Thrifting is an art and a pastime for many of us.
It’s also very much part of a larger movement of sustainability minded people who prefer to save items from landfills over buying new.
Whether you want to save money or save the planet, thrifting used furniture is a win-win endeavor.
Today, I want to share my love of thrifting with you and explain a few tips and tricks to make your furniture thrifting adventures more successful.
Let’s get into Sustainable Furniture Thrifting and Eco-Friendly Finds
Hone Your Eye for Quality
One of the things you must get good at when thrift shopping is looking past the clutter.
There’s always going to be a plethora of stuff everywhere and that means you must develop your eye for seeing past the chaos to find the good stuff.
Robinson Greig
I’ve never been in a thrift store that was perfectly curated. If you go thrifting with adventure in mind, you’ll be better off than expecting things to be orderly.
You may have to look underneath other pieces, move stuff around to get to behind it, or you may have to look past layers of dust and grime to see the value of a piece you find.
Go Thrifting with a Purpose in Mind.
Say you’re making over your living room, and you want a swivel chair next to the fireplace. Well, then write that down as your purpose for going thrift shopping.
Brooke Cagle
If you have a list, you’ll avoid falling prey to any number of other temptations you’ll encounter.
It’s like making a grocery list to keep you from buying too much. It’s about what you need for your current project.
That doesn’t mean you have to ignore the occasional “perfect find” just because it isn’t on your list.
Keep in mind if you see something you really love, grab it. Chances are it will not be there later.
Make Sure the Furniture You Find Will Fit
Darrien Staton
When you find something great, like this sofa, make sure you have a place for it.
I’ve been guilty of buying because of a “great deal” at thrift stores in the past only to find that the piece is too big or too small.
Tip: Make sure you always know the dimensions of your room and always carry a tape measure in the car.
You will find that your tape measure will save you from making expensive mistakes. Better to be prepared than regretful later, right?
Where to find the Best Thrifted Furniture
This is not an exhaustive list, and some of the places on this list may not be available in your area. So, I’m going to share my online tips for where to find resources like these in your area.
Garage and Yard Sales:
You’ll usually find items along the lines of home décor and art at garage sales, but you may also come across a few larger pieces as well.
Ekaterina Belinskaya
In my experience, you can tell a lot about the quality and condition of larger furniture pieces by the way the yard sale sellers display their items.
If the items are chucked out on the lawn without care, you’ll probably find the items to be lesser quality or damaged.
If they carefully display them and protect them from the elements, the items are probably in better shape.
Either way, it’s worth your time to check things out because you may find the best item for your project here. Just remember to go with an open mind.
Also, bring cash. Most yard sale sellers don’t take credit or debit cards.
Find yard sales in your town:
If you’re looking for garage sales or yard sales in your town, you’ll often find listings in your community newspaper like “The Bee” newspapers or the classified section of your daily newspaper.
Most likely, yard and garage sales will be listed in the weekend editions.
Online check out:
Estate Sales
The nice thing is the people putting on estate sales will take tons of pictures of all the things for sale and that means that you can click on all of them to check out details, and finishes, etc.
Timothy Buck
Typically, estate sales happen at the end of the week, Thursday- Sunday. In my experience, if you’re looking for “bigger” furniture items like cabinets, buffets, tables, larger upholstery, it’s best to go on the last day or at the end of Saturday.
Usually, bigger pieces are the last to go because they require more planning to move.
The other benefit of waiting is that the price for items usually goes down in the last couple of days. So, you could potentially make a great purchase if you wait.
However, smaller furniture items - that fit in a car, like end tables, dining chairs, smaller occasional chairs, will usually go faster because they’re easier to transport. You’ll want to grab those first.
Find estate sales in your town:
I love to look at Estatesales.net a lot when I’m considering a new project involving furniture.
This site will filter all the estate sales going on near me. All I need to do is to enter the distance I want to stay within, and it will literally populate all the sales occurring. You can see what’s happening by the day, and in the coming week(s).
Flea market
If you’re lucky enough to live in a place with flea markets, GO TO THEM and go often.
You’ll find some amazing deals and one-of-a-kind items.
Krisztina Papp
Most flea markets occur monthly – some weekly.
You’ll find them in places like parking lots, old shopping centers that have closed, public parks, stadiums, and more.
Tip: Bring a wagon or cart to haul your treasure around. This is especially helpful if you find larger pieces that you just won’t want to carry around with you. Flea markets tend to be large events, with many vendors and you will want to safely be able to transport your finds without damaging them or hurting yourself.
Find flea markets in your town:
Antique Stores
If you’re looking for true vintage furniture, you can’t beat an antique store.
This is especially true if you have a particular style of furniture in mind or furniture from a specific era. Antique shop owners often have specialization in the eras of furniture they sell. That means, the pieces will usually be authenticated, and the price will reflect that.
Zeynep Merve Kılıç Çakır
So, antique stores aren’t always the best places to fins the deal of the century finds, but they are great for authentic and curated pieces that will serve as the central important piece in the room.
My top picks for Thrift Stores
Over the years I’ve found AMAZING furniture at these stores.
Erik Mclean
Things like a sofa for $100.00, a kitchen table for $5.00, bedroom dressers for $20.00.
I’ve also found countless home décor items: wall, art, pottery, picture frames, throw pillows, shelf décor, cookware.
If it belongs in a home, I promise you, I’ve found it at a thrift store.
If you’re looking specifically for furniture, you’ll find it in any of these stores listed below in your town.
Most of the time, furniture will be off to the side of the store, in the back or in a dedicated room – depending on the size of the store.
Find thrift stores in your town:
Thrift Shopping Tool Kit
I like to keep some important items in my car for when I go thrift shopping.
In fact, these items always live in my car- especially if I’m currently working on a project. (You never know when you’ll happen upon a yard sale, or unexpected estate sale as you venture out for another reason.)
Karolina Grabowska
So, the tools I always have with me are a notebook with my room sketch in it. (The room sketch is a bird’s eye view of the room with all the measurements I need on it, including furniture that’s staying in the room.)
Then I have pictures of the room, either on my phone or printed out, so I can see the space.
This is handy for when I want to recall how the room looks so I can judge if something I’m considering will work in the space. (I like to have pictures of the area rug, and other things that are staying in the room.)
Kadir Celep, cottonbro studio
I also have physical samples like wood from the floor and paint samples, swatches of upholstery fabrics.
And I never leave home without a measuring tape.
Erik Mclean
You must be able to measure any large piece of furniture that you’re considering before purchasing.
Most thrifted furniture is a final sale, no returns. So, better safe than sorry, right?
Incorporating sustainable furniture thrifting into your lifestyle isn't just about finding great deals; it's a commitment to a greener and more mindful way of living.
By honing your eye for quality, shopping with a purpose, and ensuring each piece fits your space, you can curate an eco-friendly and stylish home that tells a story.
From yard sales to estate sales, flea markets to antique stores, the journey is rich with opportunities.
Armed with your thrifting toolkit and a drive for eco-friendly finds, you’ll embark on a path that aligns your space with your values.
Welcome the art of sustainable furniture thrifting into your life, and let your home reflect your commitment to a brighter, greener future.
Read Next
14 Thrift Store Finds You Should Never Pass Up
Way before it was chic, my favorite way to get some ‘retail therapy’ was thrifting. Even then I knew each trip would be an adventure because we never knew what we’d find. It wasn’t isle after isle of the same thing in 12 different colors. Instead, there was one thing that was irresistible and that’s what made it so appealing.
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“Michael Helwig was top-notch, very professional and responsive to my needs. He allowed me time to explore ideas and try out a variety of combinations until we found the perfect fit. Michael provided detailed information and offered beautiful ideas to make my dream living room become a reality. The furniture he sourced has totally transformed my living room space. Everyone that has seen my new living room has one word, WOW! A special thank you to Michael for a wonderful experience.”
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Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.
