Bathroom Decor Items You Shouldn't Overlook At Estate Sales Or Thrift Stores

Are you tired of cookie-cutter bathroom decor options? Instead of choosing brand-new, mass-produced finishes for your bathroom, get creative with unique finds at thrift stores and estate sales. Thrifting home decor is often a huge money-saver, which means you can make over your space without a hefty budget. Plus, every item is unique, so your room won't look the same as every other home on the block. It's an ideal way to show off your creativity and personality and design a one-of-a-kind bathroom that makes you smile. While getting a new design, you're also doing your part to reduce waste and maybe even support a good cause when you shop at a charity thrift store.

Before you set out to find the perfect bathroom decor pieces, consider the overall style you want to achieve and what decor items you need. Some of the best items you can score are jars, baskets, wall decor, mirrors, and shelves. What you find at an estate sale or thrift store is unpredictable, so having an idea of the types of pieces you want helps you focus. Taking measurements of your countertop, shelves, wall space, and floor space gives you a guide on what will fit into your space well.

Keeping an open mind and considering ways to upgrade your finds can help you carry out your vision. For example, if you're looking for a pedestal-style stand to display your toiletries, consider combining a taper candlestick holder and an antique plate to make your own stand. Piecing together decor can take time and multiple trips to your favorite thrift shops. Collect pieces as you find them until you perfect your decor.

Thrift stores and estate sales are full of items you can use to organize your bathroom. Instead of storing cotton balls, cleansing pads, and other must-haves in new canisters, grab a collection of old canning jars, cookie tins, or other containers with lids. One unique option is a Ball canning jar, referred to as a lightning jar with an attached glass lid held in place with a wire. This option is faster to open and close than traditional screw-on canning lids. Vintage Ball jars from the early 1900s were often made with tinted glass so that you could find colorful jars in blue, green, yellow, and other hues.

Baskets are often plentiful at thrift stores, and they work well as bathroom storage. Measure your linen closet shelves and pick up thrifted baskets that fit to keep your pillowcases and other linens organized. A few baskets under the vanity help organize all of your bathroom items. Thoughtfully placing a smaller basket with extra toilet paper rolls makes it easy to replace the empty rolls. In a guest bathroom, a thrifted basket makes a pretty display for a towel, travel-size toiletries, and other essentials you want to offer your visitors.

Display your soap, cosmetics, and other bathroom items on a pedestal display stand. You might find a raised soap dish or other bathroom display pieces, but you can also repurpose other items. For example, a pedestal-style cake plate or two-tiered food-serving stand can hold your necessities. Old vases work well as makeup brush displays. Check the kitchen and home decor sections to find containers that could work as display pieces.

If you're looking for bathroom mirror ideas to inspire an easy update, check estate sales for unique vintage mirrors. It's an easy swap to replace a boring frameless mirror or standard medicine cabinet mirror. Check the quality of the glass to make sure it gives you a clear, accurate image. If not, you can use the frame and replace it with a new mirror that's custom-cut to fit the frame. Another option is to add a vintage mirror to a different wall and keep your existing vanity mirror. Vintage hand mirrors add a unique decorative touch to your bathroom as well.

Create custom shelving and wall storage when you reimagine thrifted vintage drawers into cubby storage. Drawers of all sizes attached to the wall make creative displays and offer a shelf area where you can display other decorative pieces you thrift. Dress up the back of the drawer with a photo, wallpaper, or paint. You can also use the upcycled drawer shelf to hold items like extra rolls of toilet paper. You can upcycle other items into storage shelves as well. Position a vintage, wooden child-sized chair in the bathroom to hold folded towels or a basket of essentials. An old wooden ladder or blanket ladder works as a towel rack, or attach baskets or hooks to the rungs to hold other items. 

Thrift stores and estate sales often have lots of framed artwork available. Look for prints that fit your bathroom theme. You can also focus on the frames and replace the images with artwork that better fits your bathroom decor.