What I Look for at Thrift Shops!

Who doesn’t love a good trip to the thrift store? I hear from so many of you that your thrift shops aren’t the best and I used to feel that way too until I found my first piece of Ironstone. I would only pop in every now and then and just browse and usually walked out empty handed. Today I can still walk out empty handed but those days are fewer and fewer. I am here to tell you that you can find some great items in your thrift stores all you have to do is look consistently. That is my big secret, just be consistent and go weekly or a couple times a week if you have the time. It also doesn’t hurt to google thrift stores in your area and see if other ones pop up besides your standard Goodwill. I have a couple local ones that have turned into my favorites. I usually walk out with something from them. I bet you are wondering what are some things to be on the look out for, well I am going to tell you!

My Thrift Shop Tips!

• Ironstone is one of the biggest things I look for and usually find. It is pretty common especially the plates. I have gotten lucky once and I found an amazing pitcher! I get lots of questions about Ironstone and I plan on writing a whole blog post soon about it, but for now you can usually tell it is Ironstone by looking for the mark on the bottom. If it doesn’t have a mark I can usually tell by the patina or crackle of a piece. It is a great idea to google Ironstone pieces as well to get an idea of what it might look like and to see the common brands. That will help you as you hunt.
• Baskets are a great thing to search out at thrift stores because they are also so common and usually very reasonable. I can usually always find an old basket or a picnic basket every now and then to add to my collection.
• Old books can also be found while looking through the book selection. All of the books are usually the same price so it doesn’t matter the age it will still be the same price! I always look through the book section.
• Old paintings or pictures are one of my absolute favorite things to find at thrift shops. I have two paintings in my home that I lucked into on two different occasions but they go so well together almost like they were done around the same time. So it pays to check the art section too!
• Handmade pottery is my latest obsession to hunt down at the thrift shops. I love how unique it is and how much character it can add to a space.

I hope these little tips help inspire you to go out and search your local thrift shops. I am a firm believer you can make your house a home on a small budget. The key is to go often and keep your eyes peeled because you never know what you might find! I would love to hear about what you love to look for at your thrift shops so please comment below!