This is such a fun topic for me to share because it’s become something I absolutely love to do, especially with my girls. If you’ve seen any of our home decor or furniture, you know that I love hand-me-downs, mixing old and rustic treasures, and finding things that are not only cute but serve a purpose.

I love showcasing my personal style and our western way of life inside our home through some of these things that have stories to tell themselves.

I’ve enjoyed finding these fun pieces so much so that I’ve added a Vintage Western Section to my shop where I do monthly updates with items I’ve personally picked and would decorate with myself.

Thrifting/antiquing is a budget friendly way to curate the cozy home of your dreams that is unique to you and emphasizes your style and individuality. I’d define thrifting as shopping for things, even if you don’t have a use for it right at that moment but will, as items you go ahead and get. Antiquing, by my definition, would be taking home pieces that might be a little more expensive but I can’t leave without. These will more likely be items that won’t leave our home until I’m gone. More heirloom, if you will.

As stated above, most of our home is decorated or made up of hand-me-downs, family heirloom pieces, vintage western finds, and thrifted gems I’ve picked throughout the years. It’s another reason why I love this activity because it’s a journey that never ends. There are obviously things we’ve bought new but never overlook or underestimate the kind of home you can make with secondhand.

Budgeting is obviously a big reason for thrifting for most but also the thrill of the hunt and joy of the find is fun. Finding beautiful, unique pieces at affordable prices is always a win in my book.

Places I love to thrift:

• Facebook Marketplace: This is the spot to find some unique furniture pieces. Antique stores tend to really raise the prices up because they themselves are trying to make a profit. Seek here before these furniture items make it to the stores.
• Etsy: Again, this space is usually for re-sellers like myself so they’ve already paid for it once and are trying to make some profit but I’ve also found some of the most unique things here and you can still get great deals!
• Garage Sales: These aren’t my strongest suit because I’ve had the least luck here BUT sometimes you find some diamonds in the rough and are able to find some steals here!
• Thrift Shops & Antique Stores: These are my go-to spots and I love perusing these places, making several rounds and leisurely shopping until something really pops out.
• Secondhand Shops: These are the spots where most don’t want to fiddle with having their own garage sales and you can get some great steals here. I don’t always find my style of decor but they are wonderful for finding excellent books, vintage clothing, kitchen items, glassware, etc.
• Estate Sales: Don’t sleep on these. Sometimes these auctions really drive up the price but also, sometimes there isn’t a huge attendance and you can get the best bang for your buck. A ranch down from ours had one last month and we were able to score concrete feeders, water troughs for the girl’s show sheep, t-posts, and more! I highly recommend attending these sales, especially if you are new to homesteading/ranching and are trying to gather things on a budget.

Most of the time, I’m not looking for anything in particular but it is good to keep a running list of things you need or may need on your phone so if you do come across it and it’s in your budget, you can grab it. Most of my favorite things I have found have been on a whim.

Some of my favorite things I do seek are below but not limited to:

• Old Cowboy Books/Western Magazines
• Western Art
• Breyer Horses
• Cast Iron
• Glassware
• Soft Vintage Sheets
• Frankoma Pottery
• Vintage Western Clothing (tooled leather belts, buckles, boots, knit sweaters, jeans, & denim jackets)
• Vinyl Records
• Lace/Crochet Tableware
• Turquoise Jewelry
• Tonka/Western Toys
• Baskets/Bins
• Western Purses
• Old Decorative Coffee Cans/Metal Containers (for potting plants and succulents)
• Horse Tack (decorative, saddle blankets for rugs, saddle trees, stirrups, etc.)
• Vintage Pendleton
• Quilts
• Horse Ribbons & Trophies

Sections in the store that are a must to peruse through:

• Kitchen/Dinnerware Section: You never know when you’ll come across an old cast iron skillet or dutch oven, some beautiful silverware, or vintage dishes.
• Basket Section: My girls LOVE picnic baskets and we’ve found some gems locally. They are multi-purpose and are so fun to find.
• Furniture Section: Yes, sometimes these are pricey sections BUT you may just happen upon the exact piece you need for an excellent price.
• Book Section: By far my favorite area. Rarely do I leave a shop without another book.
• Kids Section: I’ve found some of the neatest little trinkets and toys that my girls not only love to play with but also serve as decor pieces.

Back in 2021, Zack and I were in Sheridan, Wyoming and popped into one of my absolute favorite antique stores to date. Being in a cowboy town, I was bound to find some absolute gems. We came home with a few items but one of my favorite pieces was a beautiful vintage leather tooled purse for Scout. It was from the sixties, had a horse tooled on the flap, and is the cutest little bag. She still carries it to this day and will be something we keep to hand down to her girls.

We launched a podcast today over on Paintbrush Prairie, discussing all things thrifting and antiquing. We talked a little bit about having a “someday tote” or “hope chest” for finds that are for keeping but not yet displaying or using and it’s something I started years ago. Someday, I pray we get to build our forever home and I’ll get to pull out these little treasures and tell stories about each of them.

These boot glasses are one of my favorite things I collect. One of my signature pieces that I started early this summer is using my vintage boot glasses I’ve found as my wildflower/cut flower vases. Every week I’d share my new picks and arrangements on Instagram and it brought in so much happiness for me, in my office, and home. So much that I plan to make a little logo out of it for a project for next year.

Some tips I’ve learned along the way:

• Don’t be afraid to ask the store owner/manager if they’d be willing to negotiate the price or give a deal if you bought several things. You obviously wouldn’t do this a big box/chain store on new items but since these are thrift shops and their goal is to move things and keep it fresh, more times than not they are happy to make the sale and take a percentage off. It doesn’t hurt to ask and the worst thing they can say is “no.”
• Speaking of price, sometimes things get overlooked and an item might have some damage or a stain they might not know about. Usually they are happy to take off for the oversight.
• Consider your style and taste before buying. If it’s truly not you, you’d never use it, and it’s just going to take up space or isn’t going to serve a purpose, don’t buy! Take note of textures, materials, tones, etc. that you are drawn too. I’m drawn to a more rustic/western feel so woods, irons, and things that can be intermixed without being too overwhelming is what I gravitate towards. I also lean more towards a minimalist style when decorating so I try not to have too many things that are just cluttering up an area and cause more stress than cozy. Understanding your style and what draws your eye will help you purchase things that compliment your home.
• The more stores you venture to, the more you will see specific things over and over. Try to find more one of a kind things that you’re more than likely not going to come across again. And, if you need some of those familiar pieces, then it will be easy to track it down.
• Not everything has to be thrifted and not everything can. It’s ok to mix old with new and keeps from dating your house too much. It shouldn’t be a museum.

I hope this helps and inspires you to take the time to slow down and treat yourself to some leisure shopping. It’s a fun way to shop, save, and collect items that bring joy and beauty into your home.

Resourses:

• Podcast Episode
• Farm Girl Vintage Section