Occasion: A lazy Saturday morning that turned into a full-on thrifting adventure.
Location: Around Richmond, visiting six favorite thrift stores with my husband and our toddler along for the ride (Burger wisely stayed home to nap).
We love a good secondhand shopping spree, so we set out to browse a few local spots. Our first stop was Love of Jesus on Midlothian, which is great for larger pieces. Thrift shops are always hit-or-miss, but when you hit, you really hit—this place has produced some of our best finds (we once snagged a $15 desk and a $10 headboard that we transformed for a project).
We’ve been hunting for a buffet, sideboard, or dresser to convert into a media cabinet, and there were several long, low cabinets that caught our eye. They were a touch too shallow for our needs, but at $30 each for six roomy drawers, they were a steal. Fingers crossed someone scooped them up who’ll give them new life.
John discovered an eccentric bright-yellow piece that at first looked like a small table or island. After a moment’s inspection he joked it might be a medical stand—still, the cheerful color made it a fun source of inspiration.
A $5 chair with classic lines seemed to be begging for a makeover. Refinished in a rich stain or painted navy or emerald green, it would look adorable paired with a crisp white parson’s desk.
John was drawn to an old orange hardcover—he loves maps and vintage book covers. It looked well-loved but wasn’t musty or sticky, so it would have been a charming addition to a bookshelf, coffee table, or even a framed gallery of old covers. It was under a dollar, and I regret not bringing it home.
A set of metal lockers would be perfect for a mudroom or playroom. They were inexpensive, and if the gray finish isn’t your style, a coat of glossy white, sunny yellow, or bright red spray paint would easily transform them.
Next we tried Family Thrift on Midlothian. It was my first time there and I was impressed by the prices. A set of six chairs was marked at $75 total—about $12.50 apiece—and they’d be simple to paint and reupholster. The lines felt a little art-nouveau and very adaptable to a modern update.
They also had playful vintage tennis-style sunglasses for 45 cents each—adorable, even if I don’t play tennis or own a coordinating headband.
Then we swung by the Salvation Army Family Store on Midlothian. A $49 cabinet stood out—those handles had a recognizable, graphic look—but we weren’t shopping for something like that at the moment.
A wooden rocker marked down to around $25 caught my eye. It had a Jenny Lind–style curve that made me picture it painted soft white, celery, aqua, or pale yellow in a nursery.
We also found a mannequin dressed in a fun outfit—John had actually Instagrammed this same display a few weeks before. For whatever reason, no one had bought the outfit yet, which was surprising.
Over on the Northside near The Diamond we visited Diversity Thrift. I picked up a doily stretcher for $4 (a curious vintage tool likely used for shaping or stretching lace). It makes an interesting piece of wall decor—leaned or hung—and I’m excited to find the perfect spot for it.
A sofa with handsome lines stayed on my mind, even though the upholstery wasn’t my taste. With glossy navy-painted wood and turquoise pillows, it could look fresh and modern.
I also found a small needlepoint scene—about ten dollars—that felt charming. It would be sweet arranged in a gallery wall alongside other quirky pieces.
A faux-wicker tray in yellow and white was marked half off, so I grabbed it for a dollar. It will be handy in the guest room with a water pitcher, a stack of books, or a small bowl of candy.
As for how our toddler Clara feels about thrift-hopping: when she finds something she likes she squeals “oooh” and then “ahhhh!”—which sums up the excitement in the store perfectly.
At Pass It On in the Lakeside Towne Shops near Lewis Ginter, I fell for a set of pieces that were gorgeous but a bit out of my budget at the time. I could see them becoming a striking focal point in the right home.
Consignment Connection on Lakeside was next. Clara generally likes to poke around, but the store is packed with delicate items and she had nodded off in her car seat—perfect, since John stayed with her while I dashed in to browse.
A beautiful table had already sold, but I loved imagining it in a sunroom with a freshly painted white base. The rhythm of the pieces there was just lovely.
I did bring home one special find for Clara: a colorful white globe cradled by a whale-shaped stand. It was $19, a bit steep compared with typical globes, but the bright palette and the whale motif were irresistible—we’d recently been whale watching in Hawaii, and Clara adores whales.
When she woke from her nap and saw the globe in the backseat, she was overjoyed. The cashier joked he’d been hoping someone would adopt that globe—so it felt meant to be.
Our thrifting day ended with the globe finding a temporary home on the console table in our hallway display. It’s a fun, whimsical touch that might move around the house as new spots present themselves.
I’ll share photos of the rest of our thrifted finds once they settle into spots in the house—the doily stretcher, the yellow tray, and a small table I picked up at Love of Jesus all deserve their own updates. In the meantime: have you been thrifting lately? Found any gems or unexpectedly cheerful pieces—like that sunny yellow stand—that made you smile?
Psst—still in a thrifty mood? We’ve done plenty of secondhand shopping trips worth revisiting.