretty decoupage paper to the inside.
Silver Platters
A good silver platter is a favourite thrifted item to give new life to. Although it’s a bit controversial, painting the silver platter and then distressing the edges to have the pretty silver design peak through is such a simple and beautiful way to make a one-of-a-kind piece of art! I used some chalk paint on both of these silver platter upcycling projects:
Wood Flatware Boxes
These are our latest thrift store obsession! These boxes, designed to hold silverware, are a great size and typically quite sturdy. We like to start by removing the (usually) velvet liner. This does take a bit of effort but it’s worth it to get a versatile keepsake box at the end. After upcycling, you can even use them as beautiful gift boxes for special events such as weddings!
Jewelry Boxes
Similar to the flatware boxes, thrift store jewelry boxes are so fun to upcycle. With just a bit of paint and a little time you can give it a new look to match any decor.
Our mom found this cute jewellery box at her community thrift shop. After painting it with white chalk paint, I applied this lovely napkin using decoupage glue to the top, sides and drawers. I applied a coordinating paint color and some diamond dust to the side doors.
Old and Vintage Frames
Picture frames are absolutely one of our favorite thrifted items to repurpose. A few years ago I found a whole pile of frames that my neighbour put out onto the curb. Frames make a fun project: turn them into unique wall art pieces, a bulletin board, jewelry holders, memo boards and gifts. Here are just a few of our favourite thrift store frame makeovers (click on the image for the full tutorials):
Old Shutters and Windows
The texture of old shutters and wood window frames, especially if they’re naturally weathered, make them beautiful and unique pieces to pick up.
Sonja found a vintage window frame at a yard sale a few years ago. It’s done double duty as beautiful farmhouse bedroom decor and as a rack for my silk scarves.
Over on The Boondocks Blog we have an example of a curbside shutter turned into lovely living room art with paint and a stencil.
Thrift Store Vases and Ceramics
You may be tempted to pass by the glassware such as vases and bowls. But with a little bit of glass paint or Mod Podge, you can turn these thrift store items into great crafts. Or use clear glass bowls and fishbowls as fairy gardens or succulent planters.
Hard Cover Books
Picking up some cooks for cheap is a great idea because you can read the book and then craft with it! Or simply skip to the crafting and use those pages to make pretty paper flowers or as decoupage paper to decorate your surfaces such as this vintage trunk makeover. I think this romantic book cover is one of my best thrift store makeovers and was a pretty easy project to do!
Vintage Suitcases
There are so many great ways to use these versatile pieces. You can mount vintage suitcases on legs to create unique end tables, or simply clean them up and use them to organize all your craft supplies!
Figurines
Colorful figurines might not be the first thrift store item that comes to mind, but with a little spray paint or chalky paint, you can use them to make truly unique items. I incorporated a little ceramic cherub into this wall hanging.
And this sweet bunny was the star of our Easter table scape last year.
We hope you’ve found inspiration in these easy and amazing thrift store makeovers. We didn’t even get into furniture pieces – we’ll leave that for another post!
It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can achieve. So whether it’s the thrift store, local garage sales or the flea market, keep an eye out for some one-of-a-kind items to upcycle. It’s really true that one person’s trash can be another’s treasure!
Like it? Pin it for later!
Melissa Ramsey
Monday 23rd of January 2023
Do you have a picture of the recycled wooden flatware box?
Jane and Sonja
Monday 23rd of January 2023
@Melissa Ramsey, yes! I just added a few images into the post above. Hope you like it! -Jane
Helen Cassrle
Monday 20th of June 2022
Where is the pic of the wall hanging with the cherub?
Jane and Sonja
Monday 20th of June 2022
Hi Helen! Oh my goodness - we forgot to include it. I've added the pictures now - towards the end of the post. Thank you for letting me know! -Jane