thrift flips
+
home decor
ideas
One of my favorite ways to design for less is by flipping thrifts. Sometimes you get lucky and find ready to go home decor pieces, but most of the times they need a little work. Here I'm sharing my favorite thrift flips, products I use for flipping, and some thrift flip home decor ideas to start creating a beautiful home on a budget!
Making Your Home Your Own
I love to save money where I can, like home decor and some furniture pieces. That allows me to splurge on the fancy things I really want. I love luxury home decor, I just don't like the prices and my husband doesn't either, ha! So, creating a thrift flip is one of my favorite ways to decorate my home the way I want it and save!
My favorite aspect about thrifting though, is creating something fun and unique out of something old.
It's one of my hobbies. My mom likes to go thrifting every Tuesday (thanks to senior discount day at Goodwill) and I try to tag along each week. Sometimes I have a home decor need and design plan, and sometimes I go to see what stands out to me that might need a flip.
Tools for Thrift Flips: A place to start for diy beginners
I always recommend my DIY students start with thrift flips. Since everything is so cheap (or free), it's a great place to have fun and test those DIY skills. Use those power tools and experiment. It's ok if you mess a flip up trying something new.
Great tools to have for thrift flips are:
Orbital Sander – for sanding things. Hand sanding works as well unless the piece is big or needs a deep sand. I hand sand my glass thrift flips before painting with a piece of fine sandpaper. Sanding blocks are great for a quick scuffsand.
Jigsaw – a beginner friendly power tool to cut legs off furniture, make arches, holes in backs of pieces, or trim off an edge you don't like.
Power Drill – to remove screws, reassemble, attach additional pieces together, they even make different attachments you could use to create character, like wire bristles.
Speed Square – making sure legs are square or additional wood pieces or after assembly of an old piece will help ensure it works properly
Hammer – you know, to hammer things 🙂
Clamps – helpful to hold pieces together when driving a screw or when using wood glue.
Wood Glue – wood glue is like a secret bond ninja! I have used only glue on many pieces, no nails or screws – for decorative pieces, not pieces that will be used a lot, for function or have weight applied to them. Just clamp and glue.
Thrift Flips a gift for you & others!
Thrift flips are becoming more popular because people can create unique pieces on a budget. Instead of spending hundreds on furniture or home decor, you can find items at a fraction of the cost and customize it to fit your exact style and need. I've also recreated some amazing gifts using thrifted pieces.
With all the tutorials online, it’s easier than ever to find inspiration and how-to’s for what you are looking for. I love taking a piece from FB Marketplace, garage sales or thrift stores and turning it into something beautiful and functional. It ignites creativity and allows you to take something old and make it new again.
reuse : recycle
Another important factor is that thrift flips are great for mother earth.
We try to recycle at the house, but I am not perfect about it. By thrifting, I like to think of it as another way of “giving back.” Shopping at a thrift store rather than buying new, we are reducing our carbon footprint. More thrift flips = less junk in the landfills.
Depending on your style, thrift flips can bring a certain charm to your styling and it's fun knowing it was a pre-loved item and gets another chance at life with you!
Behind the process of thrift flips
Some thrift flips are simple and sweet, and others require patience and creativity. Think about the style you are going for and look for items that speak to you in some way; whether it's furniture, wall décor, trinkets etc.
Make sure you look over your piece thoroughly for any repairs that might be needed, and always check drawers work properly.
Once you've found your item, have fun getting creative! First, get a design plan going and access what needs to be done. Gather your materials and let the thrift flips begin. Need some help? Check out my flip it fab guide below.
Thrifted this kitchen table to use for our craft room. It's perfect for painting on and letting the kids have free expression without worrying about the table. I love the random paint spots.
I kept this FB Market thrift as is, it was someone's kitchen table and now it provides us some room for our craft room messes!
I took out the dividers in this silver utensil holder for the kitchen and used it for this faux fern.
With a little creativity, DIY thrift flips are a great way to decorate your home without breaking the bank. I have thrifted pieces all around the house.
I love turning ordinary items into extraordinary pieces. It's fun to redesign pieces exactly how you want them. I even use a lot of thrift home decor as is. So, the next time you're out shopping, keep an eye out for some unique finds you can flip and add your personal touch to.
I just turned my guest room into a craft room, so I have a lot of thrift flips from there. I found this desk for $13.00. I envisioned a cute pink thrift flip desk for this one, but my six year old said, “don't paint it please!”
Thrift flips for storage is the best. I love getting baskets, book shelves, shoe cubes second hand. This was a nice chest I found thrifing and gave it a fun two-toned look. This was back when the distressed farmhouse look was all the rave. But I do still love this thrifted home decor piece and it holds extra throw blankets and pillows in our livingroom.
thrift flips: my favorite material
- Ardex Concrete Repair Mix
- Textured Spray Paint
- Antique Brass Spray Paint
- FAV Gold Spraypaint EVER– Krylon Metallic Michaels
- My Go To Soft White
- Matte Finish Furniture Paint – All in one kit
- Cane Material
- Metallic Leaf Sheets
- Spray Paint Holder
- Blue Painter's Tape
- Cheap Lazy Susan (the best for vase flips)
- Sponge Brush
- Mini Rollers
- Paint Brush – I love Wooster brand
- Stencils
- Wood Beads (Various Sizes)
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases of products I use and recommend here.
Here is a complete list of all the products I use for my thrift flips whether it's a simple home decor piece or complex furniture flip. Let me know if you have any questions about any thrift flips specifically. Also, please share some of your favorite products or material.
I am always looking for new product to test and try. 🙂
Join my monthly Flip that thrift challenge and easily bring thrifted pieces to life in your home. Discover the ultimate how to guide with my Flip it Fabulous Freebie. Learn how to transform thrift store finds into stunning home decor pieces using my expert thrift flip tips and a complete list of product recommendations.
Easy Thrift flips + Home Decor Ideas
1. Upcycling furniture – Thrift flips for furniture is one of the best ways to save money while decorating. Use old dressers as entry tables, in an office or playroom for storage. Take an old piece of furniture and give it a makeover with a fresh coat of paint. You can clean it up to keep its old charm or flip it into something of your own with unique hardware or changing out the legs. You can add upholstery and different fabrics for texture.
Just look at this thrift flip idea below, I helped my friend add wallpaper to his coffee table. It fits his style fun, slightly moody glam vibe a bit more than how it was sitting at the thrift store! We just used regular wallpaper paste. You can add pieces of craft wood or dowels to add modern touches. An easier route to get a new look is just use paint! Try adding modern or bright patterned fabric to create a unique and eye-catching piece of furniture that can be used as a fun home decor thrift to your space.
2. Serving tray flips – You can repaint them and add some cute wood beads for feet to spruce up an old, thrifted tray. Or use trays in different ways like wall art. Thrift stores are full of metal and wood trays that need some love. Try repurposing them with a fresh coat of paint, use painters’ tape or stencils to create a modern pattern for thrift flip wall art!
3. Create fun statement or accent pieces – Look for decorative items such as picture frames, vases, and fun sculptures to create interesting accents for your space. Give them a neutral feel with black or white paint and you can never go wrong. Or bring some energy to a room and paint them a bright color or even add some glitter for an extra sparkly touch.
I bought this hutch below for $50 and sanded it down. I applied a white wash paint, a fun textured fabric, and glam hardware!
4. Kitchenware thrift flips – Find old tea pitchers, cups, plates, and mugs that can be turned into fun and creative dishes for your kitchen. I like to use them to plant succulents for home décor or gifts. Decoupage designs with a pretty tissue paper or spray paint them in vibrant colors for a completely new look.
5. Upcycle jars or bowls– Reuse glass bowls and jars to make beautiful planters, candleholders or even storage. I have some jars for craft supplies, a remote holder and other adorable home decor ideas. Add a little paint or glue some mosaic tiles to flip your thrift into a fun home decor piece. One of my favorite ways to for bowl thrift flips is using concrete repair mix or my favorite textured spray paint.