There are a lot of benefits to thrifting, the cost-savings, helping the planet, and just having fun. But one, underappreciated benefit is the fact that if you look long and hard enough, you will encounter unexpected treasures.
We’ve gathered some of the most interesting and lucky “finds” people have encountered at thrift stores, vintage shops, and garage sales. From unique furniture to incredible, one-of-one nick-nacks, be sure to upvote your favorites as you scroll through and share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
#1 I Found This Little Birb Thimble At An Antique Store In Gatlinburg And Fell In Love
Now I just walk around with it on my finger and peck at people because I’m clearly an adult that has their priorities straight
Image credits: Kelli Dunn
#2 I Did Not Need A Cookie Jar But There Was No Walking Away From This Silly Gal
A good friend recommended I make her a tutu, so I did, of course. Now the hippo has a name - Stella - and has taken over the house
Image credits: Jennifer Kingman
#3 Stumbled On This At A Yard Sale In Pa I Almost Crashed And Couldn’t Turn Around Fast Enough Lol, I Lucked Out It Fits Perfect!
Image credits: Mike Witkowski
While these days most people might use the term thrift store, the original name, from the UK, is a charity shop. While this really did fit its intended purpose at the time, to raise money for the blind, it’s not, perhaps, the best name one can envision. While we all love low, low prices, shopping at a “charity store” might feel wrong.
Interestingly, most of the first thrift stores were specifically run by charities at the time, as a means to raise money. While this is certainly a good cause, one might not be able to find as many “treasures” while browsing, since, at the time, the practice was underdeveloped.
#4 Found This Really Cool Giant Book Coffee Table On Facebook Marketplace Yesterday. The “Spines” Open As Drawers. Each Book Is Actually Leather Bound
"It’s HUGE and heavy as heck! It’s missing one leg but I think I’ll prop it up with hardcover books"
Image credits: Birdie Wood
#5 Found Today At King's Hardware In Shreveport, La. Came Home With Me Immediately! Nibbler The Cat Is Getting Properly Introduced
Image credits: Abbie Machowski
#6 Been Meaning To Share My Sons Rocking Dragon. My Father And I Found It On The Facebook Market Place Two Christmas Ago When I Was Pregnant
"By the time I reached out to the seller it was sold. I was so bummed until Christmas morning and found out it was my dad who purchased it. I had no idea he even knew about it. He had no idea I also tried to buy it. It is made entirely out of wood. The craftsman ship is remarkable. The previous owner said their grandmother won it at a church auction and it had been in their family for a long time and they know nothing about it or who made it. Not signed or marked anywhere. It is now our family’s treasure and will be passed down."
Image credits: Jamie Settell
These days, thrift stores have a lot more going for them. First and foremost, the aforementioned treasures and lucky finds. For a variety of reasons, people give away interesting and valuable items. Perhaps they need cash quickly, or, more commonly, they don’t know the real value. At the same time, vintage shops and thrift stores process so many items that there is no way they can properly evaluate every single piece.
#7 We Moved Into A Vintage 1962 House With Everything Original. This Dollhouse Was Built Into The Cabinets In One Of The Rooms And I Was Gifted It To Keep Safe And Enjoy
Mary built this over a ten year period while she was sick
Image credits: Emily Millar
#8 Griswald Definitely Approves Of This Garage Sale Find
Image credits: Elisabeth Guetle
#9 I Lost My Boston Terrier, Ollie, To Old Age This Summer And I’m Pretty Sure I Found Him At Goodwill Today As Christmas China
Image credits: Sarah Taschetta
The other major benefit, particularly in the age of fast fashion, is the fact that clothes that might normally end up in a landfill can, instead, be reused. Unfortunately, major clothing brands now move through items and trends at such speed, that the environment is littered with disused garments. Buying from a thrift store is not only, generally, cheaper, but greener as well.
#10 Picked Up On The Side Of The Road A Few Weeks Ago. It Is A Victorian Era Conversation Setee, For Courting Couples. The Weird Thing Is That It Was On The Side Of The Road With A Bunch Of Junk
Image credits: Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared
#11 Last Weekend, As I'm Going Into This Antique Store On A Whim, I Jokingly Tell Myself "Maybe There's A Lenox Spice Village In Here Just Waiting For Me To Take It Home."
I explore about 3/4 of the store and look over at a junky shelf of stuff while squeezing past it and ***squeeeeeal*** I spot adorable little ceramic houses thinking "COULD THIS BE IT?" IT WAS A SPICE VILLAGE, complete with the original paperwork and shelf!!! I immediately run to get a hand basket and gingerly place all the houses inside and sprint to the checkout counter to purchase my FAVORITE antique store purchase EVER!! It ended up having one jar missing, but I found it on Etsy and snatched it up so fast! Also, I only have one tiny wall in my tiny kitchen, and would you believe this beauty fits perfectly on it?!?!?
Image credits: Heather Eck
#12 Found This At A Goodwill Today. Too Good
Image credits: Jonny N Emerick
Vintage stores are similarly a good option. While opinions on Ikea may vary, you are more likely to find long-lasting furniture and decorations at a sizable vintage shop. After all, particularly if it’s pretty old, this just means that this item has stood the test of time. After all, a “well-worn” look can actually be preferable in a lot of cases.
#13 This Stain Glass Whale Light Measuring 4' Long Was Going To Be Thrown In A Dumpster
It was hanging in a wood shop so it was covered with a thick layer of saw dust. I brought it home and cleaned it up really well and it turned out looking really nice. I love whales and I'm extremely happy to have saved this beautiful one of a kind piece of art from being destroyed. It's in it's forever home!
Image credits: Chris Braga
#14 My Greatest Thrift Find Ever. When I Bought It I Only Thought The Dots Would Glow. I Was Shocked When I Turned It On!! Best $10 I Ever Spent. Hope House Foundation Thrift Shop, Norfolk Va
Image credits: Hannah Marie
#15 I've Collected These Pieces From Various Thrift Shops, Antique Stores, And Yard Sales Over The Years. Some Are True Depression Glass From The 30s And Some Are Mid-Century
Image credits: Collie McYeargan
#16 Duckie Mirror Absolutely Came Home With Me
Image credits: WeirdSecondhandFinds
#17 My Best Thrifted Find. I Especially Loved The Previous Owners Little Message, As It’s Now Used As An Art Studio In A Box
Image credits: Melissa Charpentier
#18 Not Necessarily A ‘Find’ But Today My Uncle Gave Me This Chair, Which He Got From His Uncle Years Ago, Who I Believe Bought It In The 60s Or 70s
I’ve loved this chair since I was a child and was so excited when he offered it to me
Image credits: Holly Murphy
#19 Found The Oddest But Most Perfect Leash/Lead For Our Little Dachshund Today In The Local Charity Shop
Image credits: Katherine Rea
#20 Found This Amazing "Phrenology Cat". Immediately Fell In Love And Knew He Had To Come Home And Be Part Of My Eclectic Mix In My Art Studio!
Image credits: WeirdSecondhandFinds
#21 Y'all, My Local Bin Dig Store Had A Fill-A-Cart For $10 Sale, So I Started Filling Up On Small Toys To Hand Out At Halloween
I grabbed this fake credit card, because it said James Bond on it. This morning, I noticed there was a slider on the back and opened it. It's a freaking LOCK PICKING SET!!! ETA: I am definitely keeping this!
Image credits: Amanda L. Richards
#22 Got This Coffee Table At An Estate Sale Today! Ridiculously Excited About This. I Loooove Turtles!
Image credits: Marcy Medeiros Crocker
#23 Was In A Thrift Store With My Partner When I Saw This Painting
Thought it was just abstract, until closer inspection, when we saw the "About the artist" paper taped to the painting - it was painted by a snapping turtle named marshmallow! I knew at that moment I needed to take it home with me
Image credits: Erin Anne
#24 Picked Up These Cast Iron Cat Andirons Up From My Buy Nothing Group. I Can't Wait To See Them With The Flames Behind The Eyes!
Image credits: Valerie Marino Horowitz
#25 I Like To Believe Someone's Grandma Worked Really Hard On This! I Feel So Lucky To Own It!
Image credits: Kelsey Johnson
#26 Found A Cat Sized Tiara For My Princess
Image credits: WeirdSecondhandFinds
#27 Pulled Up To A Friends House And Her Neighbor Had This Thrown Out By The Road In The Rain. I Had To Swoop In And Save The Day With This Unique Unicorn Of A Flippy Chair Table
"The cushion is soaking wet so its propped up against the wall not pictured"
Image credits: Autumn Vaughn
#28 Pictures Don't Do Her Justice. I Am Elated With Today's Buy. Found In An Antique Store In South Of UK
Image credits: Dorothy Alice Van Moppes
#29 I Found This Old TV When Cleaning Out In The Attic In My Grandma's House
They put in under a blanket to keep it away from dust and I think it has been there for over 40 years. Instead of throwing it away I took it with me and built a bar. You can store 12 bottles in it and turn on the light with the original on/off button hope you like it
Image credits: Thomas Schlund
#30 My Great, Great, Grandmothers Table From Mexico
My great grandmother brought it to TX when she came to the US and she gave it to my grandmother when she and my abuelo bought their first house. My grandma passed it on to my mom when she bought her first house. I've lived all over the US and the table was too delicate to ship but I knew some say I'd get that table. I bought my first house (20 years after my travels) last year when I moved back home and this was one of the first items I moved into the house. My mom and I cried as we brought it in and set it up. My family had so little when they came to the US but this table was always there. To drink cafe con pan and talk chisme (gossip), to cry, to discuss difficult decisions and to celebrate anything and everyone. Oh the stories this table could tell. Makes me so proud to be a part of this long line of strong resilient amazing women
Image credits: Angelica Mendoza-Carrillo
#31 I Rescued This Incredible Globe From The Trash, It’s About 20” Tall And Handcrafted With Semi-Precious Stones And A Brass Base
Image credits: Pete Anthonius Leggio
#32 This Came Home With Me. It's Brilliant And Well Crafted
Image credits: Emily Erin
#33 Hand-Carved African Bed, You Immediately Spend Your Entire Stimulus Check To Bring It Home
From a social distancing-compliant yard sale in Mechanicsville, VA... When someone is selling their intricate, one-of-a-kind, hand-carved african bed, created from teak logs found at the bottom of a kenyan river, you immediately spend your entire stimulus check to bring it home (as I did)
Image credits: Jeremy DiMaio
#34 Had To Spruce Her Up A Bit
Image credits: Amber Jones
#35 Teeny Tiny Fully Functional Knife With Mother Of Pearl Handle
I got this year's ago at a garage sale and it lives on a shelf next to my bed. You know for protection against leprechauns, gnomes and fairies
Image credits: WeirdSecondhandFinds
#36 I See All Your Sassy Teapots, But I Think I Found Something Even More Sassy. I Present To You All The Sassy Grandfather Clock!
Image credits: Jessie Finn
#37 Found This Very Happy Piggy Today! I Couldn’t Resist, She Now Lives With Me
Image credits: Christine Kaminski Lukasavige
#38 After Decades Of Weird Gifts From My Cousin, Who Shops Exclusively At Thrift Stores, He Scored A Treasure. I Call Them My "Cavorting Frogs." I Love Them!
Image credits: Susan Murray
#39 This Was Hand Made In The Seventies And Is One Of A Kind! Bought It Second Hand And Finally Got It Into My Space Today
It's so gorgeous and the details are amazing. I'm an herbalist and I'm going to use it as a magical herbal storage hutch. I thought it needed to be seen and appreciated here with all of you creative lovely treasure hunters!
Image credits: Kiely Quinn
#40 I Asked The Price. The Man Said $20. I Was Shocked. I Thought He Meant $120
He told me he’d gladly accept more, so I threw the $20 at him and ran. No joke, I literally ran away with this beauty like I stole it
Image credits: Tommie Taylor Alexander
#41 $15 From Salvation Army Store! Printed On Wood, Definitely Before The Movies
Image credits: Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared
#42 Found A Magazine Ad Of My Great Grandma And Twin Uncles From 1952! They're All Gone Now, So It's A Doubly Amazing Fin
Image credits: Larissa René Helm
#43 This Is The Tiniest Set Of Nesting Dolls I’ve Ever Seen. Brother And I Were Crying In Laughter As They Kept Getting Smaller And Smaller
Image credits: Jessica Schermerhorn
#44 My Mom Got Me This Today At The Thrift Store And I Love It
Image credits: Rigor Morris
#45 I Found This Last Week And It’s Definitely My Favorite Thing I’ve Seen At An Antique Or Thrift Store. Introducing The Violin Vampire Killing Kit!
Image credits: Amanda Anatole
#46 This Literally Threw Itself In My Cart
Image credits: Nicole K Guidry
#47 It's A Murder Mystery Writers Desk Teapot I Found At Value Village For $10, And I Just Found The Kitchen Sink Teapot At Goodwill For $5 I Think 2 Makes It A Collection, Right?
Image credits: WeirdSecondhandFinds
#48 Found This Jar To Put Your Coffee Grounds In. Love It. Bought It. Has A Fake Little Electrical Cord Too
Image credits: Mary Ruggeri
#49 Ound A New Container For All My Arsenic!
Image credits: Laura Jean
#50 My Tissue Box On My Wall At Work
Image credits: WeirdSecondhandFinds
