New Uses for Thrifted Finds
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With the rise of sustainability practices, and even more time spent at home I believe people are wanting to create homes that they love and truly tell their unique story. That is where thrifting comes in. Thrifting is the search for second hand treasures at a discounted price.
The beauty in thrifting and why I LOVE the thrill of the hunt is that you never know what type of bargain or unique piece you will fall in love with. I have been sharing my thrifting adventures on my Instagram stories for years. And, here is a blog post highlighting my thrifting tips.
Click HERE to read my Thrifting Tips
As a backstory, I have been thrifting and searching for vintage treasures for about 20 years. I grew up (and currently live) about 30 minutes from Round Top, Texas, which is known for its antique and vintage treasures because of Texas Antiques Week. I used to go to Round Top with my mother looking for treasures. Then, as a poor college student I used to visit thrift stores to find unique treasures for my home and my closet at very inexpensive price points. Fast forward to my first home with my husband, and I still visited thrift stores to score amazing and unique deals. And today I enjoy the thrill of the hunt even more, because I know what items cost and I have honed in on my decorating style even more.
I love thrifting so much that I even started my own online vintage shop called Country Peony Vintage. Where you can shop my thrifted and handcrafted goods on Instagram, Facebook, and Etsy.
Vintage items are not just pretty to look at, I love putting mine to good use. I love finding new ways to use thrifted finds. Today I want to highlight new uses for vintage and thrifted finds. Please enjoy the videos below showcasing some fun ways to use vintage finds. Then follow below for items I love to look for at thrift stores, and what I love to use them for.
Enjoy the videos below showcasing some fun ways to use vintage finds
Now enjoy some of my favorite items that I always look for while thrifting that are also very practical.
Baskets
I love baskets, and I love searching for baskets at thrift stores. Baskets come in fun shapes and sizes at thrift stores, and they are so much less expensive than at big box stores. Depending on the size, I used baskets for many purposes from foraging my flowers and vegetables from my garden, to holding toys in my children’s bedroom. They even make great packaging for special gifts. They come in so handy, and I love scoring unique ones at great prices!
I love using my baskets to hold crafting supplies that I can take with me around the house.
I love using thrifted baskets to gather my homegrown vegetables and cut flowers from my garden.
Here is an example of using a thrifted basket to store blankets in my living room next to my upcycled media cabinet.
Here is an example of using a basket for unconventional storage options to hold my camera bag in my corner office.
Unique Vessels as Vases
You may know that I have a thing for flowers. I even make my own floral bouquet every Monday to start the week off on the right note. I love finding unique vessels at thrift stores to act as vases for flowers.
Sugar and Creamer Sets
Vintage creamer and sugar sets are wonderful vessels for vases. Their petite size make them great for bedside flowers, sink flowers, or windsowsill flowers. The perfect, unexpected touch to your home that is sure to put a smile on your face.
This sugar set is one of my favorite estate sale finds, because I love the stunning details and the petite size that is perfect for windowsill flowers that my daughter picks for me.
I love the stunning and unexpected chartreuse color of this sugar set to fill vibrant flowers with.
Copper
I also love copper, and I love using copper vessels for vases. The beautiful sheen and natural color work with any flower.
Brass
Brass is making a comeback, and I have recently scored many brass vessels that make stunning floral vases. Like copper, brass is a beautiful foundation to showcase gorgeous flowers.
Containers for Storage
I love finding unique containers for storage options. For instance, I store my wooden spoons in a thrifted copper container in my kitchen. I also recently sold a milk glass ice bucket in my shop, but I used it to store my office supplies before I sold it. Might as well have fun with storage options and make them unique and pretty, especially if they are visible and you look at them everyday.
Picture Frames
I am always on the hunt for picture frames when I go thrifting. As you may know a good picture frame is not cheap. There are so many wonderful picture frame options you may find while thrifting. Even if you don’t like the art, you can remove it and use the picture frame and still save a lot of money. I love adding my vintage picture frames to my gallery wall.
Quilts
If you have been here for a while you may know that I LOVE vintage quilts. I am always on the lookout for them when I thrift. Each handmade quilt tells its own story as they are all very unique to the maker. My grandmothers and mother were/are quilters, and so I have seen first hand the love and time that goes into every fabric cut, assembly, and stitch. I especially love the well loved quilts, or cutter quilts, that have some wear and tear. Don’t overlook cutter quilts because they can be saved and given new life, in the form of:
Tablecloths
I used a quilt that I found at an estate sale to dress up my Thanksgiving table with other thrifted finds. You can read more about that HERE. I love how a quilt turned tablecloth adds such a unique charm, and conversation starter to any table.
Stockings
This past year I have seen creatives breathing new life into quilts, whether that is as quilt coats or stockings. Last Christmas, my mother and I created our own Christmas quilt stockings out of a vintage quilt for my vintage shop: Country Peony Vintage. You can read more about that HERE and HERE. I plan to have more available this year if you want to grab your own heirloom quilt Christmas stocking!
Whether you know your way around a sewing machine, or you hire someone to turn a vintage quilt into something special don’t be afraid to bring vintage quilts back to life. They have a beautiful story to tell!
Thank you so much for following along today!
I hope this inspires you to look outside the box when thrifting so you can find pieces that not only tell a story, but are purposeful.
Elizabeth
