Your guide to thrift shopping

Buying secondhand has become popular in recent years as a popular way to find unique items to decorate your home. It gives people a unique opportunity to mix old and new items and create their own design style.

“Adding old pieces brings warmth and soul to a home that not all new pieces can achieve,” Cynthia Harper, a DIY content creator known for her thrifted items, told The Spruce. “It creates rooms that feel collected over time, not like a page from a catalog.”

When shopping at thrift stores, it can be difficult to know exactly where to start, how to find items you love, and how to professionally arrange them in your current space.

To help you get started on your thrift shopping journey, we’ve designed a comprehensive guide with must-know beginner basics, expert thrift shopping tips, and tips for turning a rare find into something you’ll cherish forever.

If you’re new to thrift shopping or haven’t found the right routine yet, we’ll highlight the best times to shop, what to know before you go, and tips for budgeting wisely.

As a new thrift shopper, it’s important to be patient and willing to rummage through many different bins to find hidden treasures, Harper says.

Harper advises that since most items are on sale, you may be tempted to buy everything you put in your cart, but only buy things you absolutely can’t live without.

“You may be tempted to buy secondhand just because it’s cheap and a bargain, but doing so will create clutter in your home that you don’t really love,” says Harper.

Depending on the condition of your pieces, they may need minor stain removal or a full refurbishment. We consulted cleaning experts for their best tips for removing common stains—your new piece will look like new in no time.

If you want to completely transform your new piece into something that better fits the aesthetic of your home or want to try a DIY project, Harper recommends being flexible.

“Most of my inspiration comes from keeping an open mind and letting the work itself speak to me,” Harper says. “I find flipping through printed material for inspiration much more peaceful and inspiring than I do in the noisy online environment.”

Once you start to find your thrift shopping rhythm, you may want to expand your search beyond the usual items to include authentic antiques. It can be difficult to tell the real thing from the fake and add it to your space without it standing out awkwardly.

We asked designers to share their top tips for finding authentic antiques and styling them to fill your space with personality and charm. They also shared the items they love to save for client projects and which antiques are really worth your time (and money).