Funky Junky Decorating - Thrift Shop Feng Shui
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Eco-Friendly Decorating- Green Shabby Chic with Thrift Shop Goods
Whatever name you give it - thrifting, upcycling, green decorating or shabby chic - decorating a room, office cubicle, apartment, flat or home and garden with second hand furnishings, collectibles and accessories is economical, green, and uniquely satisfying. I've been decorating with thrift store goods for more than 45 years and I love it!
Thrift store decorating provides challenging fun for anyone who's into eclectic design and loves saving money on home decor. You can apply feng shui guidelines to your green lifestyle furniture arrangements and really set up a harmonious living space.
You'll find creative decorating uses for just about anything you love, especially natural objects like pine cones, branches, dried flowers, leaves and vines - even an old wooden ladder and a few pairs of worn out boots can be interesting and beautiful in your garden. Rust and weathering add nature's patina to man made objects.
Basics of Thrift Shop Buying and Tag Sale Shopping
What to Watch Out For at Tag Sales - What Not to Buy Second Hand
There are a few pitfalls to furnishing your place with used goods, but only a few. I'll cover those first, then send you off to start your collection expedition armed with confidence and chutzpah.
These are my own guidelines, based on personal experience. You may want to cast them aside, or add your own limits on what you will or won't buy depending on your preference and budget.
1. Don't bring home anything you can't clean or wash thoroughly.
2. Don't bother with a stuffed or upholstered piece unless you plan to have it completely restuffed and reupholstered or you are certain it's vermin-free and has no mold or mildew.
3. Don't buy used cribs, car seats or safety equipment unless you are certain they have not been recalled, damaged or deemed unsafe.
4. Don't expect old things to perform as well as they did when they were new. Some will, some won't - be realistic about what you intend to use your new "find" to do.
5. Avoid using older containers for food or beverages unless they are made of clear or translucent glass. Some pottery glazes contain lead, and some copper pieces contain lead solder on joints. Older painted wood and metal pieces are safe for decorative use if kids or pets won't put them in their mouth.
6. Examine electrical wires, plugs, fixtures and connections. You can expect to do some cord replacements or socket upgrades to make your treasure UL approved, but that's not difficult and it's very important.
That's just about it. I like to know I'm not bringing someone else's problem home to my place, and I don't want to invest in a dangerous item that someone else discarded because of safety concerns.
Decorate on a Shoestring with Recycled Thrift Shop Furniture
A handbook for everyone who loves "old stuff"
Antiques on the Cheap: A Savvy Dealer's Tips: Buying, Restoring, Selling
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 02/16/2012)
This book is your guide to shopping tag sales, flea markets and second hand stores. It's not only a reference for buyer-sellers and dealers, it's a great source of help for everyday folks who love to shop for used goods and need information about oldies but goodies.
Squid angels Where to Find the Best Second Hand Treasures
Local and worldwide thrifting resources
Charity Shops managed by Goodwill, the Salvation Army and schools, churches or synagogues offer great bargains on clothing, books, housewares and furniture plus your purchase helps fund humanitarian and training programs sponsored by the organization running the shop. Goodwill Industries even has an online auction service similar to E-bay.
Flea Markets abound all over the world. You can find them in small towns by the side of the road, in city parking lots, in large arenas and inside warehouse buildings.
Resale Shops offer used goods for sale like a regular store. Some shops take items on consignment from the owner; others buy and sell used merchandise of all sorts from consumers or other resellers. If you're concerned about whether a store is following good business practices, look for a NARTS - National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops - membership sign.
Auctions, on site or online, offer all sorts of opportunities for buying and selling used goods. You can find local auction listings in any community newspaper or merchandising flyer. Most auction advertisements list the type of items to be offered at the sale; others offer detailed listings of the contents in the lot to be sold - anything from tools, jewelry, livestock, or furniture to real estate. Some flea markets also have an on site auction house or area for auction sales.
Online Auctions (E-bay plus many more) offer an infinite range of items in a huge database. You can search through categories by keyword or simply browse until you find what you like, then you can bid on and pay for your winning bid selection using your computer. You can also sell what you don't need. Be sure to check out the terms and conditions of each service prior to signing up or making a purchase. Shipping terms should be carefully evaluated if you live far from the seller.
Tag Sales ( yard sales) are one of the most interesting places to find junk-tiques. One person's trash is indeed another person's treasure.
New Life for Old Stuff - Flea Market Fashion and Home Decor
Recycle, reuse, alter and reshape
- Craft Chi ยป Thrift Store Crafts
- Make new stuff from oldies but goodies ... cool.
- Vintage Christmas with Norma Kooi
- Christmas slides to cover an art book and Christmas cards, Norma Kooi shows how
- Fused Plastic Bag Tote
- How to Make a Fused Plastic Bag Tote. Want to strike back against the plastic shopping bags that are taking over your kitchen? Fusing them to use in projects allows you to create unique crafts while you help the environment.
- Plastic Bag Crafts
- Anything and everything made from recycled plastic bags. Really creative, functional and funky.
- Dad's Ties Recycled Fashion
- Turn a closet full of old ties into a slinky tank top.
- Free Sewing Pattern: The Fibonacci Glamour Scarf
- Free sewing pattern for a luxurious scarf made from scraps of fashion fabrics and vintage materials.
- A Lifetime of Collecting - Yankee Magazine
- The Connecticut home of a lifelong New England antique collector highlights a passion for the past. Dale West, Yankee Magazine
eBay Vintage Clothing
DIY Frugal Decorating - Shabby Chic How To
- Thrift Store Decor
- Decorating on a budget with thrift store furniture, yard sale accessories, and flea market finds
- Garden Decorating Ideas on a Budget
- Family gardening tips and garden decor ideas on a budget. Container gardening, trellis ideas, seed sales and found objects for your garden.
- Budget Decorating: Easy and Frugal Furniture Fixups
- How to turn around that tired piece of furniture, without having to spend big bucks.
- Dime Store Decorating with Designer Results
- 10 tips and tricks for getting high style without breaking the bank.
- Shopgoodwill.com Auction
- From unique one-of-a kind items to estate pieces, the depth of resources is enormous.
Featured Collectibles on eBay
Get 'em before they're gone ...
Altered Treasures - New Life for Old Stuff
Kicking up Thrifting to a Whole New Level
For example: using old cans for planters, using shawls as window coverings or wall hangings, gathering keys or pins or old silver ware together in a shadow box to make a wall decoration ...My small home has very little storage or closet space, and I have 40 years of collected treasures stashed here and there. I keep many things in plastic storage tubs which are practical but not exactly designer quality.
To hide a big towering stack of storage bins that must stay in my bedroom I hung a beautiful old lace table cloth from the ceiling in one corner then angled the bed in front of the table cloth-turned-drapery. It works beautifully and lets me display a lovely treasured linen plus I can easily get at the stored items whenever I am ready to change the decor in my house.
Think Outside the Box
- New Uses for Old Things
- Real Simple organizing strategies, shortcuts, products
- Monogram Momma: Silk Tie Dyed Easter Eggs
- Silk Tie Dyed Easter Eggs - how to use old silk ties, boxers and scarves to make spectacularly beautiful Easter egg beauties.
- Kids Fashions from Adult Clothing
- Ideas for altering adult shirts, trousers, dresses, coats and skirts into kiddie couture.
Old Books and Mags on eBay
Vintage Gear - Old Machines Get a Second Life
- Vintage Vending Machines Blog
- The coolest blog about vending machines for music, candy, ice cream, soda and more.
- InPrint - Poetry Vending Machines
- Poetry Vending Machines (PVM) - using obsolete cigarette vending machines to sell little packets of poetry.
Make Crafts from Castoffs - Recycled Beauties
- Garden Junk Totems
- Artistically stacked glass totems for your garden crafted from castoffs.
- The Crafty Side: trash to treasure
- Garden chimes, danglers, planters and more all made from "junk"
- Flickr: Trash Pickins
- Photos of fabulous finds at the curb ...
- Bottle Trees
- It used to be that you could see bottle trees scattered all over the Southern landscape. Usually in the country or along the bayous of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennesee, and Alabama, bottle trees are a colorful folk tradition with the purpose of warding off evil spirits, while at the same time recycl
Talk Back on Funky Junky Decorating
Please Sign My Home Decor Guestbook!
Share your thrifting stories, tips, and ideas for using and/or altering your found art and tag sale treasures rescued from the trash heap or land fill. Or, just leave a comment to say hi!
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vallain
Feb 8, 2012 @ 9:32 pm | delete
- Lots of resources for the people who are attracted to vintage items, like I am. My husband refuses to brake for yard sales. I always want to bring everything home.
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DecoratingforEvents
Jan 29, 2012 @ 2:18 pm | delete
- I love to upcycle! Great ideas for making some funky junk!
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darciefrench
Dec 31, 2011 @ 4:41 pm | delete
- My kind of decorating :)
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poddys
Sep 30, 2011 @ 4:11 pm | delete
- Great tips, I love to buy from yard sales too, you never know what treasures you are going to find. Blessed.
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cdevries
Aug 1, 2011 @ 2:46 pm | delete
- Great Lens! Kind of similar to one I've put together on thrifty- decor shopping, so I'd like to link to yours.
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FunkyJewelleryUK
May 26, 2011 @ 5:34 am | delete
- Really great lens, I'm all for green living, so your lens is really interesting. Good work! :D
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GonnaFly
Apr 27, 2011 @ 6:09 pm | delete
- Love it. Such great ideas!
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---Chazz
Apr 6, 2011 @ 6:23 pm | delete
- Well done! Great tips. Blessings from your friendly home decor neighborhood squid angel! We're also adding a link to this lens on our page of bless-worthy lenses. You can see it at http://www.squidoo.com/lenses-blessed-by-this-squid-angel. Thank you!
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guardianstar77
Nov 15, 2010 @ 10:08 am | delete
- You are indeed a ThriftShopMaven. Had never heard of the Shop-o-Rama-Rama. It is utterly inspiring. What a wonderful young woman she seems to be. Thanks for Sharing
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thezebrafactory Nov 3, 2010 @ 7:15 am | delete
- i like the 'new life for old stuff' part!
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Thrift Shop Maven - Pastiche
I find all my coolest stuff at thrift stores, resale shops and tag sales
High Fashion, Low Cost Vintage Vogue Fashionista
We're Furnishing Our Retirement Home with Recycled Goods
My favorite clothes are thrift shop fashions- vintage, retro and recycled clothing from past decades and the mid- to late- 20th century. I've got cool styles that span the wearable garment spectrum - everything from WW2 military uniforms and gear, genuine Japanese baseball shirts and salvaged fur coats to pure wool sweaters, silk dresses and skirts, floor length capes and tee shirts gleaned at thrift stores or traded, handed-down/up and swapped off from friends and family.
We recently purchased a retirement home in Vermont - the greenest of green living US states - and we're shopping for all our kitchen ware, tools and hard goods at local resale and thrift stores. We're also taking unneeded goods off the hands of friends and family members to furnish our second home in high, frugal green living style. We even purchased second-hand bargain rate holiday decorations and glassware for our Vermont home at the local Salvation Army Thrift Store.
by Pastiche
For years I've decorated my home and garden with treasures discovered at second hand shops, yard sales, auctions and charity thrift stores. ) I admit it,... more »
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