Thrifted vs Styled - Finding Home Decor at "The Bins"
Deb Spofford
If you're an avid bargain hunter or someone who loves the thrill of the hunt, then shopping at Goodwill Bins might just become your new favorite pastime. Tucked away in unassuming warehouses, these bins offer a unique shopping experience unlike any other thrift store adventure.
During the Christmas holiday I took our girls to the Goodwill Outlet store (aka “The Bins”) They all love an adventure and a good bargain hunt so we dawned our gloves and dove in!
The Hunt
Stepping into a Goodwill Bins location, you're immediately greeted by rows upon rows of unsorted items dumped into large blue bins. From clothing to household goods, books to electronics, the variety is vast and the possibilities endless.
Photo Credit: Hattie Spofford
Digging for Treasure
Unlike traditional thrift stores where items are neatly displayed, shopping at Goodwill Bins requires a bit of digging. Shoppers sift through the bins, uncovering hidden treasures amidst the chaos. The bins are rotated often so there is always something new to discover.
Photo Credit: Hattie Spofford
Unbeatable Prices
One of the biggest draws of shopping at Goodwill Bins is the unbeatable prices. Items are sold by weight rather than individually priced, making it possible to score incredible deals. At our store the pricing is as follows: Zero - 25 pounds is $2.79 per lb, anything over 25 pounds is $1.59 per lb.
Photo Credit: Hattie Spofford
Extra heavy items are individually priced at the checkout. Glassware and Electronics are 79 cents per pound. Books range from 49 cents to $2.79 each. Furniture is priced by the item before it comes to the selling floor. Prices may vary from city to city so read the signs as you enter the store.
What I found and how I styled it!
A Beautiful Frame
It all started with this beautiful frame—The intricate details caught my eye and it went in my cart! The plan was to remove the old print and replace it with something new, but the pears actually inspired me the more I looked at it!
Reworking the Mantel after the Holidays
The frame was the perfect starting point for reworking our fireplace mantel after the holiday season. I placed it on the mantel and remembered that I had some faux pears in our closet. I also added two white candle holders and a white vase. I like the contrast between the modern white and the vintage gold frame. Gold pinecone candles (a previous thrift find) were added as well…uniting the items by color.
The Wire Cage
Next I added the rusty wire cage and placed it over the top of one of the pears.
Continuing the brass/gold theme, a small vase (a gift from Tim’s parents) was added to the mantel and filled with faux ivy greens.
Silver Candlesticks
The silver candlesticks were very heavy so they priced them separately from our “by the weight” items…only $2 per candlestick!
I placed them on the hearth next to the fireplace and added white candles, a copper bucket, and some small pear floral pieces to tie-in the pear theme.
Note: Metal items of all types are very “on trend” for 2024. Copper, brass, and silver can be mix and matched throughout your home.
Brass Candleholders
We also found several brass candleholders. This one has a leaf and vine shape and I added it to the mantel for a touch of light.
As you can see…with just a few thrifted treasures we can breath new life into our homes in a magical and budget friendly way.
They add character, a touch of nostalgia, and a unique style to our living spaces. These thrifted pieces fit perfectly with the winter arrangement I already had on our coffee table.
And…with the addition of a few more thrifted pears, the side table joined the party!
The front two brass candleholders also came from The Bins. They have a new home in our bathroom.
I bought more treasures than shown here and each of our girls found treasures too! All in all it was a fun experience…probably not for the squeamish…but…if you like a good hunt…give it a go!