Score secondhand treasure at a fraction of their original price .
There ’s something thrilling about thrifting furniture and stumbling upon a one - of - a - kind treasure . It ’s an easy agency to contain unique piece into your home and create a call for , lived - in look . Plus , it ’s a good way to shop sustainably andrepurpose items to give them new life . And there ’s the added fillip of thrifted furniture already being assembled .
Asvintage and secondhand decorbecomes more democratic , so has thrift shopping . Flea markets , penny-pinching stores , and resale internet site like Facebook Marketplace are filled with hidden gems . However , it does take a routine of patience to disentangle through item to score astonishing finds . Whether you ’re looking to provide your home on a budget or want to find unique article of furniture designs to contain into your space , here are our tips on what to look for ( and what to avoid ) when thrifting furniture .
Credit: Dane Tashima
1. Make a Plan and Stay Focused
Always make a basic program before you thrift for furniture . Decide what you ’re look for and how much you require to spend . This will help you stay focused as it ’s well-heeled to become overwhelmed when you first walk into a thrift memory and see tons offurniture , piles of books , and nontextual matter stacked against walls . With so many options , you could quickly leave what you originally descend for .
If there is a specific detail you ’re rat for , verify that you mensurate your space first . Always bring atape measurewith you so you could get exact measurements of the furniture opus .
If you ’re shopping for a expectant item like a couch , wreak a blanket and some bungee cord cords or Mexican valium to safely transport it home .
Credit: David Tsay
2. Know When to Pass
Look for piece of furniture that has good bone . Chances are , most things you find will not be in pristine condition , which is when you need to evaluate whether the piece is worth the leverage . Consider whether you could easily and inexpensively revivify it yourself or whether you would need to hire a pro . Some small blemish can be easily repaired — a scratched wood Earth’s surface can be sanded and stained;missing drawer puff can be replaced—but if you notice more serious progeny , such as big , irreparable crack , warped aerofoil , or an overcome odor , it ’s most likely a just idea to pass on the token .
Thrifting upholstered furniture can be slick , as it ’s often more unmanageable to spot potential problem . ride on the piece to control it for comfortableness and the condition of coil springs , Make certain there are n’t any lingering odors or stains , and inspect every nook and cranny for bed hemipteran . If there are no major issues , believe whether the piece needs to be reupholstered , and whether it ’s something you could do yourself ( such aschanging out the textile on a chair seat ) or if you ’d need to invest in professional reupholstering , which can be costly .
3. Get the Best Deal
Not all penny-pinching stores have assignable prices , but it does n’t hurt to ask . One of the good ways to estimate out whether you ’re getting a ripe deal is to look online . If the piece of furniture you ’re considering has a label , count up the name of the manufacturer to see what the going price is for similar piece . If there is no identifiable recording label , explore for furniture with a similar excogitation and materials to get an musical theme of what they sell for .
4. Bring Your Furniture Home
It can be knavish to add pieces of furniture home , specially if your transport method acting wo n’t function or the piece is too heavy to move by yourself . fortunately , there are a few options to getting your art object into its new home .
How to Thrift for Large Furniture Without a Car
If your car is too small , or you do n’t have one , you’re able to rent a truck or van from U - Haul , Home Depot , or Lowes . you could rent the vehicle before shopping or after you observe something . Most penny-pinching computer memory will let you buy a large piece of furniture art object and have onto it until you could come back and pick it up .
How to Thrift Heavy Furniture
If your thrifted article of furniture is too hard , or you want some help moving it , you’re able to hire a mover that will serve convey and transport the piece . expect on internet site like Taskrabbit and Dolly for on - demand move serving .
How to Inspect Thrifted Furniture
Once you ’ve found a slice of parsimoniousness - store article of furniture you love , verify to inspect it cautiously . For example , if it ’s adresser , reckon at it from all sides and open up every drawer and doorway to see if they run with ease . Take bill of any stains or cracks , and whether there ’s any terms inside . Check for any foul odors , particularly when it come up to upholstery . favourite and green goddess olfactory sensation can be extremely difficult if not impossible to hit and might be a deal breaker , especially if the item is at the top of your budget .
How to Clean Thrifted Furniture
Before make for your thrifted treasure inside , give it a good fresh in your service department , on your front porch , or in your backyard . For upholstered pieces , remove any detachable pieces , such as seat cushions , and vacuum everything thoroughly . To take out odors , pitter-patter it with bake sodaand let it model outside in natural lighter for a few hours before vacuuming . If it needs a deep clean , get it professionallysteam - cleaned to sanitizeit and remove any stains .
To clean house hard surface , meld equal parting of water and white acetum , then add a few drops of dish soap . Using a easy rag , wipe the piece of furniture down with the mix , getting in all the nooks and cranny to remove build - up crap . If there are knickers or shelf , dot baking soda inside and allow it sit for a few hours to remove odors , then vacuum it out and wipe it down with a damp , non - abrasive shred .
How to Fix Thrifted Furniture
Do n’t pass up on furniture just because it has a few problem areas . After you ’ve cleaned your thrifted musical composition , inspect where it might need some TLC . Small blemishes and scratches on wood can be an easy fix . Try using a Tibet Almond Stick ( $ 13,Amazon ) . It will in all likelihood remove all the pocket-size scratches and nick like magic trick . If the job is a bit bigger , and you ’re willing to put in a bit more cubitus stain , moot sandpaper , filling imperfection , and refinish the woodwind instrument with a refreshful grunge orpainting it .
For upholstered article of furniture , pocket-sized rips might be able-bodied to be sewn back together . Using a curved needle and a warm , nylon thread that match the color of the textile , softly sew the rip together . If there are larger holes or grime , take patching them with a patch of fabric . Lay a piece of fabric that ’s slightly larger than the job area on the area you desire to cover up . sew together the piece of framework into place or use a bit of fabric glue to fasten . you could alsofollow this templet to reupholster furniturecompletely .
