Fall flew right by – so it’s time to swap out those pumpkins for winterberries!
It seems like every year stores put out their winter and holiday decorations earlier and earlier. Even stores like Pottery Barn and Target are raving about their Christmas collections on their home page.
You can get a head start on decorating for the winter season without spending a fortune. The thrift store can offer affordable, one-of-a-kind holiday decor. And theming your home to classic winter motifs, such as silver, evergreen, and ribbon means you can use your finds for years to come!
If you enjoyed our previous installment of this blog series, which covered 10 essential items to thrift for fall home decor, then read on!
1. Mini Frames
Wallet sized photos and art aren’t just for wallets. Mini frames are perfect to make into ornaments, stocking tags or gift toppers! And just because these frames are miniature, doesn’t mean you can’t alter their appearance.
Read our blog about updating thrift store frames!
These also make a great gift – insert a photo of you and a loved one into the frame and give it to them to put on their tree. You can even make matching ones!
2. Silver Plated Bowls and Champagne Buckets
While warm antique brass is still absolutely stunning for winter, silver plated bowls and champagne buckets add an elegant touch to any table or shelf. Fill these bowls with greenery, pears, oranges, and pomegranates for a European cottage style.
3. Ornaments
From holiday centerpieces to hanging displays in your window, ornaments can be upcycled a million different ways.
Don’t forget to check out THREE additional blog posts for DIY ornaments!
4. Ribbon
There are so many ways to decorate with ribbon! You can use ribbon to accessorize ornaments, wreaths (more on wreaths later), trees, and more. Focus on a cool palette of silver, white, and blue – or red and green for a classic Christmas feel.
And of course you can tie ribbon around your gifts – they’ll look like they jumped right out of a holiday card! Take two extra long strips of ribbon, and wrap them around the top of the gift. Criss cross at the bottom, and then tie the ribbon into a bow at the top.
See how we made a ribbon tree last year!
5. Baskets
Baskets can hold greenery, garlands, and more. Or if you’re looking for a unique way to send gifts to your friends and family, you can make gift baskets! Opting for baskets over wrapping paper is a sustainable way to spread holiday cheer.
6. Nutcrackers
A nutcracker is a classic Christmas icon. Display full ones on your porch, and miniatures atop your shelf. For a chic upgrade, you can paint a nutcracker a solid color.
See how we turned mini nutcrackers into the cutest garland here!
7. Figurines
Don’t pass up those tiny ceramic figurines at thrift stores. Seek out figurines of houses to assemble your own Christmas village. If you don’t like their current look, you can always paint them.
8. Cloches and Jars
Arrange your own winter wonderland inside decorative cloches and jars, such as in our blog post here. You can even incorporate the figurines from our previous suggestion to complete the scene.
Jars are also great to utilize for kitchen decor or store dry ingredients. You can tie the ribbon you thrifted around the rim or handle!
9. Quilts/Blankets
Bring the warm, cozy vibes to your home with quilts and blankets. Opt for throws for the couch and larger blankets for beds. Not only will these add to your winter decor, but they’ll keep you and your family warm during the cold winter months.
10. Evergreen Wreaths
There’s always an abundance of evergreen wreaths that you can add to for a high end aesthetic! In fact, you can add several of the other items on this list, such as ornaments and ribbon. Turn your whole thrift store trip into a crafting one!
Check out this blog post for a DIY holiday wreath that anyone can make!
Looking for more winter home decor tips?
Bundle up and explore more winter content with DIY home décor projects. The Rural Legend also encourages you to spread the holiday cheer – check out this blog about what to thrift specifically for Christmas home decor!
xoxo, L
