Posts on theantiquedjourney.com may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases. You can read the full privacy policy and disclosures here.
Why I Love Vintage Thrifting + My Fall Thrifted Goodies Haul
By Rachel
|
Share this post. Share the Journey!
Find all the reasons as to why I love vintage thrifting and learn why secondhand wins every time…plus my fall thrifted goodies haul!
Not only is it my very favorite time of the year with the crisp, cozy, cool days and moody skies but it’s also my favorite week out of the whole month! Why? Well, sharing my thrift finds with you all is something I truly have come to enjoy. I’ve been thrifting for over ten years now but there’s nothing like walking into a thrift store, especially this time of year, and finding the best vintage fall decor for just a few dollars! That’s called the ‘thrifter’s high’ and is the reason this series evolved. If you are ready to see what the ‘thrifter’s high’ got me all excited about this time, join me below to learn why I love vintage thrifting plus see all the finds in my fall thrifted goodies haul!
Vintage Thrifting for Fall: Why Secondhand Wins
Every fall, I’m reminded why I never buy decor new. I love and adore thrifting for so many reasons. The budget-friendly notion, the surprises, the hunt…just the all-encompassing thrill of it is the pull.
When I go fly fishing, which is another one of my hobbies in case you’re not familiar, there is a saying that goes ‘the tug is the drug.’ Because, there’s always ‘just one more cast’, which turns into twenty more casts. It’s the same thing with thrifting. Just ‘one more look’, just ‘one more store’, etc…it’s the possibility of that one thing or that one find that you’ve been waiting so long to come across.
The premise is simple: for your wallet and for the environment, thrifting and shopping secondhand wins every time.
So, grab something nice to drink for yourself and let’s go thrifting!
Thrifted Goodies Vol. 53
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
OMG you guys! My partner in this series, MaryJo, is sharing THE CUTEST THING…a thrifted doily ghost DIY! How fun is that and why have I never thought of that before?!
After you are done here, head over to her post, say hello, and see how she made the friendliest little ghost!
MasterPieces of My Life Social Channels:
Facebook| Instagram| Pinterest
Shop Vintage Fall Decor
Why I Love Vintage Thrifting + My Fall Thrifted Goodies Haul
Let’s briefly chat for a minute as to why vintage thrifting is literally the best. I don’t think there’s any argument to be had when it comes to secondhand shopping. Like, in my eyes, there’s nothing to debate about it!
What I Love About Thrifting for Vintage
- It’s Easy on the Budget. I’ve sourced almost my entire home from thrift stores because I can find quality pieces for a fraction of retail! I paid .99 for a basket that would cost at least $30 new.
- The Quality is Hard to Beat. Older pieces are often solid wood, real brass, or heavy glass/ceramic. They were built to last decades, not months.
- It’s Better for the Planet. Every secondhand piece thrifted is one less new item produced and one more kept out of a landfill! I mean…I don’t know what’s better than that.
- It Doesn’t Look Like Everyone Else’s. Vintage finds give a home a collected, lived-in feel that retail decor can’t copy. Vintage is timeless!
A Few Vintage Thrifting Tips
I’ve given many thrifting tips here on the blog over the years, so I’m going to make this quick. Here are three tips that I’ve learned and use myself:
- Check the bottoms of: copper, ceramics, and glass for chips, cracks, and maker’s marks.
- Go on restock days and go often, at least once a week. The best finds don’t wait!
- Look past the dated finish or old look. Paint, wax, or a good cleaning can transform a piece into something marvelous!
My Fall Thrifted Goodies Haul
Okay, enough talk. Let’s get to the super fun part, my fall thrifted goodies haul!
I’ve sourced some pretty epic finds over the past month and can’t wait to share them with you. For each, I’ll share what it is, why I picked it up, how much I paid, and how I’ve styled it in my home for fall.
Let’s go!
Restaurantware Platter and Jam Jar
As the story goes, I was on my weekly thrifting outing and I was about to leave empty handed. Then, for whatever reason, I sensed I needed to walk down an aisle that I had already been down. So I did and I looked up one shelf and saw this set just sitting there! Amazing, right?
It’s a set of Incaware, which is a type of restaurantware. Here’s what the marking looks like.
I’ve never seen this pattern before I knew that it would be perfect to use in my home for fall! And, the best part is, I paid only $3.99 for both pieces!
Now, when I started to decorate for fall, I just couldn’t get the two pieces to work together cohesively, as weird as that sounds since they are the same pattern. So, instead of fighting it, I decided to style them separately and I’m really happy I did.
I used the cutie little jam jar in a fall basket vignette, which is on the credenza in the living room. It’s just the perfect little decor piece to round out the front of the basket!
As for the platter, I placed it on a shelf in the guest bathroom. So that it didn’t look too boring or flat, I placed this vintage glass swan on top of it. I think the whole display looks beautiful and each piece plays off each other so nicely!
Transferware Ash Dish
The next find is something I never in a million years thought I would purchase.
I was shopping at my favorite antique mall and, in the very first booth, spotted an ashtray. But, not just any old ashtray. A brown transferware ashtray that was in perfect condition and had never been used! AND! That booth was having a 20% off sale so I paid just $6.00 for it. Wahoo!
You just never know what’s going to capture your heart on any given day thrifting or antiquing.
It is marked on the bottom ‘Syracuse China, USA’, as seen below. I know many of you like to see the markings so I try to share as many as I can (or as many as I remember to!)
Now, you may be wondering, “Rachel, how the heck are you going to style an ashtray in your house?” Fair. I thought the same thing.
I hummed and hawed about it for awhile actually and then it dawned on me…I could use it as a soap dish in the guest bathroom! So, that’s just what I did and I love it.
So, if you spot an ashtray that is speaking to you, but you think that’s the weirdest thing ever, it’s okay! Just buy the thing. It makes for very unique and interesting decor that no one else has!
Antique Swan Postcard
The next find is a pretty piece of antique ephemera!
I found this old postcard at an antique store. There was a whole pile of them in a booth that I sifted through and this is the one I chose! The price was a little steep at $6.00 but I knew it would look so lovely in my house for the fall season. Plus swans?! I mean…it’s such a majestic scene and you just can never go wrong with swans.
Whenever I am sourcing paper ephemera, such as old postcards, I love to turn it over and try to read the letter of whomever wrote it. I also love seeing where it originated from and where it was going.
How these old pieces of paper still exist after almost 100 years is beyond me. Like, someone saved this postcard, it somehow ended up out in the wild, and now it’s in my house. That’s what’s SO special!
For the fall season, I placed my found postcard in a flower frog as part of the basket vignette, alongside the jam jar. Don’t they look so good together?!
Ribbed Milk Glass Vase
Yes, another piece of milk glass to add my my collection! I have been on the look out for more tall skinny milk glass vases to use when styling seasonal vignettes.
Back in September, hubby and I took a vacation to Michigan. Along the drive, we stopped at a few roadside antique stores. It’s in one of those antique malls that I spotted this tall, super pretty ribbed milk glass vase…for only $2.00!! Crazy, right?! That’s like a thrift store price!
Thrifting Tip: When thrifting for milk glass, always check for the ring of fire. That authenticates it as being real vintage and not a reproduction.
For fall, I’ve styled in the hutch, as you can see. I’m just thrilled to add this beauty of a vase to my growing collection!
Basket Wall Pocket
Finally, the last item for this haul is a stunner of a basket. And, it’s just not any basket. It’s a wall pocket that is two-toned! Can you believe I found this thrifting for just .99?!
I wasn’t even looking for anything like this yet there it was, just staring me in the face. How was I not supposed to buy it??
However, upon getting it home, I remembered that I have been wanting to replace the faux wreath that’s been hanging on the bathroom wall for many years.
I held the basket up to that spot and it was perfect. The perfect size, perfect shape, perfect color…everything. It adds so much warmth and texture to this large wall and I couldn’t be happier!
Vintage: The Look I Always Go For
People have asked me the same question many times over the years. “Rachel, what you would you say your style is?” It’s taken me awhile to understand my style but in the end, it’s vintage. My style is vintage. And I think it always will be.
I love the collecting, sourcing vintage decor for my home, and the endless joy it brings me. Vintage brings me so much happiness and contentment and I truly don’t know what I would do without it.
Thanks to thrifting, I don’t have to know 🙂
And, before we wrap up, here’s what I spent for this month’s haul.
Total spent: $19 for 5 pieces.
That is that. What a wonderful thing.
Closing Tidbits on Why I Love Vintage Thrifting + My Fall Thrifted Goodies Haul
As you can see, vintage has my heart. I just love it so much! These pieces found their way home with me, adding to the personal, collected, and timeless vintage aesthetic that is my house.
I hope you are inspired to get out there and see what you can find! Because, you just never know.
With all that life is throwing at us right now…the high prices of everything, high-stake elections in many states, and just the profound uncertainty of the world, thrifting is certain. Thrifting is always fun, always affordable, and always a mood-lifter.
Be encouraged to thrift and seek out what speaks to you, finding joy along the way.
Leave me a comment! What’s the best vintage find you’ve picked up this fall? I love hearing from you!
Sign up for my FREE Ultimate Thrifting Guide here!
Follow Along with The Antiqued Journey
Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram | LTK | Amazon | Lowe’s
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!
Shop My Favorite Thrift Shopping Essentials
FAQ’s on Thrifting Vintage Decor for Fall
What’s the difference between vintage, antique, and thrifted?
Thrifted just means bought secondhand, and it can be any age. Vintage generally means 20 years old or more, and antique means 100 years or more. Many thrift store finds are a mix of all three, which is part of the fun.
How do I know if a thrifted item is actually vintage?
Flip it over. Look for maker’s marks, stamps, or “Made in” labels (a country name like “West Germany” or “Occupied Japan” can help you date a piece). Check the construction too. Dovetail joints, solid wood, real brass, and heavier weight are all good signs. When in doubt, a quick phone search of the mark will tell you a lot.
What are the best vintage items to look for when thrifting for fall decor?
Brass candlesticks, copper pots and kettles, stoneware crocks, milk glass, wooden bowls, vintage baskets, ceramic pumpkins and harvest-themed pieces, wool blankets, and framed landscape art all give a cozy autumn look and tend to be easy to find.
Is it safe to use vintage items for food or drinks?
Be cautious. Some older ceramics, glazes, and painted glassware can contain lead or other materials that aren’t food safe, especially if they’re chipped or worn. If you can’t confirm a piece is food safe, use it for decor only, and keep your vintage serving pieces for display.
How do I clean thrifted vintage pieces without damaging them?
Start gentle with warm water and mild dish soap, and test a small hidden spot first. Brass and copper can usually be brightened with a soft cloth and a mild polish, but go easy on painted or gilded items and never soak wood. For anything delicate or valuable, skip harsh chemicals and abrasive scrubbing.
Other Posts to Enjoy
Thrifted Vintage Brass Pieces Every Home Needs
Best Thrift Store Finds This Month
Feeling a little unsure where to start with vintage decor?
I created Found and Favored, a beginner-friendly guide that walks you through what to look for, how to spot quality pieces, and how to style vintage finds with confidence — without overspending or feeling overwhelmed.
Hey! I’m Rachel!
I’m so glad you are here! Old things are my jam. Antique malls and thrift stores are my happy places.
Here on the blog I love to share my excitement, knowledge, and ideas about all things antique, vintage, and thrifted. Let’s journey together!
Want to style vintage decor with confidence?
Get the beginner’s guide that will save you money and help you find real treasures.
Sign me up for the
Journey!
Sign up for free antique and vintage inspiration, DIY projects, and thrifting tips straight to your inbox.
