10 Cheap and Common Vintage Thrift Store Items

My colorful cottage style is all about layering and maximalism

I love having a bookshelf that is bursting with unique doodads that make my home feel joyful. But it can be expensive to fill your house with lots of items. That’s why I almost exclusively shop for items at thrift shops to make my house full to bursting. Here is a list of my favorite items that you can almost always find while thrifting to give your home some personality.

Vintage Books

I LOVE vintage books because they are so versatile as home decor. If you’re looking for color you can lay them down with the binding facing out and use them as a stand. Of course, if you like the cover of the book you can display the book itself as art. I especially love to decorate with children’s books because they have vibrant illustrations. If a book isn’t in great shape you can always rip some of the pages out and use those as decoration.

Mugs and Teacups

There’s never a shortage of vintage mugs at thrift stores! Mugs are adorable displayed in your kitchen or on a shelf (maybe sitting on a stack of books!). You can also flip them upside down and use them as a stand. Teacups and saucers are super cute sitting on an end table. If you have just the teacup you can hang them on under-shelf hooks which creates interest.

Records

Who doesn’t want to be reminded of their favorite music? I can’t always be listening to A Spoonful of Sugar but I can have a Mary Poppins record out to make me smile. I have comforting Frank Sinatra Christmas albums and spooky Halloween records for when the seasons change. I especially love children’s records because the illustrations are adorable. Album art is a great way to personalize your space.

Plates

Plates are an easy way to add something to the background of a shelf. I buy a lot of vintage floral china and then lean them in the back of a dark cabinet to lighten things up. Of course, you can hang plates too on a wall and use them as art.

Bowls

Bowls are my favorite way to add instant color. I flip them upside down to use as a display and create height. A lot of people focus on finding Pyrex or Fire King dishes but a lot of the bowls I have aren’t name brand. I buy any brand bowl as long as I like the color or pattern. Pyrex can get pretty pricey (even at secondhand shops) so I only buy them when they are really inexpensive because of chips or scratches.

Tins

If you follow my Instagram you know how much I love tins! Most of the ones I own I’ve found for $.25-$1 when shopping secondhand. A lot of vintage tins have super cute typography and graphics that make them art. Newer tins work too and I normally use them as a stand to add dimension. I try not to be too fussy about sticking with “only vintage”. You can see some of my tins in action on my Spring Garden Fireplace Mantel.

Vintage Linens

It’s hard for me to go to a thrift store and not come out with a vintage sheet, pillowcase, throw blanket, tablecloth, towel, quilt or hankie. There’s always some type of linen waiting for me to spot it! If you grow a small collection of one type of item you can display them by themselves. A single vintage towel is perfect in a bathroom. Quilts and throw blankets can make a home cozy when thrown over a chair. I love searching for different knit throw blankets for the cold months. They are always so colorful and you know someone’s sweet Grandma made it years ago. If you’d like to learn more about vintage linens check out my blog post on Vintage Sheet and Linen Care for Beginners.

Ephemera

Ephemera can be found everywhere at thrift shops. I’ve found vintage recipe cards, greeting cards, magazines, gift wrap, sheet music and of course books. Putting a vintage postcard in a flower frog for display is super cute and can highlight a place you’ve traveled. Or I personally like to make art out of all the different kinds of ephemera that I find.

Frames

Speaking of ephemera art, I need frames to put them in! Frames are always a good idea when thrifting. I like to stick with one type of frame so I always buy gold ones. You can go with whatever color or material you like. Then whatever you put inside will look so cohesive when displayed in a gallery style.

Board Games and Playing Cards

I’ve had great luck finding vintage playing cards to display in my home. Board games are great because you can use the box, the pieces and the board itself all on display. For instance, I have my thrift store Candyland box on display in my dining room but the board is on my gallery wall in my living room. I use the Candyland cards to make an easy DIY garland.

If you’d like to learn more about where to find unique items check out my blog post The 10 Best Places to Find Vintage Items for Cheap (Or Free!)

What are your favorite things to look for while thrifting? Let me know on Instagram on in the comments below!