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5 Thrift Store Scores for Environmentally-Friendly Decor

By Rachel

published 04/24/2025

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Thrift your way to a greener home! Explore 5 thrift store scores for environmentally- friendly decor that will make your home shine.

Did you know that the average American throws away approximately 70 pounds of clothing and textiles each year? And that’s just clothing – add in household items and the number skyrockets. That’s SO sad! With so much waste being generated, it’s more important than ever to find sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternatives for our homes. My solution?? Thrift stores! Join me as we dive into the world of thrifting with 5 thrift store scores for environmentally-friendly decor!

Eco-Friendly Home Decor Ideas: Decorating with the Planet in Mind

Thrifting is a fantastic way to decorate beautifully while, at the same time, minimizing environmental harm. Sourcing home decor from thrift shops provides access to a variety of eco-friendly decor options that are both stylish and sustainable.

Not only can thrifting you save money but you can reduce your carbon footprint by giving new life to previously loved items. In this article, we’ll explore 5 thrift store scores that will not only elevate your home decor but also help save the planet. I’ll cover why thrifting is eco-friendly, the broader impact of decor choices, a recent thrift haul, and styling and decorating tips for thrift finds.

Table of Contents

So, if you’re ready, let’s go thrifting and add some eco-chic flair to your space !

Thrifted Goodies Volume 34- 5 Thrift Store Scores for Environmentally-Friendly Decor

Hello, guys!

Welcome, or welcome back, to the blog and to the next installment in the ‘Thrifted Goodies’ series! If you are new around here, welcome!

This is a monthly series where my friend MaryJo from the blog Master’pieces’ of my Life and I share thrift hauls, thrifting tips, and general thrift shopping advice.

In honor of April being Earth month, and with Earth Day just a few days ago, we’re chatting all things thrifty and eco-friendly! After all, it’s our job to take care of this Earth so that it can take care of us.

MasterPieces of My Life

My partner in this series, MaryJo, is sharing a Spring thrift haul plus a faux jadeite DIY hack! How fun is that?!

After you are done here, head over to her post and say hello! You may find just the thing you are looking for.

MasterPieces of My Life Social Channels:

Thrifting for a Sustainable Home: Why Thrift Shopping is Inherently Eco-Friendly

Truly, when it comes to thrifting, there are copious reasons as to why it’s a sustainable way to shop and source needed goods for your home. I’ve gone into detail in many of my other thrifting posts about this. If you’re interested in reading more, head to the thrifting section!

I read a statistic the other day that stated ‘ if 1 million of us bought our next piece of clothing from a thrift store, we’d keep millions of pounds of textiles out of landfills, slash our carbon footprint, and funnel millions of dollars back into local jobs and nonprofits.’

I mean, if that doesn’t paint the picture, I don’t know what will!

Below are 4 ways in which thrifting benefits the environment:

Reduces Landfill Waste- Purchasing secondhand goods keeps usable items out of landfills. When you buy something that is already made, instead of encouraging the demand for NEW things, it helps eliminate pollution and wasted resources.
Conserves Precious Resources- Energy, water, and raw materials are all needed to manufacture new home goods. Now more than ever, it’s our job to halt the over-production of new goods because the Earth depends on us! Thrifting, or buying items secondhand, reduces the demand for the resource-intensive processes.
Lowers Carbon Footprint- The carbon emissions associated with manufacturing, packaging, and transporting new items is something that most of us probably forget about. So, by thrifting items instead, we can largely bypass the effect of carbon emissions on the environment.
Promotes Sustainable Consumption- Thrifting is a conscious alternative to ‘fast consumerism’. Sourcing goods from thrift stores encourages a more circular economy where items are re-used and valued a lot longer.

Shop Favorite Sustainable Home Decor

Tips for Successful Eco-Friendly Thrifting

When it comes to having success while shopping for thrifted goods, I’ve learned a ton over the years. Truly, a lot of it is patience while, sometimes, it’s just pure luck.

Let’s briefly chat about 3 key tips for successful thrifting!

1. Know What to Look For (Have a ‘Wish List’)

Before heading to the thrift store, I encourage you to have a general idea of what you need or things you are looking for. This method curbs impulse buys, helps you stay within your budget, and ensures that you will find practical items that will actually get used.

I usually have a running mental list, but, if you need a more substantial way of keeping track, keep a list on your phone. That way, you will always have your list with you!

2. Shop Strategically (Regular Visits, Different Stores)

I’ve said it many times before, but, to get the most bang for your buck, it’s helpful to thrift often! Visit stores regularly, like once a week, since inventory changes everyday.

Also, for some variety, and to hopefully find the things you are looking for, try exploring different types of secondhand shops. In addition to thrift stores, try places such as vintage shops or consignment stores.

3. Explore Online Thrift Stores and Marketplaces

If thrift stores aren’t your thing, you are in luck!

There is growing availability of online platforms for buying secondhand goods directly from sellers. This option of thrifting is not only convenient, since you can shop from the comfort of your own home, but you will also find a much wider selection.

Such online thrift shops include:

e-Bay
Etsy
Mercari
ThredUp

Thrifted Decor Finds You’ll Love: A Recent Thrift Haul and Decorating Ideas

Now, armed with all that knowledge, let’s get into my thrift haul! I’ve sourced some amazing pieces of vintage decor over the past month.

One of my favorite things about thrifting for these old things is that I get to give each piece a new lease on life! I always welcome them into my home with open arms and allow each one to shine.

5 Thrift Store Scores for Environmentally-Friendly Decor

I’m showcasing 5 of my most recent thrift finds.

Tip: When I’m thrifting, I make sure to only purchase items or decor that I know will actually get used. Also, I tend to buy things that can be styled in multiple ways. To me, that makes it all worth it!

1. Small Milk Glass Vase

The first find of the day is this adorable milk glass vase! I don’t have a milk glass vase in this size or shape in my collection and it was just $2.00! This is a Randall milk glass vase, circa 1950’s.

When I’m buying milk glass, I want it to be authentic vintage, so I make sure to look for ‘the ring of fire’. This can be found by holding the milk glass up to the light and looking for iridescent reds, pinks, blues, or purples. This vase checked out for the ‘ring of fire’ so into my basket it went!

The beauty about these size vases is that they can be used just about anywhere. For now, I have it styled in my hutch for the Spring season amongst other pieces from my milk glass collection, ironstone, and various vintage accessories.

2. Pair of Blue and White Ironstone Plates

You guys, I almost missed these!

Remember how I always say to do two laps around the store…one clockwise and one counter-clockwise?! This is why!!

It was on the second lap around counter-clockwise that I spotted a stack of these beautiful ironstone plates, tucked way back on the shelf, for just .99 cents a piece! There were six of them, but, I was like, “Girl, you don’t need six of these.”

So, I went through the stack and chose the best two. When I do this though, I try and always leave an even number behind so that the next person who wants them has, like, enough for a place setting of four or whatever. It just makes me feel better.

I know some of you like to see stamps so I’ll share that. These are marked ‘Myott, England’ and the pattern is called “Forget Me Not”. Isn’t that precious?!

As far as styling these two pretty plates, I simply placed the stack of two on top of three transferware dinner plates on the bottom shelf of my curved cabinet. Because I have all of my blue and white decor styled in this cabinet, I figured why not add to the theme!

I love the mix and match look of these vintage plates. Paired with the row of vintage blue books, I think it’s so pretty.

3. Small Ceramic Bunny

Ohhhh my gosh…this little bunny is just the cutest!

I was standing there, scanning a shelf, and my eyes landed on the most adorable ceramic bunny. There was a lady next to me and I could tell she was eyeing it too so I scooped it up before she did! In person, it almost gives off Pottery Barn-esque vibes. I know I’ve seen similar bunnies to this one on their website for like $50!

The way it’s laying, like on it’s back, is so playful. For just $3.00, it is the perfect little addition to the counter in my hall bath. For some softness, I set the bunny on top of a vintage handkerchief. Whenever I go in there to use the sink, it makes me smile 🙂

4. Matching Set of French Plates and Platter

These were another super fun find!

On one of my weekly thrifting trips, I was perusing the dish aisle, which is my favorite aisle to look in. I spotted the scalloped edge of a white platter sticking out from behind something else.

I immediately grabbed it, thinking it was ironstone. But, upon closer inspection, it turned out to be French with a ‘Haviland, France’ marking on the back! I’ve not seen this pattern before and, since I always use platters for decorating, I knew it would be a good buy. For only $3.00, I couldn’t leave it behind!

I added my newly found platter to the back of my Spring basket vignette.

Then, in the next aisle over, I spotted two identical plates to the platter!! I’m so happy that I found these because now this set gets to stay together. My guess is that someone donated their entire set of these dishes and was slowly being picked away at by other shoppers. Since each dish is sold individually, pieces get separated within the store.

Anyways, I purchased the two plates as well, for just $1.00 each. I have them styled in my hutch for Spring…they pair perfectly with the other vintage decor. Aren’t they so cute?! The shape of them reminds me of a flower!

5. Small Transferware Bowl

And, last but not least, is yet another vintage dish. Have I mentioned that I have a thing for vintage dishes?! I just can’t help it!!

This bowl, according to the tag (the price stickers have the date that it was put out on the shelf), had been sitting on the shelf for a while without any takers. At only $2.00, I couldn’t believe it was still there!

Well, it was its lucky day when I came to the rescue! I have thrifted two identical plates in this same pattern over the years. It makes me so happy to now have a matching bowl! This is a Homer Laughlin pattern called ‘Pastoral’.

Since I’m using the two matching plates in my hutch for Spring, I thought it would be fitting to set the bowl in the hutch, as well. So, I placed it on top of a stack of other ironstone bowls. To complete the look, an ironstone pitcher, with a few pink ranunculus inside, is set on top.

How to Create an Eco-Friendly Home: The Broader Impact of Your Decor Choices

Before we close today, I wanted to take a minute and chat about how thrifting has such an immense, positive impact on the environment. Through thrift shopping, we can greatly impact the following ideals and make choices that are much healthier for the Earth.

The Hidden Costs of New Decor- Mass produced furniture and decor has a profound negative effect on the environment. Not only do new items contain harmful chemicals, but they are expensive and not made of high-quality materials. I encourage you to buy used whenever possible so that the lifecycle of healthier items, like vintage, can be used in their entirety.
Make Conscious Consumer Choices- There is so much power in the decor that we use. To be as eco-friendly as possible, you can choose to support sustainability by being mindful and having an intentional approach to buying. Thrift shopping is the most effective way I know to achieve that.
Supporting a Circular Economy Through Thrifting– When you thrift, you are actively participating in the ‘circular economy’ model, which is re-use, reduce, and re-cycle. By purchasing goods from a thrift store, that are already made, you are actively conserving resources and helping to reduce waste. This promotes a healthy eco-system and environment, which is something we can all get behind!
Thrifting as Part of a Sustainable Lifestyle- Thrifting is not just an amazing way to decorate but is a broader lifestyle choice. It aligns with eco-friendly methodology and all the environmental values that encompass it. To truly care for this Earth that we have been given, I don’t know of any better way than to re-use items that are already here!

Closing Tidbits on 5 Thrift Store Scores for Environmentally-Friendly Decor

Thrifting not only gifts us the opportunity to decorate each space of our homes in a beautiful way but it also encourages responsible decorating. Through these 5 thrift store scores for environmentally-friendly decor, I truly hope you are able to see just how easy it is to accomplish both!

I have such a passion for helping others create meaningful spaces that, at the same time, cares for the planet. If you’ve never tried thrift shopping before, let this be your sign to give it a chance. There truly is something for everyone and for such incredible prices!

Be encouraged to embrace thrifting, friends. Our Earth will be forever grateful.

Let’s keep the conversation going on Instagram! Tag me @theantiquedjourney and let me know your journey with creating a more enviornmentally-friendly home!

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