Transform Your Thrift Store Finds: 100 Unique Upcycling Ideas

Today, our Thrift Store Decor Team is assembling a collection of our favorite home and gardening upcycling projects for the year.

Most of our projects involve repurposing items from thrift stores, with the occasional "Hey, I found this rusty old thing in the garage" project thrown in.

We hope these ideas will spark your imagination and help you see the amazing potential in crafting and decorating with thrift store finds!

(Psst - You can view each project by clicking on the link below the photo highlighted in blue. The link will open on a new page, so you don't lose your place here.)

Looking for creative ways to repurpose thrift store finds? Discover 100 unique and budget-friendly DIY ideas to transform secondhand treasures into stunning decor and gift ideas for the home and garden. Get inspired and start crafting today!

My Favorite Projects From My Own Site, House Of Hawthornes:

This first set of projects is from my own blog. Normally, I pick out my ONE favorite project from the year, but this year's been a tough one. I have a few that I absolutely love.

Upcycled DIY Water Feature

Solar powered water fountain made into a planter!

I'm combining my love of gardening with my love of vintage enamelware bowls with this solar-powered water feature project.

The spa-like sound of the fountain was amazing to listen to in the evenings and the flowers had grown to cascade over the edges of the bowl so perfectly! When summer finally came to an end, I had a hard time putting this one away for next year.

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Vintage Porcelain Enamel Table Repurpose

Vintage enamel kitchen table combined with a Singer sewing machine base.

Whenever you can take two broken pieces of furniture and marry them together, it's always a day for celebration.

The porcelain enamel kitchen table was in poor shape but came back to life with the help of an antique Singer Sewing Machine base!

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Painting Longaberger Baskets (Yes You Can)

Longaberger mail basket with leather handles.

Boy howdy, who knew painting baskets would be such a hot topic?

A lot of people have strong feelings about their Longaberger baskets. They cost a lot of money back in the day and were hot collectors items.

But with more and more of them ending up in thrift stores 30 years later (I see them here in Ohio ALL THE TIME), I decided to try my hand at rejuvenating one that had seen a lot of wear and tear over its lifetime.

And yes, I did paint it!

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My Favorite Thrift Store Upcycles From The Thrift Store Decor Team

Boho Planters From The Recycling Bin

Boho planters created from items from the recycling bin.

Photo credit: Sadie Seasongoods

Sarah from Sadie Seasongoods shows how to upcycle items from the recycling bin into fun and colorful planters! Such a cute project made from things you'd just normally throw away!

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Create Designer Style Metallic Gold And Clear Glass Vases

Three vases with gold accents setting on an end table.

Photo credit: Petticoat Junktion

These stylish vases were created by Kathy at Petticoat Junktion. They only take a few minutes to make, but give these common, everyday thrift store vases a whole new look!

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Thrift Store Art Makeover With Mod Podge

A thrift store makeover using a piece of artwork and frame. This artwork is depicting a lake with trees along the edges.

Photo credit: Our Southern Home

Christy from Our Southern Home has taken a piece of thrift store artwork and given it a whole new life with just a few standard craft store supplies. Plus, the Mod Podge protects the artwork. Since she was hanging this over a bed, that was a much safer alternative than heavy glass that might break and fall onto someone's head.

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Antique Ice Box Refresh For Gardening Storage

Vintage ice box turned into a gardening storage area.

Photo credit: Shop At Blue

This antique ice box was repurposed into a garden storage area for the patio. How innovative Sue from Shop At Blue is!

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How To Make A Succulent Letter Planter Arrangement

Photo credit: My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia

I'm a sucker for succulent planters (lol) and this one from Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia is a fun one.

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Two Toned Side Table

Blue and white side table from the thrift store.

Photo credit: My Repurposed Life

Don't overlook furniture at thrift stores just because it looks dull or "dated." Gail from My Repurposed Life shows how, with a little paint, a piece can be brought into the 21st century.

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Here are the rest of the 100+ repurposing ideas all in one place!

100 Creative Home And Garden Upcycling Projects