Autumn is a gloriously overstimulating time of year at the thrift store. Everything is a smorgasbord of jack-o-lantern neon orange and muted pumpkin pie filling burnt orange. Nylon puffy jackets and woolly vintage grandma sweaters are back on display. In the background, you might hear half-working Halloween animatronics playing on a loop while Adele belts faintly from the PA system. And if you sniff closely, you might get a whiff of cinnamon potpourri and orchard apple-scented candles cutting through that musty thrift store smell.
Autumn, of course, is also a great time of year to get deals on seasonal things you might be paying an arm and leg for at major retailers. These days, I don’t even blink an eye when I walk past the holiday displays at Target—I know I can get better-quality decor at the thrift store!
So, what items are worth buying secondhand this fall? Here’s my ultimate guide to thrifting for autumn decor and essentials.
School has been in session for a minute, but school supplies are always in high demand. Most thrift stores have an area designated for notebooks, pens, crayons, binders, rulers, markers, and miscellaneous craft supplies. If you or your child need supplies for a class project, it’s worth thrifting for stationery and other school supplies.
Thrift stores also often do plastic bag lots of drawing utensils, so you could potentially grab a bunch of crayons, color pencils, pens, and markers for the entire school year! If you only need one or two things, it might not be all that more expensive to buy brand new supplies. Still, you can save yourself a Target run if you’re already at the thrift store.
If you’re hosting guests for scary movie nights or Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving, hitting up the thrift store is an easy way to save on tablescape decor. Obviously, check the condition of anything you plan on buying, but you can get pretty sweet discounts on things like napkin rings/holders, place mats, floral centerpieces, and kitchenware.
Let’s talk about thrifting candles. Have you seen the price of a Bath and Body Works candle lately? People fight tooth and nail for a $10 3-wick candle on Candle Day for a reason! I’m not saying that you’re going to find a Loewe candle at the thrift store, but I regularly see Target, Bath and Body Works, and Yankee Candle candles for under $10 (even under $5, really). Most of the time, the candles are new or barely used. You can find accompanying candle holders, too, including sturdy brass pieces.
Holiday knick-knacks — think pumpkin and turkey figurines — aren’t going to be the cheapest at the thrift store when you’re smack dab in the middle of fall. Still, you’re going to get really good deals for beautifully designed vintage ceramics and can always keep an eye out for the occasional autumn sale. (My favorite thrift store has 30-60% off sales for autumn decor all season long.) Instead of mid-quality Bullseye Playground items, you’ll be able to find vintage collectibles like pieces by Enesco, Lenox, Ganz, and Home Interiors.
The thrift store is such a creatively exciting space for Halloween, whether you’re looking to thrift your Halloween costume or want to find fun decorations for your home. Along with sifting through the clothes section to DIY your Halloween costume, you can also dig through costume racks if you’re looking for a last-minute getup. Thrift stores also typically have plenty of Halloween decorations for cheap, like cobwebs, resin tombstones, fake blood, jack-o-lanterns, and the occasional creepy animatronic.
Along with thrifting for autumn decor, keep in mind the upcoming winter holidays. Most thrift stores also have Christmas decorations out by early fall. If you want to get a head start on decorating for the holidays, you can definitely stock up on ornaments, cards, trees, dinnerware, and other Christmas essentials. You can look for presents, too!
Could I really get through this blog without mentioning autumn and winter secondhand clothes? If you’re thinking about buying used clothes, your local thrift shop is probably what comes to mind. The thrift store is a haven for beanies, scarves, boot socks, gloves, and more. When it comes to thrifted outerwear, I’m especially a sucker for a cotton and ramie vintage grandma sweater — instead of grabbing neon-colored acrylic ugly sweaters that will disintegrate after a few washes, I love hunting for high-quality sweaters that I can wear throughout autumn and winter.
It goes without saying, but, obviously, buy gently used or new old stock and give them a good wash in the laundry machine! I am not a fierce advocate for laundry sanitizer, but I’m just going to say that I use it from time to time on questionable secondhand finds…
With the holidays coming up, you might feel a bit pinched for money as you find yourself hemorrhaging cash on food, gifts, and decorations. Thrifting for autumn decor and essentials is a fun way to cut down on costs while picking up true one-of-a-kind treasures. Hopefully, you’ll be well on your way to picking up deals all season long with this autumn thrifting guide!
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