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The Best Thrift Store Finds

As many of you guys know if you follow us on Instagram or Facebook, Katie B and I did some thrift store trolling while we were in Destin last week. Which is pretty much a tradition at this point (check out our past adventures here and here). We didn’t have our video camera on hand, but we snapped a junkload of photos for you guys. So without further ado, here are my finds – and you can see Katie’s over on her blog if you’d like.

I’ll lead with my favorites: these amazing woven twin-sized headboards. They were $29 each and I am COMPLETELY regretful that I left without them. Picture them painted white – or even soft blue or bold red. They’re almost quatrefoil-ish in shape (picture the bed going on the bottom to complete the four-things-jutting-out shape), and I lurv-lurv-lurv them. Not only was there no room in the car for them, we have daybeds (two of ’em) so I just couldn’t convince myself they were meant for our house. In my mind, they’re the ones that got away though. Single tear. I hope someone takes them home and pets them every night.

Bamboo Headboards

I thought this wicker based table was kind of cool, and although I wasn’t crazy about the rounded-square glass shape, couldn’t you see it with a large round wood top instead? Maybe all painted charcoal like a pedestal table with extra texture in the base?

Rattan Table

These two frames were $2.99 and although they’re looking pretty gilded, I thought with some paint on those frames (white, black, yellow, emerald… anything really) and some new fabric inside of them, they could be really fun for a frame collage (it’s nice to break up a lot of squares and rectangles with a few curvier shapes). The little dudes inside of them could even be fun if they were painted and added back into the mix, but they also could be removed completely so the new fabric could be the star.

Face Frames

This leggy wooden side table was $29, which isn’t cheap but it’s also solid wood so I think it could be sanded down and oiled/stained or even painted (cottage red? crisp white? soft gray?) and used as a bedside table or an end table in a living room. You could even slip a woven basket underneath it for added storage.

Wood Side Table

There were four of these guys for $19 each I think – and although they look a little bland right now (they remind me of oatmeal) I think some glossy white or black paint on the chair part with a new seat cushion (maybe an ikat or a chic little polka dot?) would completely change them. Here’s another color/fabric idea. And of course there are these. The nice thing about chairs like this is that the seats are so easy to remove, both for easier chair-spray-painting and for a simple staple-gun-upholstery-session.

Rattan Chair

How cool would this sold wood three-drawer dresser look with a treatment like this or this or this? Just picture it stenciled, stained, hand-painted, or even nail-head studded with new hardware. Me-ow right? Or perhaps you’re more of a wood purist who’d rather forgo those detailed designs? I could also see this stained a rich brown color (or even scrubbed with vinegar and water to weather it a la Restoration Hardware items). Add some cool knobs (I keep picturing bright white faceted ones for some reason) and you’re golden. It was $59, so it wasn’t dirt cheap, but it was solid wood and around the same price of a not-solid-wood dresser from Ikea.

Wood Dresser

These chairs were $15 each (there were four of them) and I didn’t mind them as-is (the medium wood was nice, and the bold cushions were in good shape) but they’d also be easy to paint/stain and recover for a completely new look. I could see them painted in a soft platinum color with a navy velvet seat. I know. I’m fancy.

Blue Chairs

This little green light was another find that reminded me of something from Pottery Barn kids, and at $6 it was a lot cheaper. I prefer to buy newer-looking lights secondhand unless I’m going to rewire them (or pay to get them rewired by a pro) since older lamps can have weathered/faulty wiring which can result in scary things like shortages or fires.

Green Lamp

There were tons of textile finds as well, which can scare some people, but running them through the wash on high heat or the sanitary setting (even with some bleach if you’re extra nervous) can clean secondhand clothes, sheets, tablecloths, etc. Gotta make Macklemore proud. So I never shy away from the idea of giving them a new home if you see something you love. This high contrast chevron-ish comforter was queen sized and $19. I could even see someone buying it just for the fabric… you could cut it up and make pillows, curtains, roman shades, etc. And it would break down to being around three bucks a yard.

Chevron Comforter

This twin sized Ikea duvet was going for $5.99. Once again it would be awesome to use for the fabric (a little red-heart table runner with matching napkins would be cute for V-day) or you could just toss it on a twin sized bed and call it good.

Ikea Heart Duvet

There were also a lot of lace tablecloths, which I pictured dying for a more modern look. How cool would a blue ombre pattern be? Or even just a solid emerald or plum. You can also use lace as a “stencil” (lay it over an old table and spray paint over it, then remove it to see that cool lace pattern translated onto the table).

Lace Tablecloths

This polka dot twin sheet set had me at hello. It reminded me of the sets that places like Pottery Barn and Serena & Lilly sell, and it was 100% cotton (which is always something I look for in sheets). At $7 for the set, I was sold. These babies came home with me and are already on Clara’s daybed. There’s not much the girl loves more than polka dots these days, so she’s just as smitten as I am.

Polka Dot Sheets2

This is just a crazy picture of me displaying my sheet set like Vanna White.

Polka Dot Curtains

Duck!

Duck Hanging

That was $1.99 and very enticing, but somehow I held it together and left him behind. I think my ceramic animal count might be in the double digits, so I thought it best to leave Mister Mallard for someone else.

Oh and don’t forget to check out books at thrift stores! This one was $3.99 and giant (the picture doesn’t do it justice – it was easily 18″ tall).

Hotel Book Front

It had gorgeous color photos that could be cut out/blown up/framed and also would just be pretty on a coffee table or console (either closed with some other books stacked on top, or open to a pretty page. I’d switch the page every week or so, just to keep it spicy. I know you guys, I’m a wild woman.

Hotel Book

So there you have it, my thrifty finds. In the end I only popped one tag (those cute polka dot sheets) but the thrill of the hunt is the best part. Plus John would have had my head if I came back with ten bags of stuff to cram into the car for the drive home. #carpackingtyrant

What are you guys hunting for these days? Any thrift store scores going on in your neck of the woods? Do you ever go second-hand hunting on vacation? I’m a fan.

Comments

    • andrea says

      I was so surprised to see it down! Although now, I can really see the Natalie Portman resemblance others have mentioned.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I completely agree! That’s why I mentioned red, soft blue, charcoal, light gray, emerald, yellow, and black paint along with wood stain, a two-toned stenciled pattern, and even weathering wood with vinegar and water to give things that faded Restoration Hardware look!

      xo
      s

    • Gina says

      I agree, and I will take it further and say painting everything is not the solution to every decorating dilemma. I am glad those items stayed in the shop so they weren’t subjected to the obnoxious ‘pops of color’ YHL cannot seem to outgrow. Let’s start a drinking game to ‘soft blue’, as it seems to have taken the place of ‘rich mocha’ and maybe even ‘crisp white’. I used to love this blog. I hope I can again someday.

    • Carol says

      @Gina, you don’t have to love every suggestion made by someone, that’s their style choice. My personal taste runs a bit different from YHL but I glean the gems that I like and leave what I’m not a big fan of. Hopefully your finding inspiration from many more places than the blogosphere.
      S&J-I love “pops of color”!

    • Michelle M. says

      Sherry- this is your house. Your vision. And your blog. Don’t let these people tell you what you do and do not like :) No one is forcing them to read. They may not like painted wood, but I do, and so do other people, so please keep doing what you do and doing it as awesomely as you do it. :)

    • Beth says

      I must say that there’s a few folks on here that seem to have forgotten that no one’s forcing them to read this delightful blog. To those folks: there’s a way to make requests without being rude! To John and Sherry- make like that ceramic duck and let their comments roll right off your backs! I think your blog is fantastic and inspiring, and I look forward to reading you every day. You’re the first thing I read in the morning, before the news, before email, even before *gasp* facebook! :)

    • Debby says

      @Gina, did you call the police after the person with the gun to your head left after forcing you to read the blog. Like granny always said if you can’t say something nice, be still. I love painted wood that’s one of the many reasons I keep reading. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t keep tuning in. See eezy peezy. Now, ba bye.

    • Pesh says

      In Gina’s defense, it’s okay for her to express an opinion. She could have been a little more polite, but there’s nothing wrong with a little constructive criticism. It may open your eyes to something you hadn’t considered or realized before and help you improve. I’m sure John and Sherry appreciate getting reader feedback to help sustain their blog.

    • Linda says

      Expressing your opinion is definitely okay, which is what Kristen did in the original post on this thread. Even Gina’s first sentence expressing her opinion is fine (“I agree, and I will take it further and say painting everything is not the solution to every decorating dilemma”). Where I think most of us feel it crosses the line is when she starts personally insulting them–obnoxious pops of color, really? If you really don’t like YHL then don’t read their blog–there are a million out there, or start your own. It’s not like we have to pay to read their blog. There are definitely some blogs I’ve checked out where I don’t like their style, so I stopped reading them. What’s the point of continuing to read the blog and writing rude comments? It’s like people who read newspaper articles online and comment about what a dumb/silly/pointless article it was–if it’s so bad, why did they bother reading and then take the time to comment? Why waste your own time reading blogs you don’t like and aren’t inspired by???

  7. Katie says

    Ha! That ceramic duck head is so strange…yet somehow enticing! These prices seem a bit higher than a Goodwill. Was this a thrift shop that’s just local to Destin?

    Reply

  8. Christina says

    I had those sheets in college. Thanks for bringing back some great memories this morning. Hope Clara enjoys them!

    Reply

  9. Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says

    I’ve been catching up on Game of Thrones, and honestly, every time I see Daenerys Targaryen, I think, “all that chick needs is a dark blazer and a can of spray paint and she’d be Sherry from YHL. Except with dragons.”

    I like those headboards a lot. Who knew what treasures could be found in Destin?

    Reply

    • Kathy says

      I just looked up the actress to see her photos, and it’s uncanny! It’s Sherry with a blonde wig! :)

    • Kellee says

      Aahhh, thank you! It has been driving me crazy who that actress reminded me of or what else she had been in that made her look so familiar. I think she’s definitely your long-lost twin, Sherry!

  10. CohoesMom5 says

    I love to go to thrift shops and flea markets when I’m out of town. I rarely find anything great at our local thrift shops. Except once I was looking for a wooden magazine rack to paint. I expected to look for months to find exactly what I wanted but it only took 2 days.

    Did those wood chairs with the blue seats really match the sofa nearby? That would be blue overload if those were all in my house.

    Reply

  11. Hannah says

    I love seeing people’s Goodwill finds! And you and Katie always make me rethink those things I said “heck no!” to while in the store. Looking back they aren’t that bad and sometimes are actually something I’m looking for. I just don’t have much of an imagination I guess.

    Those sheets look like the ones a girlfriend got from Walmart for her daughters. I think they’re adorable. :)

    Reply

  12. CohoesMom5 says

    On a different note – how much did your Thrift Shop challenge earlier this year help make the song more popular? I would never have listened to it if it hadn’t been on your blog and now I can’t get it out of my head.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think we can claim absolutely zero credit for that song being a hit. Macklemore just rocks the house and it was destined to be played on every station every ten minutes because it’s a dang good jam. Haha!

      xo
      s

    • Andrea says

      I still feel super fancy because I discovered that song through your blog only a couple of days (not more than a fortnight) before they started playing it on German radio :D Love this :D
      My friends from GB are over for a week and we’re gonna go and pop some tags on Tuesday. Soo excited :D And thanks Sherry for mentioning what you would do with the cool items you find (paint it etc.) I now see potential in plain/ boring/ wooden/ miscoloured things I would’ve just looked over before.
      :)

  13. Annie says

    Those headboards are awesome. Finding pieces like that in pairs always makes them seem even cooler.

    Why the 100% cotton sheets? I love finding sheets with even the smallest amount of polyester- they last longer, wrinkle less, and hold color so much better!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Interesting! I just tend to prefer the feeling of 100% cotton (since we can’t always buy organic stuff, that seems the closest since it’s a natural fiber). Ours seem to wear for years and keep their color too.

      xo
      s

    • Annie says

      Gotcha. At my house, we always stick to organic products in the kitchen, but don’t worry as much about fabrics. :)

    • Leah says

      Re: the sheets, I’m usually a cotton gal too (and love the old organic sheets at Target, though I’ve heard the new style aren’t as nice). But I did get a set of tencel bamboo sheets, I believe, for our wedding. And darned if they aren’t the most luxurious sheets I have ever slept in. Maybe it’s just the 600 thread count, but the bamboo softness can’t hurt. I hope they’re durable for the long haul.

  14. Laurie says

    Man! That was a good store! I love the little table. I’m always needing little tables around the house.

    I have to admit that I’ve picked up many of those rejected bedspreads and used them as stuffing for the dog beds.

    That dresser? I really think that should have come home with me. That is the perfect size for my table linens. Can I get it home to Oregon somehow?

    Reply

  15. Lori says

    ACK! I want to run, not walk, to Destin for those twin headboards!! And I don’t even run!

    GREAT finds! I loved all your suggestions!

    Reply

  16. rebecca says

    So many great finds. Those chairs would be perfect as is in my dining room makeover! Unfortunately it’s a little too far away to drive, I wish we had some better thrift stores up here in Maine! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  18. Lil says

    I think I go to the thrift stores around here at the wrong time of day or something…

    I would have taken about half of what you showed home! Awesome finds!

    Reply

  20. Maureen says

    So, my question is how do you clean the sheets? I am no where near being a germaphobe but I don’t know how I would clean these to make feel better how sleeping on them. lol

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We have a sanitize setting on our washer that uses really hot water to de-germ stuff. If it works on John’s gym/running clothes, it can work on anything!

      xo
      s

    • Janet says

      You sleep on hotel beds, correct? They just wash them in hot water and put them in the dryer. Same thing!

    • Tracy D. says

      It really is amazing what just a good washing will do for old stinky fabrics. I bought a vintage mid century bench and the cushion was SO gross and dingy and has a weird faint smokey smell to it, but after one wash and drying it in the sun, it looked, smelled and felt brand new!

  21. Ashley says

    My sis and I are always hitting up the thrift shops! At times it can be therapy and I always come home in a better mood :)(just reading this had me geared up to go) There are several thrift stores, flea markets and second hand shops in my area and I regret to say it has been aloooong time since I’ve been to one. So come Saturday morning I am out the door and off to do some bargain hunting…Oh , and yes every year on our trip to Lake Michigan I go to at least 2 thrift shops and leave with whatever I can fit in our car. I regret not taking our truck this year because I found a set of four dinning room chairs that were screaming for me to take them home and work em over!

    Reply

  22. Jenn Barry says

    I stopped at a thrift store in a small town on the CA coast and found brand new Bloch tap shoes in my size for $5.00. Of course I put them on immediately and thrilled my 9 year-old self by busting out some time steps. My neighbors downstairs hate me, I’m sure. Best find ever!

    Reply

  23. Kim says

    Love the finds, but why must everything be painted? The dresser, table, and chairs look great as wood! And the headboards…how I want them just like they are!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I like to explain how things could look different in these roundups (since everyone can picture a wood-toned chair or headboard as wood-toned if that’s what they’re shown as in the picture). So I toss out alternatives like paint sometimes. I definitely mentioned stain for a few items (and even using vinegar to weather wood a la Restoration Hardware) too! We have a ton of wooden pieces in our house and love them too.

      xo
      s

    • Helen says

      YES. The hair down thing made me all “They asked some stranger to pose with shee — THAT’S SHERRY.”

  25. Lauren (in PA) says

    I always have a vague list of things I’m on the hunt for, but Vintage Pyrex is my thang. I love it.

    If I find it at a thrift shop I dance around like a lunatic.

    If I find it at a yard sale, I play it WAY down, like “aren’t these cute colorful dishes” (and never say Pyrex), because if the person selling them knows your’re interested or they could be collectable, then they tend to not haggle or have lower prices.

    But once I score I do a happy dance in the car as I drive away.

    Reply

  26. Brenda says

    Love love love the multicolored polka dot sheets! I’m so glad they came home with you. I always love when you do thrift store posts because where I see junk or ugly, you see fun potential.

    Reply

  28. Taylor says

    I live in Destin and am curious which Goodwill this was? The one in town (with the mosaic) or the one east (closer to Stinkys)?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hmm, it was the one you see when you’re coming into Destin, so I don’t think it was the one near Stinky’s. I’m terrible at directions but it was a big freestanding building (maybe it was orange?).

      xo,
      s

  29. Jeanna says

    Oh my gosh, I don’t know how you do it!! I would never be able to find furniture at resale prices like that where I live! And sets of 4 chairs at a time = amazing! I would of had a hard time leaving without a few of those items. Oh, and by the way, I really love your hair down :)

    Reply

  33. Laura @ Rather Square says

    I’m realizing I haven’t been thrifting in a while now, but this post is a good reminder of what gems you can find out there. Especially the woven twin headboards! Those would have so much potential once painted.

    Reply

  36. Auntie Allyn says

    Thrift store envy . . . the ones in my neck of the woods have pretty poor pickings. Still, I keep checking them out as you never know when you’ll strike gold!

    Reply

  37. Abigayle says

    My hubby and I have been in our new house for a month now, and a few weeks ago I stopped by our local salvation army (which is ginormous and amazing) and found matching bedside tables for us. They are really awesome, and I thought of you guys because there are honeycomb details at the top! They’re pretty fabulous and I plan on painting them one day. They were $80 for the pair which I thought was decent considering they have two doors, a drawer, and are pretty large. I wish I could have found them on a Wednesday since our store is 25% off everything then, but I had a feeling that they would have been gone if I had waited another 5 days.

    Then later that day at Homegoods we picked up some really awesome lamps for the tables that just happened to have honeycomb detail on them as well. I’ll probably take a picture and post it on your facebook page because I’m pretty sure you both would go ga-ga over them!

    Also, I wanted to thank you guys for the constant inspiration! Yesterday we finally bought ourselves a brand spankin’ new couch from ikea after having free hand-me-downs for 4 years (and trust me, they were all free for a reason). We ended up getting the karlstad corner sofa in the same fabric as yours since you guys have had such good luck with it. We had a weird nook we needed to fit the couch in, and the corner sofa is a perfect fit! I love it already!! Maybe once we get our blinds and some curtains I’ll send you guys a picture of the put together room. I’m pretty sure you guys would love the carpet we went with too :)

    Sorry for such a long post! I just love you guys and am so excited about how my first home is coming together after reading about all of your houses for years!

    Reply

  39. K. Moore says

    When we went to Maui we were probably the only tourists asking for directions to the thrift store! We totally scored and that was really all the souvenirs that we bought while there!! :-) Thrifts stores on vacation….#livinlarge

    Reply

  40. Ginny @ Goofy Monkeys says

    THE POLKA DOT SHEETS! I totally have those bad-boys on my daughter’s bed right now! They came from Kohl’s so the price was reasonable new, but at $7 they were a thrift-shop steal! Congrats on the find!

    Reply

  44. Rena Gleason says

    Hi there! Long time reader, first time commenter. I love to thrift and bargain hunt in and out of town as well. Working on several projects as I write and I am anxious to get them finished. Your thrift store posts are inspiring to see past the the current state of a piece. Love your ideas and keep them coming!

    Reply

  45. Kristi@Chatfield Court says

    Love the headboards. Too bad you couldn’t bring them home. It’s great to go into a thrift store you don’t visit often. I go to the ones around my house and it seems that the (near) same things are always there. Haven’t had much luck lately.

    Reply

  46. Hera says

    You guys need to seriously get a truck. I can’t even imagine being a homeowner and not having a truck. I go to thrift stores all the time and I would definitely need something larger to accommodate more than a set of sheets. What kind of washer and dryer did you get for the new house? I believe your old ones were sold with house #2. Just curious.

    Reply

  47. lindsay says

    That is one of our sheet sets, which I got at Target a few years ago! My daughter thought they might not be masculine enough for her dad, but my response was – ‘too bad, since he’s going to be sleeping with them a lot!’ Turns out he loves them, too. xo

    Reply

  48. lindsay says

    We also own those sheets. They came from Target a few years ago. Our daughter thought they might not be masculine enough for her dad, to which I said ‘too bad, since he’s going to be sleeping with them a lot!’ Turns out he loves them, too.

    xolgm

    Reply

  49. Jenny says

    Love your pics. I cried the second matching tear for the left behind headboards. I can see them in a colonial-inspired room or even a crazy tropical/preppy lilly pulitzer look – aqua?

    Reply

  50. Deepika says

    The polka dot sheets are similar to what my kids have .. I got them fOr target for 17.99 a pop . Add a $5 off coupon for kids stuff and the 5% off for the card , I got a good deal , although nothing beats the 7.99 . They wash well and look as new even after a year …. And I wash them every week. Pretty surprised at the quality !

    Reply

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