As you know, I am a HUGE fan of thrift store decor shopping and my office is the reigning champion of rooms when it comes to being furnished on a dime. My office is still in the midst of an overhaul, but I wanted to show you what I’ve picked up for cheap at secondhand stores and what you should be looking out for on your next hunt (plus the things I’ve yet to find that are my “white whale”)
Thrift Store Finds for My Office
My office cabinets
I got this set + another matching set (not pictured because they need to be painted) for $20 (plus delivery) from Habitat for Humanity and they have been CLUTCH for stashing my vintage jewelry and other knick-knacks. I want to paint them and add new fixtures to them soon once the architectural salvage stores open back up (I’d love to find some antique knobs or handles, though I have to admit the idea of rose quartz or amethyst handles is REALLY calling out to me)
Shelving
I have such a love for floating architectural shelving but refuse to pay the prices stores want for them new. Most of the shelves in our house were found at thrift stores and I’ve never paid more than $5.
Ster-lite container drawers
I love these for holding craft supplies and the random power cords that go to nothing, and I can always find these at a Goodwill or Savers around here for one or two bucks. The black semi-opaque one that hides all of my mess was $3!
Whiteboard
I’m a whiteboard hoarder, I think. I currently have 3 of them, 2 of which are in the basement and this big boy lives on my office wall. If you come across one that has sharpie or old ghosted writing on it, they’re incredibly easy to clean and get looking good as new.
Vision Board
One tip: if you plan to do a vision board, never buy one new! I find these types of boards at thrift stores ALL the time. In fact, when I decided to make a vision board I went straight to Goodwill and picked mine up on the first attempt, I didn’t even have to look at multiple stores!
Wallpaper
I actually find a BRAND new roll of this vintage-looking wallpaper for $3 at Goodwill and cannot wait to use it to create an accent wall this year.
Decor
All of the cloches, candles, flowers, and even my “role model” desk plaque are from thrift stores.
This vintage coke bottle tray
Which perfectly holds all of my camera lenses
Books
I’ve found so many amazing books that I’ve picked up for cheap. Most of these I originally got from the library and loved them enough to keep an eye out when I went thrift-shopping, though Born Standing Up was a white whale find that I covet.
Notebooks
I’ve mentioned this in a lot of my thrift store tip videos, but it’s totally worth saying that keeping an eye out for planners or notebooks at thrift stores can save you a ton of money. Obviously, you can pick up brand new ones at the dollar store for cheap, but I’ve found some gorgeous portfolios and undated planners that would normally cost 10x what I paid for them at a big box store.
What I’m Still on the Hunt For:
A new light fixture – Whoever lived here before decided that the light in the room that would be my office was worth taking with them, so when we moved in we settled for a cheap $20 light from Walmart which hasn’t been the best decision (but you do what you can) as it doesn’t throw much light and gives off a yellow tint to everything. I’d love to find a vintage ceiling fixture that ISN’T a boob light to replace it.
A turquoise velvet chaise lounge – My goal is to create a better writing environment in my office since I currently write on the couch in my living room. The key, I think, is finding a comfy lounge that I can sit on and type at since I can’t seem to get used to writing at my desk. I know this dream find is SUPER specific, but I’d settle for an authentic antique velvet loveseat or chaise in most colors if I could find one at a thrift store, but I may just end up picking one of these instead:
Some of my past thrifting hauls (that include these purchases!)
Click here to see the finds I’ve picked up for my kitchen