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Budget-Friendly Thanksgiving: Decorating Your Home with Thrifted Treasures 

By Rachel

published 10/31/2024

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Last Updated on November 16, 2024 by Mitch

Decorate your home on a budget for Thanksgiving. Through the use of thrifted finds, you can style your space, in a beautiful way, for less!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! However, with the holiday season, comes the overwhelming pressure to create a picture-perfect ambiance, and often at a very high cost. But, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way. Join me for a thrifty Thanksgiving guide on how to style your holiday home for less with the use of thrifted finds!

Table of Contents

The Ultimate Guide to Thrifted Fall Decor

Would you believe me if I told you that you can decorate your home for this special occasion without spending your entire paycheck? You totally can! With a little creativity and a trip to your local thrift store, you can transform your space into a meaningful and budget-friendly space for Thanksgiving.

In this post, we’ll explore how to incorporate thrifted treasures into your Thanksgiving decor, making it not only affordable but also sustainable and full of character. Get ready to impress your guests with a thrifty holiday atmosphere that will leave them feeling grateful!

Thrifted Goodies Volume 28: Transform Your Home for Thanksgiving- Thrifted Decor Ideas for Every Room

Hello, guys!

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.

Every other month or so, we invite a fellow blogger who loves thrifting just as much as we do to share their expertise on the topic. This month, our friend Missy from Sonata Home Design, is joining the thrifting fun!

MasterPieces of My Life

My partner in this series, MaryJo, is sharing a thrifty post all about how to use and decorate with thrifted frames. 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:

Sonata Home Design

I’m so happy to welcome Missy to the series this month. Missy hails from another great Midwestern state, Nebraska! I adore Missy’s decorating. All of her colorful and cheery design styles, DIY projects, and creativity is just out of this world! She also loves to thrift decor for her home. You are not going to want to miss her post where she is sharing unique finds from a Manhattan flea market!

Sonata Home Design Social Channels:

Shop the Thrifty Fall Look!

Thrifting for Fall: Decorating on a Budget with Stunning Finds

With fall being my very favorite season, thrifting for fall decor has an extra special place in my heart. There’s just something so cozy about finding old pieces of ironstone or brown transferware to use year after year.

In my home, I tend to roll fall and Thanksgiving decor into one because, well, I just don’t have enough time in my life to re-decorate. But, I also gravitate towards the same color palette for each occasion so it just makes sense that way.

However, there are thrifty, simple tweaks you can make to your fall decor to make it lean more Thanksgiving such as:

switching out orange taper or pillar candles for gold or deep brown
swapping pumpkin-themed table linens for plaid ones
using dried grasses or dried florals in thrifted pitchers or vases instead of fall flowers. Forage your yard or nearby parks for free decor!
opting for neutral colored dishes such as ironstone
incorporating natural elements such as gourds, pinecones, or acorns throughout your home. Again, you can get outside and forage for these for free!

Sourcing and Decorating with Thrifted Finds for Fall and Thanksgiving: Where (and How) to Find the Good Stuff!

I get asked often where to look or how to find seasonal decor for cheap. Truly, a lot of it is luck but there are also a few key things that have helped me source decor.

Where to Find the Best Thrifted Fall Decor?

I’ve had the best luck sourcing vintage, seasonal decor from thrift stores. From experience, thrift shops have the best prices BUT you have to go often to find the good stuff! If you frequent a thrift store in your area, I recommend getting on their e-mail list if they have one. This will alert you to any sales going on and/or when they plan on putting out seasonal decor.

Other places can include:

estate sales
Etsy
e-Bay
Mercari
antique or vintage shops

What Items to Look for at Thrift Stores for Fall and Thanksgiving?

This all depends on the look and seasonal aesthetic that you are going for.

Before you go thrifting, take inventory of what you already have that you could use on a table scape, for example, and then make a list of things that you still need. This mentality will help you narrow your search and not buy un-necessary or un-needed items.

I do have regular staples that are always in my running list of things to look for, especially for fall. They include:

ironstone
neutral colored pottery or crocks
vintage books
vintage dishes or tableware
candlesticks
vintage vases or pitchers
brown transferware

Budget-Friendly Thanksgiving: Decorating Your Home with Thrifted Treasures + Thrift Haul

Okay! So, now that we chatted about how and where to find thrifty Thanksgiving decor for your home, let me show you some simple and affordable ways of styling said thrift finds.

The finds that I’m sharing below have recently been found either at thrift stores or antique shops. I’ve scored some amazing old things and I can’t wait to share them with you. The beauty about these thrifted decor items is that they can be used for fall, Thanksgiving, and everything in between Let’s get into it!

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #1: Wood Hanky Drawer

The first find is one that, in all my years of thrifting, have never come across.

I was shopping with my MIL at a vintage shop when we were on vacation back in September and I spotted this wood piece from across the room. I walked over to it and picked it up to inspect it. The tag on it said ‘vintage hanky drawer, $20.’

I immediately knew I wanted it but initially had no idea what I would do with it or use it for. So, I put it down and kept on. But, as I was looking at the rest of the store, I just couldn’t get this thing out of my head! When I had finished shopping, I came back to the drawer and then it hit me…I could use it as a riser underneath my lamp in the living room! Done. Sold.

For Thanksgiving specific use, a drawer similar to this could be placed underneath a vase as a table centerpiece. You could also use it to hold a charcuterie platter, a dessert tray, or as a place to put a beverage dispenser.

There’s just something about old wood that speaks to me and this one definitely checks all the boxes. The detailing on the front of the drawer is just incredible and the honey-toned hue of the wood makes my heart so happy.

Even though this drawer is old and smells like a musty basement inside, that makes me love it even more. Just because something smells weird or is worn out doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a ton of life left in it!

Who knows where this old drawer came from or used it before me but that all adds to the intrigue of old things and why I adore vintage so much. Give them a second chance…you never know the impact they will have on your home!

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #2: Ironstone Pitcher

You guys…have you ever seen a more beautiful ironstone pitcher?! I concur I have not!

Again, shopping with my MIL at my one of my favorite antique malls, I spotted this $12 beauty. This vintage ironstone pitcher came out of a booth that I just adore. It’s truly one of the best booths in the business…she always has the most amazing things!

I just can’t get over the curve of the neck and the look of the long handle…it’s just stunning. For Thanksgiving, I have it styled in my hutch with some faux gold stems. For a practical use, this pitcher would make a lovely water vessel on a Thanksgiving table!

The amazing thing about neutral decor, like ironstone, is that it can be used all year round by giving it simple tweaks for the seasons. So, if you find a piece for a good price, my advice would be to purchase it because I promise you will use it in so many ways!

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #3: Brown Transferware Platter

Next up is my second favorite find of this haul…a gorgeous, crazed ironstone platter with brown transfer!

Found in the same booth as the pitcher above, I could not believe it was priced at only $6! I snatched this piece up immediately. Brown transferware itself is incredibly hard to find these days, and even harder to find at a fair price. I mean…look at all the staining and lovely wear on the glaze. Just stunning.

For Thanksgiving decor, I placed it underneath my prized milk glass banana stand on the credenza. I adore the look of milk glass and ironstone paired together. I’m having a great day when I can decorate with two of my most favorite vintage collections 🙂

Platters are another one of those versatile items to pick up while thrifting. You can stack them up in a big pile, use them in a hutch, display them across a shelf, hang them on a wall, or even use them for their intended purpose!

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #4: Ironstone Cream and Sugar Set

You guys. You are NOT going to believe me when I tell you how much I paid for this ironstone cream and sugar set. Are you ready?! The entire set was $3.00!!! Like…what?! I quadruple checked the tag and even took it up to the counter and had them make sure that’s what it said. But, still…I have no idea…maybe the dealer had it at home and just wanted to get rid of it?!

I tried to keep a calm, cool, and collected poker face until I got out of the store because I didn’t want them to change their mind on the price. Once I got outside, I was totally freaking out.

I’ve been wanting one of these sugar dishes with the pretty, curved handles for SO LONG and just can’t believe it. I’m so happy! For fall and Thanksgiving, I styled the set in my hutch with some natural decor elements.

I have found that, with vintage ironstone, less is more. The beauty of the old pottery shines through on it’s own, so keep things simple with just a few stems or small accessories.

Whenever possible, I like show you what the pattern is and what the marking looks like.

This ironstone set is the ‘Snowhite Regency’ pattern by the English company Johnson Bros.

And, for a different styling option, I hung the creamer on the peg rack in my kitchen.

It looks so pretty alongside some of my vintage copper collection, don’t you think?!

When you are purchasing thrifted decor items, my best advice is to play around with different decorating options. Try styling one piece many different ways to see what option you prefer or like best. There is not a right or wrong way to decorate your home, especially when it comes to thrifted finds!

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #5: Vintage Condiment Bottle

Okay. So, this next find I eyed at the thrift store for about a month.

As the story goes, I shop my local thrift store once a week and this jar was in the front of the store inside a glass case. The first time I saw it, I truly loved it. But, I wasn’t going to pay $13.00 for it. So, I left it. And, the next week, it was still there and I still loved it. The week after that, I went to the store again and this jar was still there…but this time its color tag was 50% off!! So, I finally purchased this jar that I had been eyeing for a month for only $6.99!

For the fall and Thanksgiving season, I’ve styled this pretty jug on a shelf in my bathroom alongside some other vintage decor.

Let me tell you a little bit about this jug because I did a little research on it when I got it home.

It is an antique condiment jar from the H. Wichert Company out of Chicago. Due to its crazing and heft, I believe this jar to be an actual antique, which dates it to 1870-1880!

From a few online sources, I’m seeing prices to be between $40-60 retail. Isn’t that so cool?!

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #6: Lidless Ironstone Tureen

I’ve noticed that it’s hard to come by vintage, ironstone tureens, with lids, at thrift stores. I always seem to find pretty ones sans lid but that’s totally okay!

Sometimes, it’s actually easier to decorate with tureens if they are open like this one. Plus, they are usually priced cheaper…I believe this one was only $4.00.

Tureens are also always something that I look for while thrifting because they can be used in so many ways! And, due to the neutral color of them, it’s a worthwhile thing to purchase because you can decorate or use them all year round. Since this particular tureen doesn’t have any cracks or chips in it, you could totally use it as a casserole dish for Thanksgiving dinner!

For fall and Thanksgiving decor, I placed a vintage white hanky on the bottom of the tureen and then simply filled it to overflowing with mini faux pumpkins.

You could also use items such as pinecones, gourds, leaves, acorns, etc…

Shop Ironstone Decor

Thrifted Thanksgiving Decor #7: Two Antique Books

Last, but certainly not least, is another one of my favorite decor items to always look for…vintage books!

I found these two very old books at an estate sale that was in my neighborhood. They were down in the basement, tucked away on a shelf. I’m very surprised that I even spotted them! The smaller of the two is a German/ English dictionary, which I loved. The other one is just a pretty green color with a lovely cover. For only $2.00 each, these old books were a total score!

When I look for antique or vintage books, I look for subject matters that speak to me, such as decorating or nature, and I tend to gravitate towards books that have green, blue, beige, or brown covers with pretty lettering. If you take the time to sift through old books, you’ll be surprised at what you can find!

Vintage and antique books are a secret weapon when it comes to decorating for any season, but fall especially. They can be used as risers, to add height to a centerpiece or shelf display, lined up across a mantel or shelf, stacked up together, etc…

For Thanksgiving, I tucked the smaller German book on the left side of this book row that I already had styled on the mantel. I’ve been loving the look of a long row of old books as of late!

I’ve learned that, when decorating my home, if something really speaks to me, I tend to use that same aesthetic for a while, just tweaking it to fit the next season.

So, I truly think I will be doing this same type of book styling for many seasons to come!

Closing Tidbits on Thrifty Thanksgiving Decor

With that, this wraps up my latest thrift haul and thrifty Thanksgiving decorating ideas!

I truly believe, that with a little time and creativity, that you can achieve a beautiful decor aesthetic for less. There is no reason to spend hundreds of dollars to decorate your home for the seasons. The thrift store holds such unique and lovely decor, most of which contains more character than items from big box stores, and for half the price!

There is nothing to lose and much to gain when thrift shopping for seasonal decor. I sincerely hope that you are inspired to at least give it a try…not only for your wallet but for the health of the planet, as well!

Be encouraged to spend less this holiday season, finding peace with what you have along the way.

Leave me a comment! How do you decorate your home for Thanksgiving? I love hearing from you!

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If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.

Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!