Having a house filled with things that are “new” is so fucking boring. Yes, you can decorate your home with the latest trends, create something as “inspiring” as Kim Kardashian’s beige house (which is just a beige house), or follow the TikTok trends. You buy something your friend Sally bought, whose friend Bill bought, and so on and so forth.
Ticky, tacky little boring boxes.
These things and art pieces come in droves, and a second later, they’re left at the garbage dump. They’re famous now, and maybe (most likely) that’s why you like it. If you were to die and your house was preserved for future civilizations, there would be nothing for them to see if you were special. It would be just a house, nothing else.
Is that really you?
I believe so.
You’re so much more than a TikTok sheep.
While decorating might be daunting, buying things sustainably is a good rule of thumb to make a style uniquely yours. Finding and purchasing sustainable items and incorporating them with new things you might have bought helps create the style you want in your home. Your home has items that become inherently yours, and create something that inspires and brings about interest from your peers. Buying things from thrift stores helps you create a style that will break free from boring popularity.
If you have never thrifted, buying something from a thrift store might be confusing. There are so many famous things, and how are you supposed to know what is right for you? What screams you? What is your style?
One thing to note is that when you are going thrifting, don’t be afraid to explore your excitement. When you’re at a standard store, you see a series of items that are marketed for you to enjoy and find interesting. Your sense of choice seems like it is there, but it is created after months of work and advertisement to trick you into thinking you made that choice. However, when you’re at a thrift store, you’re not experiencing that. Walking around, you’ll see something strange or beautiful: your own sense of style and self coming out. Other people might not like what you like as much as you like. If that makes sense. You can see something that brings joy to you and that is solely by chance because yesterday, it wasn’t there. At some point in life, someone didn’t want what you wanted, so now you get to have it. So, if you like it, pick it up, take it home, and try it out. That item might have just been meant for you to enjoy; the universe was calling out to say, “Here, you to have it!”
Using that technique, why don’t you give the rooms in your home a theme that reflects what you bought from the thrift store? For the walls of my house, I enjoy creating a theme for each wall and following that when it comes to shopping. Art is subjective, so I like to aim for odd and weird things rather than beautiful. It doesn’t mean I don’t aim for beauty; I just know I tend to want to stick to what I think looks good and exciting instead of the standardized “art.” I am aiming for a round art piece for one of the walls as a theme. I have been looking for items and paintings that are rounded in nature. Oval frames, artistic plates, and wicker serving trays adorn that wall. It also makes it easy to add things that are new to that wall. If I find a piece of art painted on a rounded canvas, I know that it will fit nicely with my art. Another wall is filled with kitsch art; some have been art pieces I bought from Etsy artists, and others have been silly kitsch plates and pieces I purchased from thrift stores. I have a “God Bless this Camper” plate and a series of animalistic humanoid art pieces. All of which is weird and tacky, and all of which matches the home quite well. Incorporating new art that inspired me online mixed with thrift art that just made me smile at the store, I have been able to make something that I like and brings interest from guests.
Going for themes in rooms allows me to thrift and buy things without buying much junk. The theme for the living room is the 1970s. The art is themed in tacky 70s art, but the couch and TV are modern and new. Even though my yellow couch might be considered a vintage recreation, it is a modern couch. The theme for the office is futuristic industrial wasteland. Buying rockets or repurposed used items creates a fun look for the whole room. However, it’s also an office, so it has Apple computers and gear that need to be updated with what I need. With the kitchen, I’m aiming for a cottage-core witchy theme. Utilizing things like mid-century modern vintage pottery, wooden spoons, and dried herbs makes the kitchen feel homely. However, I do like the modernity of the kitchen, so the room is also home to a Smeg coffee machine and some new pots and pans.
If you’re unsure what to thrift or incorporate into your home, aim for things that would make it simpler to incorporate. Utilizing bronze candlesticks, glass or crystal decanters, and intricate wooden boxes or compartments makes something stand out in your house. You can use the decanters as storage for bouquets or even mouthwash. Nothing is fancier than drinking mouthwash out of a decanter. Candlestick holders also amplify your house, and a simple bronze candlestick gives your home the class it most desperately needs. It is simple but looks expensive, and the modern things in your home might seem more expensive standing next to the candlesticks.
Decorating a home can be a lot, and buying it new might not be you. It might be expensive, and it will look like everyone else’s home. A good rule of thumb to know if it’s not for you is that if it doesn’t get you excited immediately, it’s not your style. If you can find things you like sustainably, you might create a unique home that speaks volumes. Making your home reflect your personality and style will make you feel more at home, whatever it might be. Buying something at a thrift store will also highlight that, just like you, is one of a kind.
