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Thrifted and Thriving: 5 Inexpensive Fall Decor Ideas for a Beautiful Home

By Rachel

published 08/28/2025

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Style a charming home for fall with the help of 5 inexpensive thrifted finds! You can totally decorate a beautiful space for less.

When you think of fall, what words or feelings come to mind? Off the top of my head, crisp, chilly, or cozy are a few that eloquently describe the coming season. Those adjectives can be evoked in the home decor that you choose to use to reflect the changing of seasons. However, many times, seasonal decorating can often feel expensive and overwhelming. But, within this post, is a guide on how to achieve a quintessential autumn look without the high cost. Come along as I share how to style inexpensive fall decor through the magic of thrifted finds!

Welcome Autumn on a Budget with Thrifted Fall Decor

By knowing what to look for at thrift stores and learning simple ways of styling found wares, you can absolutely create a welcoming home for fall using affordable, and unique, thrifted items.

In this post, I’ll share why thrifting is a great option for sourcing fall home decor, specific items to keep an eye out for, a recent thrift haul, and styling tips.

Table of Contents

So, if you are ready to thrive this fall season by saving yourself loads of money, grab your favorite fall drink and let’s go thrifting!

Thrifted Goodies Volume 38- Thrifted and Thriving: 5 Inexpensive Fall Decor Ideas for a Beautiful Home

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.

MasterPieces of My Life

My partner in this series, MaryJo, is sharing a post all about how to flip thrift store finds using paint. 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:

Shop Favorite Vintage Fall Decor

Why Thrifting is a Great Option for Inexpensive Fall Decor

Why thrift? I’ve been asked that question so many times over the years and my answer is always the same. “Because, why not?!”

It’s true that I thrift for vintage items to bring home and use for decorating as well as add to my growing vintage collections. But, for me, it goes much deeper than that.

Thrifting encompasses a wide range of reasons as to ‘why thrift’. Here are some of the top ones:

Budget-Friendly: Thrift stores are the ultimate secret weapon for inexpensive fall decor. There are such significant cost savings to be had compared to retail!
Unique & Authentic: Secondhand items add a sense of timeless history and rich character to a space that new items can’t replicate.
The Thrill of the Hunt: The sheer fun and exciting satisfaction of finding hidden gems cannot be put into words…it’s just something you have to experience for yourself!
Sustainable Decorating: Thrifting is one of the best ways I know to help take care of this Earth. The eco-friendly aspects of reusing and recycling decor items helps support a circular economy and keeps things from going into landfills (which are filling up by the second).

How to Style Thrifted Fall Decor for a Charming and Cozy Look

Over the years, I’ve found a few tried and true ways of decorating with thrifted finds. These are styling methods that I turn to again and again, season after season. Each ideal is practical and straightforward yet allows for creativity and flexibility.

Vary Heights & Textures: It’s important to use items of different sizes and materials to create a visually interesting display. Think in opposites… tall vs. short, rough vs. smooth, bright vs. dull. Mixing all of these elements together helps to create a well-rounded and cohesive display.
Create Vignettes: When creating mini displays, also known as vignettes, it’s helpful to group items in odd numbers (3s or 5s) for a pleasing arrangement. (Examples: 2 vintage books and 1 jar, 1 flower frog, 1 creamer, and 1 tall vase, or 2 different sized pitchers and 1 animal figurine.)
Mix Old & New: Blend your unique thrift finds with existing decor for a fresh, curated look. And, the existing items don’t have to be new, as in from a retail store. They can also be secondhand finds that were sourced years ago. But, by pairing them with more recent finds, it gives them a whole new vibe!
Don’t Overdo It: Here lies the power of restraint. From experience, most times, a few well-placed items are more impactful than a cluttered space.

Thrifted and Thriving: 5 Inexpensive Fall Decor Ideas for a Beautiful Home

With that, let’s get into this month’s thrift haul! I’ve found some incredible things and cannot wait to share them with you.

Thrift Haul: What I Thrifted and How I Styled My Finds for Vintage Fall Home Decor

For each find, I’ll share how much I paid, why I bought it, and how I’ve styled it (or how I plan to use it for the upcoming fall season).

1. Large Vintage Glass Jar

This first find on the list is super neat!

I spotted this very large glass jar sitting at the back of a shelf. Now, I know an old thing when I see it and this was for sure much older, and of much higher quality, than the cheap vases it was amongst.

I turned it over and noticed this marking on the bottom, which, upon arriving home, did a quick search on it. Turns out that this waffle weave patterned jar was made by the Owens-Illinois Glass Company! The ‘diamond and oval with I inside’ mark is the first and most widely used mark, beginning in 1929. Isn’t that so cool?!

I’m fairly certain this jar used to have a lid, probably aluminum or zinc. But, somewhere over the years, it was separated from the jar.

Regardless, I love it. For only $3.00, it’s the perfect size to be utilized as a vase! For fall, I decided to arrange a simple dried floral bouquet and place it on top of the curio cabinet in my bedroom.

2. Restaurantware Mug

Next up is a simple yet beautiful piece of vintage restaurantware that I purchased for just .99 cents! This mug happens to be Buffalo china, which falls under the restaurantware category amongst other brands such as Shenango or Syracuse. You can clearly tell that it’s Buffalo china by the buffalo stamp on the bottom.

I don’t come across Buffalo china that often so, when I do, it’s like winning the lottery. There’s just something calming about holding one of these hefty diner mugs…it harkens back to simpler times, you know??

For the fall season, I decided to style the mug into a vignette inside my curio cabinet.

Paired with a few pieces of vintage ironstone and some pumpkins, this little display just goes to show you that you don’t need to do much, nor spend a ton of money, to create a stunning and unique fall look.

In my book, simplicity is always better and less truly is more!

3. Copper Tea Kettle

OMG you guys! I haven’t found ANY vintage copper in SO long! Years ago, it was so easily sourced at thrift stores but now it’s become super hard to find.

But, as the story goes, I was on my home from doing a few errands. I decided to take the back way home due to some road construction. Well, wouldn’t you know it…there was a sign for an estate sale at the four way stop. So, instead of going straight to go home, I went left to follow the sign.

Upon walking up to the home that the sale was at, most of the remaining items were in the garage. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the most GLORIOUS copper teapot I’ve ever laid eyes on. The best part?? It was just $5 AND I had cash! WAHOO!

I’ve styled my pretty teapot, which by the way is from Portugal, in the kitchen amongst the rest of my copper collection. Yes, it’s true that I pull a lot of my copper down to use around the house for fall, but it’s displayed in my kitchen year round…I can’t bear to ever put it away because I just love it so much.

4. Ironstone Pitcher

Here is one of those ‘OMG, took my breath away’ kind of finds.

Can you believe that this large, super pretty, and full of the most beautiful crazing ironstone pitcher had not been scooped up yet by the time I got to it?! Like..what?! Do you see the price sticker?! $4.99!

It’s extremely rare, at least up here, to find ironstone pitchers such as this one at thrift shops, let alone this large size, and for that cheap of a price. I just could’t believe it!

Of course I will be using this pitcher ALL the time, but for fall specifically, I styled it in the curio cabinet with a few stems of faux fall leaves.

For the fall season, I love to pair creamy ironstone with dark brown, copper, and rust color palettes. It’s super simple and neutral yet gives off all the cozy, moody vibes.

5. Amber Glass Swan

And, last but not least, is the only find that I brought back from my recent trip to Florida!

We went to an antique store near my uncle’s house. I wasn’t finding much but then my hubby spotted this lovely amber glass swan. I mean…can you get any more fall?!

It’s in perfect condition, and for only $10, I knew I had to bring this sweet swan home with me. Luckily, it survived the plane ride in my suitcase, and now sits proudly in the curio cabinet for the season.

In the late afternoon, the sun streams through the front windows and the swan just glows…it’s the most beautiful thing!

Basic Thrift Shopping FAQ’s

Before we wrap up here, I wanted to answer a few popular questions about how to decorate for fall on a budget. Because, truly, we could all stand to save a few bucks these days, right?! Hopefully, if you have the same queries, these will help!

1. What month to put out fall decor?

There is no right or wrong answer for this and is really up to you and what you feel comfy with. I usually take down my summer decor during the last week of August, put everything in it’s respective bin, dust and clean really well, and slowly transition to putting up fall decor the first weekend of September.

2. How to cheaply decorate for fall?

There are a few fun ways to do this!

Source free decor from nature. Dried leaf branches, fall leaves, acorns, dried grasses, etc…from the outdoors all look beautiful for fall without spending a dime!
Shop at thrift stores. You won’t believe the things you can find for just a few dollars that you can style into any space for fall.
Shop your home! Go around your house and pull out things to decorate with that you already have on hand. Pitchers, platters, small plates, scrap ribbon, etc…can all totally work.

3. How do you make your fall decor look expensive on a budget?

It’s all in how you style it.

Layering is the name of the game when it comes to making cheap decor look high end! Layer textures (such as baskets, plaid patterns, or natural elements) and heights within a display along with a cohesive color scheme (think neutrals, hues of brown, or copper). Velvet ribbon also goes a long way…tie it onto handles, knobs, or around jars for a chic fall vibe.

Closing Tidbits on Thrifted and Thriving: 5 Inexpensive Fall Decor Ideas for a Beautiful Home

It still amazes me, after all these years, how a little creativity and a trip to the thrift store can lead to such beautiful, inexpensive fall decor! I sincerely hope that the ideas shared here inspire you to get out there and thrift.

It truly doesn’t take much to turn a regular ol’ pitcher or vase into a stunning piece of fall decor. Through thrifting, I’ve learned to enjoy the process of decorating for each season without the stress.

Be encouraged to slow down and take a deep breath. Allow this fall season to bring peaceful change to your spirit, and home, one mindful step at a time.

Leave me a comment! What’s your favorite thrifted find for fall that transformed your home on a budget? What’s your best tip for finding fall decor at thrift stores? 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!