Discover the BEST Books for those who love shopping at thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets and other thrifty places. Inspiring and informative books on displaying your collections, how to upcycle your finds into one of a kind pieces, how to craft with your treasures and much more.
As a kid I would love to ride my bike down to the public library and spend hours just sifting through the books.
It was a very small library with not a ton of books, but it was still a magical place where you could be transported to any destination in the world.
Just by opening up a book.
It's back when they had card catalogs. And each book had a little pocket with a borrowers card stuffed in it, so they could keep track of who had borrowed it and when it was due back.
Oh, and the stools that rolled around and then when you stepped on them they planted themselves firmly on the floor!!! I miss those things.
My love of books and libraries has not wavered all these years later. But now with my busy life I don't get to spend hours perusing my local library touching and smelling and geeking out over the books nearly as often as I used to.
But they have this magic place called Amazon that can bring books right to your doorstep.
Here are my picks for . . .
Best Books For Thrift Store Shoppers
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)
Picker's Bible by Joe Willard
Found, Free & Flea by Tereasa Surratt
Flea Market Secrets by Geraldine James
I Brake For Yard Sales by Lara Spencer
And Flea Market Fabulous by Lara Spencer
Crafting With Flannel by Sarah Ramberg
American Junk by Mary Randolph Carter
And Garden Junk by Mary Randolph Carter
Amazing Furniture Makeovers by Jen Crider
City Farmhouse Style: Designs For A Modern Country Life by Kim Leggett
Junk Gypsy by Amie Sikes & Jolie Sikes
Junk Beautiful by Sue Whitney & Ki Nassauer
The Whimsical Home by Susanna Zacke & Sania Hedengren
Do you have any to add to the Best Books For Thrift Store Shoppers list?
chris aka monkey
these books all look fabulous and i would probably read them from front to back like i was enjoying a big fat steak, but gee whiz it is books and shows like this that has make the market dog eat dog, at my age i remember going to thrift stores and yard sales and having a smorgasborg of buys and now wow is it hard for small budget people like me to find the goodies just saying xx
Karen Steinmann
These books look awesome. I will start looking for them in my travels. Like you I loved the library in my home town in Texas. I read off my Kindle more now but still like to pick up a book especially when we travel in the car.
Gay Correll
I wish I could remember the author's name, but way back in the 70's when I was first married I bought a book by a lady who wrote about going to garage sales, antique stores, estate sales, etc., to furnish her home. She also had a column in a magazine, but alas, that information is also gone from my memory. Anyway, she wrote about how she looked for things and basically left no stone unturned because you never knew where you might find things. That book changed my life, and I sent it to my sister and she took it to heart also. (She is a master at finding stuff, and usually for bargain prices.) Through these many years of hunting for treasureful things, I've been pleasantly surprised by going to out of the way places just like you all do. The last flea market I went to was essentially a bust until I happened to look way under the table at a church's booth, and just waiting for me was the coolest primitive ring toss game board made out of old spools and rubber jar seals for the rings. For a quarter!!
Dawn
LOL! Thanks for posting the link to the rolling stools. I have always thought those were the best tools a short person like me could hope for. I also love the feel and smell of a well-loved book and thrifting too. A perfect post for a gray January day!
Pam
I didn't even know they still made them! I was googling to find out what they called those stools thinking I would find some article about old library equipment and lo and behold up popped the Amazon picture of them!
Eme
Thanks for putting the library cards, stamp etc. on your blog as I sometimes do "junk journals" and those pockets can come in handy to put a stone or some item one found while traveling or secret notes. I love the stamp too. I didn't realized they made them. I am still in search of...for the right price as I have seen them go up to the thousands, of an old card catalog file cabinet. Even the beat up ones are $400 and up. My husband says he could probably make one but that will be down the road awhile.
Colleen
The library was my second home in many of the towns we lived in when I was a little girl. I grew up a Marine brat and when you move duty stations every three years - well libraries were a constant I could count on until I could make some friends. And my love of books is still very much alive as an adult.
Lara Spencer's I Brake for Yard Sales is quite insightful. I love her Flea Market Flip series! I used to watch Junk Gypsy on GAC but didn't know they had written a book. Will have to check it out - their funky style is very different!
Thanks for your terrific posts. I look forward to seeing you in my inbox each time.
Pam
Aw, thank you! You made my day!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
Lots of wonderful books! I love Teresa Surratt's style...be still my heart...you inspired to pull out my book and read it again tonight!
taryterre
Definitely want to read a few of these. terrific list.
Kristine
Thank you for this! I love Lara Spencer, but some of these books are new to me, going to add them to my " must read" list!
mary scott
I now go to Half Price Books to the 'interior design' section & look for flea market finds books to add to my collection. Also I always check the books at thrift stores for them + vintage cookbooks. I totally relate to your memories of libraries. thanks
Pam
I always forget about Half Price Books!!! I'm going to stop in this afternoon and see what they have in that section. Thanks for the inspiration!
Eme
I could read these all day long. I still love going to the library and only 1 library intimidated me and that was when I went into the NYC one with the lion statues. I just was overwhelmed and there was so much and so many different rooms etc. But the best library was the one in my hometown, it was an old church converted into a library and it was cozy and small but just perfect and I am glad to stay its still there. PS Sue Whitney has a website out called Junkmarket, lots of great ideas.
Pam
I sort of feel that way about the huge library in downtown Columbus. Probably a tenth the size of the NYC one, but it has a sort of sterile look to it. And you don't feel like you can just spend hours wandering through the books, pulling books out to flip through them or sitting down to read a few chapters. It's all business. Find the book you need on the computer, grab it and check out 🙂
Melissa's Antiques
I've read a couple books on this list. I've been lusting after one for awhile, so I think it's time to add a few new books to my kindle and get reading. Thanks for the round up! 🙂
Vickie
Oh, that last photo is pure eye candy to me! Our library is struggling, so I'm not likely to find it there, but that's what Amazon is for, right? Thanks for sharing, Pam!
Arlene
Thanks for the list! I've read a few of them. I just got on our library website and reserved the rest of them. Looks like good winter reading.
Fonda Rush
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio {why do we have to put "Ohio" when it's probably the populous AND a capitol city??? But, we do!!!}, and I loved going to our neighborhood library. In the summer, I would walk about 2 miles there and 2 miles back lugging my books with me. No one knew about back packs way back then, for some reason. It was especially nice in the summer, because it was air-conditioned, not like home. I went by myself, and I don't know why I didn't ride my bike. Maybe because I would have to ride on High Street which was quite busy. During the school year, I would get my book fix at the school library.
About the books above, I have "American Junk". I hope to find others in my thrifting travels. We don't have a Half-Price Books down here in southeastern NC. Not even in Wilmington or Greenville, both large university towns! So, when we visit my family in Ohio, we certainly visit one.
We have decided we can do without a dining room at the house we purchased a little over a year ago, so we are making it into a library. We painted the room, erected the IKEA shelves (that just fit in the space we wanted) and just finished shelving the books that had been packed up for longer than I care to admit. Now to find the decor for that space. I think it's in the garage. Then, upholster a settee and find a rug. Oh, I also have to refinish a Mission Oak desk — something I've never done before. Mom "antiqued" it years ago with gold over avocado. It's a little rickety, too. I'm sure I'll find a way through the internet.
I always enjoy your posts. Best wishes in the new year.
FLORENCE L SALMER
I also loved the library when I was a kid. It was better than anything I could think of...a nice outing. In fact, my mom forbade me from going those times when she had to discipline me...it was that much of a treat.
Anyway, I started out reading this post thinking I was going to pick a favorite book, but IMPOSSIBLE! They all look fascinating. A good bedtime read!
Diane Walgrave
You bring back fond memories. Book lover all my life. Still need the real thing in my hand. Am going to start looking for your picks, Pam. I have two by Sue and Ki. Wish they still 'junked' and created together. A funny - I have a found/free item that is now a great daybed side table. Was on my way to JoAnn Fabrics, noticed a bench/stool/catch-all underneath thingy on the side of the road, by an empty field. Drove by it slowly, decided if it was still there on the way back, I was going to help myself. I think what it is, is a small carpenter's bench. Hand hold right in the middle of the top piece of wood, with an enclosed cubby/shelf underneath. It also had a huge gash made by a saw along the top, lots of paint drips and drabs, just cool. I cleaned it up, painted it - now it holds my craft de jour, magazines, and whatever book I'm reading during these cold winter months. AND, I feel like I rescued the poor thing! HA!
Janet - Shabbyfufu
I have several of these and have donated a couple as well on the list!
Ariel
Where has this list of books been all my life?! Love it!
Marie Jacobs
Hey! What an amazing post. I always wondered if these types of books were good, and now you made me really curious to read them! I will definitely pick up some of them soon. Thank you!
Karen
I am not a thrifter/picker but I’d like to be. I’m not familiar with any of these books so which would you recommend I start with?
Thanks.
And I just found your blog.
Pam
I would think Lara Spencer's "I Brake For Yard Sales" would be a great place to start. It's a fun read plus it has lots of good tips!