My mom and I have been thrifting and antiquing for years. It all started with my wedding 3 years ago when I decided to have a shabby chic, vintage style wedding. To save money, we began to thrift for items to use as wedding decor.
We ended up finding over 200 pieces of dinnerware to use on our tables. We also thrifted all of our milk glass centerpieces, cake stands, pitchers, lanterns, mirrors, signs, brass candle sticks, etc. So, pretty much all of my wedding decor! All in all, I believe it was less than $400 for all the decorations and dinnerware.
We quickly realized thrifting and antiquing were wonderful ways to find beautiful pieces of decor and furniture at inexpensive price points. From then on, it became a routine thing for us to do together. We fell in love with the stories behind the pieces we found, and we figured out how to flip pieces to fit our styles.
So lets get into the tips!
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thrifting & antiquing for beginners
tip 1: bargain for a lower price (even when thrifting)
Most antique stores have individual booths inside of them that are owned by different sellers. Sometimes an owner may be present at a booth when you’re shopping or there may be a phone number listed inside of the booth. If possible, offer a price that is a little less than what is listed or ask what is the lowest price they will accept. I know this can be a little nerve-racking if you are a beginner. Most of the time, the owner will accept or counter with another price!
Also keep in mind that at most antique stores, sellers spend a lot of time researching the background of their items as well as the price points. You don’t want to bargain too low.
Don’t be afraid to bargain at thrift stores as well! Certain stores are allowed to wiggle some on their prices. For example, I went to a local thrift store the other day and found the perfect mirror for my bathroom. It was listed at $40, but it had a small piece of filigree missing from the corner. They gave me $10 off, so I purchased the mirror for $30.
tip 2: know your interior style
There are many styles to choose from when it comes to interior decorating. Boho, Modern, Farmhouse, French Country, English Cottage, etc… I think it is really important to have an idea of what your style is. That way, when you are shopping, you can look for things that fit and mesh well together. I primarily decorate with a vintage country style, but I also have touches of cottage decor throughout my house.
For my style, I generally choose neutral colors (creams, whites, browns, muted earth tones) with pops of antique brass and copper, and I like to warm my space up with wood tones. I also like to use jute and wicker as textured pieces in my home. Knowing these things about my interior style allows me to look for items that fit with those parameters, and it keeps me from purchasing something that may not mesh well in my home. I suggest watching Youtube channels that discuss multiple styles as well as searching on Pinterest!
tip 3: make a thrift list & bring a tape measure
I can’t tell you how many times I have went thrifting or antiquing and fell in love with a piece of furniture… only to discover I couldn’t measure it. Why? Because I didn’t have my tape measure with me, or I didn’t know if it would fit my space. So, I try to ALWAYS keep a tiny tape measure in my purse, and I keep a running list of measurements for the spaces in my home that I am trying to fill. This way I can measure the physical item while also knowing whether or not it will fit in the space I want it too.
Another suggestion I have for you is to keep a list of items in your phone. I do this so I can remember the items I wanted to look for! Going in with a list of what I want keeps me from buying something I don’t need.
tip 4: dig, dig, dig
tip 5: patience and consistency are key
If you want to read more tips on saving money or home decor, check out my previous blog post here!