How to Thrift for Décor

Make your home all your own and enjoy the process! This post will help you get creative on furnishing your home for less.

Decorating your manufactured home is one of the best things about homeownership. It’s fun to make a space your own and reflect the things you love. While furniture and décor can get expensive, you shouldn’t have to limit your creativity!

That’s where thrifting comes in. You can spend less and set your home up for comfortable living. You have the freedom to leave the item as is or make a project out of it to fit your style. It can be as simple as a coat of paint, or you can reinvent the wheel.

Let’s dig into the process and some tips for how to thrift for décor. First, we’ll start with what to think through before you even hit the stores.

Before you go

• Consider the style of your mobile home.
• Walk around your house and try to see what unique characteristics stand out. Maybe your home has modern, industrial or farmhouse details. Look to your kitchen, living space or exterior for inspiration.
• Next, consider what goes along with the style that you like and what reflects your interests.

Think goals and problem solving

• What do you want to achieve in your home? Whether you have a blank canvas with an empty home or are looking to add more to alter your space – think of how you want to feel in your home. Do you want to be relaxed, energized or encouraged? There are so many things you can achieve through furniture and décor.
• Next, think about any opportunity areas you want to solve with some creativity in your home. Maybe your space feels cluttered and you need organization desperately. Perhaps your space is small, and you need to think outside the box to find ways to make storage in your home. You may have wall batten strips and want to find lightweight material décor to hang instead of heavy items that are hard on the walls.

Keep a list

• Now that you’ve thought through your home, style and needs you can make a list of items to get. That way when you go shopping you have an idea of what you’re looking for and are ready to shop. Some popular recommended items to look out for are: complete lamps, mirrors, bookshelves, baskets, trays, etc.

At the store(s)

• Go often and check in at obscure times.
  • Thrift stores have different inventory all the time. So, it’s important to keep a steady eye on them, especially seasonally as people clean out their homes. As much as you can with your schedule, it’s recommended to visit during the day on Mondays and Tuesdays. This is because it's after the weekend when most people purge their items.
• Keep a creative mind.
  • Don’t be limited by what you see. If you like some aspect of an item, keep in mind all the ways you could alter it. Stick to your list but also leave a space for spontaneity – you might just find and create your perfect piece.

When you get home

• Prepping your items to enter your mobile home.

  • There are many methods for cleaning your newly thrifted items. There are three main things to consider: airing the items out, reducing/ ridding odor from the item and cleaning the item. 

  • The easiest way to start is to put your items outside in the sun for a bit or in a garage/ covered area to let the item breathe. This will help to air it out and get rid of any potential bugs. Try to keep your items dry and free from tight or humid places. Once you’ve done this, you can separate items by what material they are made of - as certain materials will need different cleaning methods.

  • Next, if you have stronger, deep set-in smells that didn’t dissipate from the suggestion above, try putting a bowl of baking soda in an item or if it’s the right material – mix it into the surface and scrub it in.

  • Lastly, it’s time to clean the items. The best bet for many materials is to wash them with an old rag, hot water and a natural soap or vinegar. You might even soak items in a bucket of hot water and let them sit.

For items that are fabric in some capacity – you can spot clean the item. Many people suggest enzyme cleaners. A few other options are a steam cleaner and/ or a vacuum for things like drawers or cabinets. Once you’ve done this, if the item can go in the washer or the dishwasher go ahead and give it a heavy-duty wash.

• Making items your own. Now it’s time to make these items all your own if you so choose. Check out our Pinterest account for inspiration. We hope you love the final product from your thrifting finds!

Has this got you thinking that your mobile home can be the place you see in magazines? It can! It just takes some planning, creativity and follow through. We hope that this has you interested in starting your home projects or finishing your last one!