Autumn is one of the best times to get new decorations. However, there is no need to overspend to make your place look extravagant and beautiful. Making DIY fall décor is a good way to start! It does not just save you money; you will also be doing Earth a favor.

Aside from fall clothing, thrift store shopping can give you the best home accessories!

Here are some of the best thrift store finds for fall.

1. Faux Flowers

While the assortment may regularly change in thrift stores, faux flowers are almost always present. You can either choose a beautiful arrangement or buy them per stem. Look for yellow or orange blooms. If you prefer white or light-colored petals, put them in a copper or gold pot to get that instant fall look. You can also mix some fresh plants to create a realistic autumn atmosphere.

2. Brass and Copper

Some thrift store home décor comes better in groups! How about a vintage brass or copper candlestick? While it may not be as attractive when used singularly, a gathering may create an impact. Use your favorite fall shade of candles and light them for a special dinner or other events.

3. Bottles and Jars

It is easy to find glass jars in thrift stores. You can use them as a pot for your colored flowers or as centerpieces for your tables. Paint them to get the tones of the fall season!

4. Old Books

Did you know that old books also make perfect DIY fall décor? You’ll see racks full of books at thrift stores! While others grab them for a good read, do not miss vintage or outdated books for their aesthetic quality. Get books that are in the same shades like burgundy, emerald, green, orange, and yellow for fall decorating. You can also use them to give your other décor some height.

5. Sweater Pumpkins

Knit sweaters make an excellent DIY pumpkin, and thrift stores have a lot of them! This beautiful thrift store home décor idea is very easy to craft. Just cut the sweater in half from the armpits. Create a running stitch along the bottom of the fabric. Pull it tight as you stitch around. After closing the bottom, add your stuffing material, creating a round shape. Leave approximately 5 inches of the sweater on top. Close the sweater by doing another running stitch. Add a piece of twine for the stem. Run some twine in sections from the top to the bottom to create ridges. Now you have a unique pumpkin for fall!

6. Baskets

While baskets are perfect for every season, they give such a great texture for autumn!

Why not add some extra storage around the house? Instead of spending on new plastic totes, you can use old baskets to store scarves, blankets, and even boots. Just give them a new color to match the season and your other décor.

7. Tin Cans

Repurposing an old tin can into a patio light can make for romantic fall décor! You’ll need snips or shears, a puncher, paints, and tea light to get started. Remove the can label and clean it thoroughly. Create holes in the can and paint it with a warm fall color. Insert the tea light into the can. Repeat this process to create multiple lights, and hang them on your patio.

8. Seasonal Throw Pillows

You can also make good use of old sweaters or flannel shirts to make beautiful throw pillow covers. Start by cutting off the sleeves. Be careful not to damage the seams. Place the pillow inside the fabric and center it with the pockets, buttons, or other embroideries to give it a unique design. Cut any excess fabric and just leave one inch on every side. Sew them together with the fabric turned inside out.

Once done, get the right side of the fabric out, use the center button to open, and insert the pillow. If your sweater or shirt does not have buttons, add a zipper to one end of the cover.

Give your home a refreshing look this fall season. All of these materials can be easily bought at Haven House, one of the best thrift shops in Destin, FL. Drop by and enjoy excellent DIY fall decor at a bargain!

If you want to become a thrifting pro, you might want to learn the distinctions between different thrift stores!

What are the 3 main types of thrift stores?

• Charity shops
• Commercial thrift stores
• Consignment stores
• Plus: buying directly from the owner online

The different stores have merchandise with different qualities and price ranges. They also differ in how and from where they get the clothes they sell. In order to be a successful thrifter, you need to know which thrift store type fits your needs best.

Charity Shops

Charity shops accept and sell clothes donated by people. You can usually donate anytime during their opening hours, although they might have a limit on how much you can donate at a time.

The clothes you can find in charity shops come from people who live in that neighborhood or at least from your country or state. That’s why charity shops in wealthier areas stock better quality items. However, it is also a common practice that pieces that couldn’t be sold in a couple of weeks or months are transported to another shop of the same chain.

The average quality of charity shop clothes are quite low, but they often have a big stock. So with some time and persistence, you can find hidden gems.

The pricing of charity shop items is between $1 and $10, but unfortunately for higher-end brands, they usually ask more.

Charity shops often sell other things besides clothes like furniture, home appliances, books, etc.

The most known charity shops are Goodwill in the United States, Oxfam in the UK, and Salvation Army which operates stores all around the world.

Commercial Thrift Stores

The merchandise that charity shops can’t sell in a month or so is sent to distribution centers where they are sorted and categorized by type and quality. They might be sent to another charity shop afterward, sold to commercial thrift stores, exported to another country, or recycled into rugs and insulation.

Commercial thrift stores buy in huge bales containing 50-200 items each. Then they’re selling these clothes individually to customers to make a profit.

It is very difficult to tell where are these clothes are coming from. The biggest exporter of second-hand clothing is the USA. From there the items travel to Western Europe, then to Middle- and Eastern Europe, and finally to Asia and Africa. So if you live in North- or South-America, you can be quite sure that you’re second-hand clothes are from the US or Canada. But by the time the bales reach Eastern Europe, assuming that each country takes a certain amount but also adds their own donated clothes to the mix, you have no idea where the clothes are coming from.

The quality also can vary from one thrift store to another. Usually, it’s better than in charity shops, but as always, there might be some exceptions. However, in these types of thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL, the quality is more consistent throughout the store. That means that you’re less likely to find high-end brands, but also that you don’t need to rummage through as many damaged or worn out clothes as in a charity shop. Basically, you’ll find the average fast fashion quality here for the portion of the original price, mostly basics rather than unique-looking items.

Bigger thrift stores sometimes purchase unsold merchandise from high-street brands with the original price tags still on. Last winter year I scored a completely new Debenhams The Collection coat in a thrift store for only a third of the original retail price!

With the quality, the price is also rising. You can expect to pay anywhere between $5-$20 per item in commercial thrift stores, less if you live in a poorer country, or more if the store is selling high-end, luxury goods.

Pro tip: Timing is key for finding the best stuff in thrift stores. They put out new stock usually once a week and some of them renew the whole stock at the beginning of each season. If you find out on which day your shop has new merchandise and you keep in mind the seasonal restock dates, you can look through the clothes before the majority of the people, and you can get your hands on the best items!

Clothing Consignment Stores

Consignment stores work somewhat differently from charity shops and commercial thrift stores. Instead of buying from wholesalers, consignment stores let individuals sell their clothes for a percentage of the price in exchange. For example, you can bring a dress to a consignment store that they’re going to sell for $50. When the item is sold, you get $40 and they keep $10.

These stores are curated by the manager who only accepts the best pieces. These clothes are of good quality without exception including designer clothing, and unique or very trendy clothes.

Consequently, they are also more expensive, starting from $20 per item.

Consignment stores are best for shopping for high-end designer brands for a more reasonable price.

In addition, it’s also reassuring to know that these clothes came from your neighborhood or your city, they weren’t transported all across the globe.

What About Online Second-Hand Shops?

Nowadays we don’t even have to give up on the comfort of online shopping to be able to buy second-hand clothes.

Of course, the most sustainable option is to shop at your local thrift stores, but sometimes we’re not in the mood for sorting through hundreds of dirty clothes. Sometimes we just want to be able to see all the items available, filtered by category and color, and sorted by price.

Online thrift stores offer the comfort of shopping from your home, in your PJs, and you can still shop from any of the thrift store types and even more!

There are hundreds of well-curated online thrift stores who resell clothing for profit. They either buy from wholesalers or from other thrift stores.

In addition to thrift stores, online shopping offers another way of second-hand shopping: buying directly from the previous owner. I love this because it makes it possible for people to sell their old clothes and because you have more information about where you’re clothes are coming from and who was their previous owner. However, it can be very unsustainable and expensive to ship a single item overseas, so it’s better to buy from sellers who ship from a reasonable distance.

Related Questions

What is the best thrift store? The best thrift store is going to be different for everyone. It depends on what your priorities are. Are you looking for really cheap finds? You’re going to love charity shops. If you prefer a bigger variety of quality items to choose from and you’re willing to pay more than I’d recommend a consignment store.

Thrift shopping is not for the faint of heart. It definitely warms the cockles of our souls to find a designer’s dress with tags buried in a pile of polyester at a local thrift shop. If you know how to go about it, you can be successful in thrifting. The key is to know where and what to look for.

On your next thrifting trip, focus on these key areas to maximize your chances of finding valuable items:

1. Books and Textbooks

Thrift store books are always a big hit, especially for readers. You can score a set of “Harry Potter” or “Lord of the Rings” books, both paperback and hardcover, for as low $30. Is not that amazing?

Keep an eye out for college books too! Several students donate them without checking their value. You can still make good use of them, as long as they are not outdated.

2. Photo Frames

Thrift shops often have their fair share of art. Aside from paintings, you can see good frames.

Large picture frames are always in demand, especially those with ornaments. When checking racks of paintings, check the frames and choose the ones in excellent condition.

3. Video Games

Can you believe it? You can score some of the most popular titles and genres of video games from a thrift store! The oldest and the newest games sell best. Games for Nintendo and Atari are specifically popular! Fore newer games, you might want to invest on anything for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U.

4. Designers’ Clothes and Bags

Thrift store clothes and bags always sell well! You can find designers’ items like Coach, Michael Kors, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, DVF, and more at a fraction of the cost you pay in department stores. Though these are second hand items, most are still in excellent condition.

If you are not a fan of high-end brands, mall brands such as Nine West, Aeropostale, Express, and Abercrombie & Fitch are also available.

If you are planning to resell thrift store clothes, you can put together a clothing lot. For example, you can combine 10 garments which are of the same size or type. Mix a few name brands with lower-end items. This will attract more people and bring in more cash through online auctions.

5. Glassware

One of the best vintage items to look for at thrift stores is glassware. It is durable, so expect to see a lot of it at your local thrift shop. If you are a collector, you will surely be interested in getting vintage Pyrex cookware, as well as glass in different colors and shapes. There are just too many options and you will surely find something that is out of the ordinary!

6. Kitchenware

We all use pots, pans, and dishes at home and excellent sources of quality kitchen ware are thrift shops.

7. Sporting Goods

Brand-new sporting goods can be very expensive. Yu can save a lot of money by snagging second hand items at a local thrift shop. Most of them are in excellent shape, without rips and tears. However, look for signs of sweat and odors before buying because sporting goods are not easy to clean.

8. Records Players

Several thrift stores have an area for old records and players, and both are highly collectible. You can find a player for as low as $10 or less.

Vinyl albums are collectible too! Diehard fans are willing to pay more for these records.

9. Furniture

Do you need furniture to restyle your home? Whether you are looking for vintage decor or DIY items, thrift store finds are quite hard to beat. You can get long tables, cabinets, bed frames, dining sets, and more at affordable prices.

10. Anything With A Tag

As a general rule of thumb, if you see something with a tag, get it! These items are considered new. They definitely have more value than the same with the same condition but without tags. Should you decide to resell it online, you will find a good number of auction shoppers who are only interested in getting items listed as “new with tags.”

If you are in Panama,  head to Haven House thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL and get some of these valuable thrift store finds!

The following is a real story about the RealReal, a luxury consignment start-up that now has a brick-and-mortar store in SoHo. A few months ago, a friend walked into an intimate gathering wearing a daisy print Céline skirt. One of our mutual friends said to her, “I saw that on the RealReal.” Another said, “Oh, I’m so happy you were the one who got it.” This is perhaps how billionaires chat after a Sotheby’s auction, which is not the camaraderie and pride one would expect to hear about secondhand shopping.

The huge success (the RealReal has raised $173 million since its founding) of various consignment sites feels opposed to the foundering retail business. There is Grailed, which focuses on street wear, and Heroine, a women’s wear counterpart, along with Vestiaire Collective and 1stdibs. They have consumed the middle market, taking customers for whom actual luxury pricing is too real … real.

Shopping consignment is also a beautiful distraction. It is fashion Candy Crush; finding and scoring certain pieces can feel like a personal victory. Women I know who are familiar with the RealReal said they’ve started looking at it daily; the rest of the world is just too real … real.

Founded in 2011 by Julie Wainwright, a dot-com boom-and-bust dynamo who began working in tech in the 1990s, most notably as chief executive of Pets.com (if you recall, its commercials featured a dog sock puppet whose personality was “bro Lambchop”), the RealReal offers consignment with the promise of authentication by one of the company’s expert staff members.

All items on display in the store are simultaneously available to shop online. Sales associates can scan items for customers in person, temporarily removing them from the site while they’re being considered on the floor. Even while shopping in the store, there is the same it-could-disappear-at-any-moment feeling you get online.

In the store which was designed by Courtney Applebaum, the interior designer for the Row (a label represented on almost every rack), you can wait on gorgeous textural couches while your pieces are appraised. There is a flower stall at the front where you can buy stems by Fox Fodder Farm, a coffee bar downstairs and weekly events and workshops, like Faux Fridays, which instruct attendees on how to spot fake Louis Vuitton, Chanel and designer sneakers.

In the middle of the floor is a collaborator-curated space, and this month the selection was chosen by Vanessa Traina and Allee Goldstein of the Line. Nearby, one can slide racks of clothing out from a large console of hidden cabinets. They swoosh out deliciously, packed with treasures. A friend described the sensation of unveiling these clothes as incredibly erotic.

Upon entering, the first two things I checked out were the same price: a Frank Stella copper lithograph and a Balenciaga leather jacket with a shearling collar ($2,500). A saleswoman approached and struck up a conversation that bopped its way to the question “So what do you do with your art history degree?”

In a charming scene in Greta Gerwig’s film “Lady Bird,” the titular character and her mother bicker at a rack in an expansive thrift store. Their combative parlance hits a wall when the mother pulls out a peachy vintage dress, cooing, “Do you love it?”

Lady Bird replies, “It’s perfect.” The two shift instantly to loving, fawning friends. It’s delightful.

My youthful experiences in thrift stores with my mother followed the opposite emotional structure. We would have some of our nicest conversations among the racks, until I found something I wanted; then the (low stakes) conflict would begin, almost always over the size of a garment I was holding.

My mother would see a women’s 3X or girls 14 tag and, probably exhausted because I was known to idle in the store’s fluorescent-lit dust for up to five hours a weekend, protest. “That’s not your size,” she would say.

I would argue, “Size doesn’t exist in this space!” And I still believe that to thrift or shop consignment, a little of this philosophy is required.

A size 8 on one tag in the RealReal may be the same measurements as a size zero on another. At the store, clothes are arranged on Extra-Small/Small racks and Medium/Large racks. But really, the size of the clothes depends on how you want them to fit, and it’s a game of eyeing and trying. Unlike the website, clothes here are arranged only by size, not by type or color or designer (apart from one Gucci rack, where there was a leather bag for $2,850 with “REAL” painted in yellow above the logo).

Size is abstract to me even in a store with a single brand, but a friend I was with said she didn’t like her position in the space to be about her size. Fair enough. On the other hand, it’s possible to encounter a lot of things you wouldn’t click on on the site.

Online, the pieces are photographed beautifully, masking (not in a deceptive way) wear in the fabric. When you can hold them, it’s a different experience. A Chanel tweed blazer with a loose button is $1,295. There were little threads, fabric that’s not worn out but was definitely sighing, and tiny snags on many items. Wool Proenza pants ($225), a cotton Tome dress ($295) and a suede Acne skirt ($245) are all worth it if one longed for them on the runway.

Many pieces seem to be under $300, or else above $1,200. I found a few exceptions, but when you see $1,395 consistently, a sudden $295 feels like a precious mistake to be grabbed immediately.

In other consignment shops in the city, I let my mind wonder if the clothes belong to someone recently deceased. Here it’s possible to mostly dissociate from their former lives and think only about the future.

Thrift store shopping can be fun and you can cop a lot of things you’d never expect to find. If you are in FL or TN, check thrift shops in Panama City Beach, FL. They help men overcome drug and alcohol addiction by offering inpatient services at Haven House Addiction Recovery. Support a great organization while doing some sustainable shopping!

Thrift store shopping for spell components and other witchcraft items imparts a sense of history into your practice. 

It also cuts down on consumer production, lowers your carbon footprint and keeps needless waste out of landfills–all principles that belong in an earth-based practice.

(Yep, I just justified your shopping trip with a little moral high ground.  You’re welcome.  🙂

I rounded up 9 common thrift store items easily adapted to a witchcraft practice.

Happy hunting!

Apothecary Jars

If you practice herbalism or use herbs in spell craft, you know there’s no such thing as too many glass jars.

Beautiful glass apothecary jars litter the housewares shelves at thrift stores.

(Sometimes, even a real crystal one gets tossed in with the glassware.  To check, gently flick the glass with your middle finger and thumb.  Crystal sounds bell-like when it vibrates, whereas glass makes a dull, flat sound).

Be extremely selective.  In particular, look for tight seals on the lids, or tightly fitting corks for corked bottles.  Check carefully for cracks or other imperfections that compromise storage quality.  

Look for graceful lines, etching or striking colors.

Cauldrons (aka Cast Iron Pots)

You never want to buy thrift store items that wear easily, because by the time they get to you, they usually don’t have much life left in them. 

But a solid cast iron pot of good quality is an heirloom.

They also make perfect cauldrons. 

In some ways, they often work better than the cauldrons sold at specialty occult shops because kitchen cookware is, by definition, food safe.

Pick one up and try one of the many ways to use a cauldron in your Craft.

Books

When searching for your local second hand shops, don’t forget about used bookstores.

While an occult book is a truly rare find in a general thrift store, antique book dealers are another matter.

Believe it or not, many pre-owned bookstores maintain a section for the occult.  These books tend to retain their value well, so professional book buyers usually don’t pass up good occult titles.  

Some even carry used tarot card decks.   (Check to make sure all the cards are there–I’ve made that frustrating mistake before!)

Even if they don’t have a section specifically for occult subjects, they almost certainly carry used books on subjects of peripheral interest to witches. 

Try asking about apothecary, holistic health, gemstone identification or mythology.

Ritual Jewelry

Thrift store shopping for spell components and other witchcraft items imparts a sense of history into your practice. 

It also cuts down on consumer production, lowers your carbon footprint and keeps needless waste out of landfills–all principles that belong in an earth-based practice.

(Yep, I just justified your shopping trip with a little moral high ground.  You’re welcome.  🙂

I rounded up 9 common thrift store items easily adapted to a witchcraft practice.

Happy hunting!

Apothecary Jars

If you practice herbalism or use herbs in spell craft, you know there’s no such thing as too many glass jars.

Beautiful glass apothecary jars litter the housewares shelves at thrift stores.

(Sometimes, even a real crystal one gets tossed in with the glassware.  To check, gently flick the glass with your middle finger and thumb.  Crystal sounds bell-like when it vibrates, whereas glass makes a dull, flat sound).

Be extremely selective.  In particular, look for tight seals on the lids, or tightly fitting corks for corked bottles.  Check carefully for cracks or other imperfections that compromise storage quality.  

Look for graceful lines, etching or striking colors.

Cauldrons (aka Cast Iron Pots)

You never want to buy thrift store items that wear easily, because by the time they get to you, they usually don’t have much life left in them. 

But a solid cast iron pot of good quality is an heirloom.

They also make perfect cauldrons. 

In some ways, they often work better than the cauldrons sold at specialty occult shops because kitchen cookware is, by definition, food safe.

Pick one up and try one of the many ways to use a cauldron in your Craft.

Books

When searching for your local second hand shops, don’t forget about used bookstores.

While an occult book is a truly rare find in a general thrift store, antique book dealers are another matter.

Believe it or not, many pre-owned bookstores maintain a section for the occult.  These books tend to retain their value well, so professional book buyers usually don’t pass up good occult titles.  

Some even carry used tarot card decks.   (Check to make sure all the cards are there–I’ve made that frustrating mistake before!)

Even if they don’t have a section specifically for occult subjects, they almost certainly carry used books on subjects of peripheral interest to witches. 

Try asking about apothecary, holistic health, gemstone identification or mythology.

Ritual Jewelry

If you like to incorporate ritual jewelry into your practice, head over to the sparkly things at your local antique or consignment shop and let them dazzle you.

Feel a strong connection to something in particular?  It might be just the piece you were searching for.  

Or was it searching for you?  🙂

Take care to properly identify more expensive pieces.  Most consignment counters try to value things fairly and honestly, but even professional appraisers make mistakes.

Chalices

Here’s a little secret.  You’re going to love to this one.

People often buy expensive silver chalices to use in wedding ceremonies.

Once it’s over, no one knows what to do with that stupid silver cup. 

You can’t use it for company.  There’s usually only one or two in a ceremonial set. 

And besides, they’re almost awkwardly formal looking.  It feels oddly inappropriate for any other occasion besides the wedding it was intended for.

Unless, of course, you’re a witch.  🙂  Then there’s all kinds of ways to use a chalice.

I almost always find at least one or two nice chalices in the silver section of any thrift store when I look.  As a bonus, they usually age with a lovely tarnish that gives it that Old World feel.

Pro tip:  Check carefully to make sure the chalice wasn’t engraved with initials.  This may not bother you, but for me, it’s a deal breaker.

Altar Tables

If you want to maintain an altar, but lack a solid surface to set one up on, check out the thrift store.

Find a simple fold out table for an apartment with limited space.  

Or, go big and ornate with a solid wood masterpiece.

In general, the long, narrow tables people put in their entryways and hallways work really well.

Then, go on Pinterest and check out all the amazing ways to upcycle secondhand furniture.  

Paint it.  Change out the drawer pulls for funky antique ones.  Or, completely dismantle the whole thing and redesign it.

Super fun, and you get to impart your personal energy on it.

Offering Bowls

Much like chalices, I actually prefer second hand offering dishes to new ones.  I like the historical quality of them. 

Look for natural wood bowls, or hand-thrown pottery. 

Pieces that cost over $100 retail sometimes go for less than $5.

Chipped ceramics with a little wear also look really beautiful.  The more beat up the better.

Kitchen Witch Supplies

Many standard kitchen witch items sell for almost nothing in secondhand shops.

People often use specialty items like the mortar/pestle a few times, and then never again.  They’re nice in theory.  But for a practical cook making a quick meal on a weeknight, they never work as easily or quickly a food processor.

So off to the thrift store they go.

But for the kitchen witch, these older, more traditional tools slow the process down, forcing the practitioner to fully experience the kitchen spell in a mindful way.

Look for natural materials, like heavy wood cutting boards, hand crafted spice racks or ceramic serving platters.

Some Final Tips

-Only choose piece you truly feel connected to.  Otherwise, your ritual space becomes cluttered with unnecessary objects.

-Go with a list, and stick to it.  You likely know from experience what you need.  Get that, and leave everything else.

-Most people like to do some kind of energy clearing for used items they intend on incorporating in ritual.   This can be as simple as leaving it in the moonlight, or much more elaborate.  

-Quality, quality, quality.  That is your mantra.  Thrift stores in Panama City Beach, FL are so full of stuff, you can’t afford not to be picky.  Never settle for anything less than gorgeous, usable and long-lasting.

Blessed be.