4 Reasons to Decorate with Thrifted and Vintage Treasures

You know I love thrift store decor, but why should you?

Here are 4 reasons to decorate with thrifted and vintage treasures. 

But first, let’s play a little guessing game. 

Take a close look at these photos of our foyer and tell me what item I bought new. 

Go ahead take a guess.

The answer is one! 

Every single item was purchased from a thrift store, antique store or second hand, except the faux leaf stems.

I’m not against buying items new, I do it regularly.

But there are so many reasons I love to buy pieces that are not new.

Let’s talk why.

4 Reasons to Decorate with Thrifted and Vintage Treasures

Here are my top four reasons why I love to decorate with thrifted and vintage treasures. 

In no particular order.

wood box

faux hydrangea

1. Affordability

Furnishing our home with frugal thrift finds started back when we were just out of grad school. 

We had a decor budget of $5 a week, and that was even a splurge in Jeremy’s opinion. 

Fast forward to today and thrifting is one of my very favorite ways to design.

We have saved so much money from decorating with thrifted and vintage treasures. It can really add up.

For instance, I found a 90’s sofa in pristine condition for $85. If we had bought it new we could have spent easily $1000.

By shopping for lighting at the Restore for five light fixtures I saved over $400.

Even if I were to shop at Walmart for small home decor items, Goodwill or Salvation Army beats their prices.

2. Quality

Secondly, when I decorate our spaces with vintage and thrift finds, I’m bringing into our home unique, well made, and one of a kind items. 

You would be shocked as to the expensive pieces I find at thrift stores. 

I don’t take the large majority home with me, but it’s obvious that people like nice things. Not only that, people get tired of things, inherit pieces and move into smaller homes.

When this happens thrift stores are there waiting to sell these great pieces to someone else.

faux boxwood

3. Environmentally Friendly

Another reason I thrift shop is the environmental impact.

Thrift shopping or buying second hand has a much lighter carbon footprint.

Besides not having packaging surrounding it, no additional wood, water, plastic or gasoline was made to produce a thrift store item. 

That means less stuff going into landfills and wasting space on spaceship earth.

Every room in my home has many items that we’re previously appreciated by someone else. 

This fact makes me feel really good about my buying habits.

4. Anti Slave Labor

Finally, a huge motivator for me to thrift is the fight against slave labor.

If I buy something second hand I’m not contributing to any slave labor that may have gone into the making of a product.

Consequently, I’m not supporting slave labor with a vintage piece either.

Sadly, it’s difficult to ensure that the product you buy was not created with slave labor.

When you buy it second hand you at least know that no additional slave labor was used to fill your material need.

Research  https://slaveryfootprint.org/ for more important information on this subject.

 

I love to thrift shop and share how I turn my finds into furnishings that make a house a home.

How about you? Do you have a hard time passing by a good thrift store?

Vintage and thrifted finds are waiting for you.

If you seek, I bet you’ll will find!

MORE THRIFT STORE TREASURES

• How We Customized a Thrifted Upholstered Bed
• Adding Thrift Store Finds to a Classic Modern Home
• Save Money with a Thrifted Fall Table Setting