In a few days we head to Florida for the winter! I have been busy packing and finishing projects and making sure the house is ready to rent out. So when I needed a break, I went thrifting even though I probably didn’t have the time or space for more things. But I was picky with my finds and am excited to show you my latest thrift haul!
thrifting books
Last week a new book came in the mail and it is SO good! I thought I’d share my two favorite books on decorating and thrifting.
So what’s the book? Its Modern Mix by Eddie Ross. The whole premise of the book is that you don’t have to be rich to have a beautiful house- you can buy what wealthy people donate to a thrift store or shop flea markets or estate sales. But the key is to train your eye. And it’s all about teaching what makes a good find. I’m loving it and am learning a lot!
The first book I read on decorating with second hand finds is called Flea Market Style Book by Better Homes and Gardens. It was written recently which means the finds are fresh and the advice is relevant. My favorite part of the book is that it’s split into different decorating styles and show homes in each style with lots of thrifted finds.
Here’s some more thrifting books that I’d like to buy. They’re all affordable- it’s just finding the time to read them.
I keep all of my books in my shelves, color coordinated. 90% of them are are on home decor and decorating. It’s the best feeling to be surrounded by ideas and information about what I’m passionate about. Some people might think books are dead, but to me, they are life.
my thrift haul
Here’s my thrifted finds and where I ended up putting them.
Butterflies
I found a few butterflies thrifting that were rattan. They were so cute, I had no clue where I’d put them, but they came home with me. I have one vintage brass butterfly in my She Shed so I decided that these would fit right in. I spray paint them white and hung them above the door in the peak.
After showing a friend, I decided that they would look better pink. I painted everything pink (the shiplap, corbels, shelves, and brackets) in the she shed so why not have pink butterflies?! The following week, I thrifted a few more butterflies and gave them all a few coats of pink paint before hanging them up.
I hope to add more with time (so watch out for them with a future thrift haul). But I do love the effect of vintage pink butterflies on the shiplap!
I was looking for more online and found some on eBay. I love that there’s so many different styles! In store, I’ve been finding these for $0.50-$1 each. They’re much more expensive online.
brass bowls
A few weeks ago, my sister found a set of two brass bowls with the cutest bow detail on Facebook Marketplace! They were 2 for $8 and I knew I wanted them. She was nice enough to pick them up for me. I thought they’d be perfect for holding cotton bowls in the new rainbow bathroom.
Here’s some similar items if you’d like to grab a similar bowl.
tea towel
I grabbed the most beautiful pastel hued tea towel for $2 while thrifting! I love using vintage linens especially for something so practical. There were 4 of these at the store, all perfectly pressed and obviously loved. Now it can sit pretty on my pink stove (that I covered in car vinyl).
Side note, last week our stove started sparking and we were sure we’d have to buy a new one. The most affordable one in stock is $450- ouch! But then I mentioned it on Instagram and so many people let me know that it was just the element that needed changing. We paid $50 and ordered one and that old stove is back in business. What would I do without you guys?!
I looked for similar tea towels on eBay, but there were only a few. This book looks really good on tea towels though!
fireplace
I was really excited when I spotted an electric fireplace for $25 at the thrift store! My fireplace mantle in my living room is cute, but it only has a sterno can to light for ambience. No thanks. I love electric fireplaces- especially with a young child and renting out the house as an Air BNB- it just seems safer. I was planning on buying one from Amazon for $125, so this was a major find!
Luckily, I plugged it in at the store and it heated up nicely. The measurements for the fireplace seemed to work (I called my husband to confirm). Side note, I love to keep a small retractable measuring tape in my bag for times like this. This is a habit from being an interior designer, but is great to adopt as a thrifter too.
I brought it home and the new insert is a little bigger so my husband cut the opening a bit bigger. I need to touch up the paint, then it’ll be complete. The exciting thing is that we’ll be able to turn this on in the fall and winter and spring when it’s chilly outside. It’ll be so cozy!
bowl
Once in a while, I go on shopgoodwill.com and see what I can find. I like the idea of slowly stocking up on beautiful serving ware. Sure, we aren’t doing big parties right now, but one day that’ll change! This one is by Lenox and has the prettiest details!
Side note, I updated my acrylic wall art with flower art. Since we move soon, I didn’t want personal pictures of me out. I actually might like it more now!
plates
I added a few more souvenir plates to my travel plate wall. It’s almost to the ceiling! Do you think that means I should be done with this collection or should I go over the cabinets? I usually find these for my thrift haul. I’ll miss collecting these!
thrift tip
My thrifting lesson of the week is to not be a vulture at the thrift store. Let me back up- I went thrifting first thing in the morning a few weeks ago. I was excited to find a vintage wood shelf and I wanted to record a video of it for my Instagram Stories series Thrift Store Thursday.
Well, a lady saw that I was looking at the shelves and just hovered and asked me repeatedly if I was going to get them. I racked my brain- where could I use these?! Then it hit me- they’d be perfect for my son’s “paleontology museum” in his play house. It could hold bones! So I told her I’d get it and scooped it up.
I am so grateful I did because it’s now one of my favorite parts of the playhouse! (ps stay tuned for the reveal tomorrow!).
But back to the lesson. If you want something that someone else is looking for, give them space. If you hover, it might make them want it more.
Anyway, that’s my thrift haul for the week! What was your favorite find?
Do you like seeing where these thrift finds end up? Any questions from this post? Let me know in the comments!
Laurel says
I love seeing the items that we thrifted for together in your home! How amazing that you found a fireplace that fits – so good!
I will keep my eye out while thrifting for more of the butterflies and for the cute, porcelain shoes too. 🙂