5 Thrift Store Sections You’re Probably Overlooking, According to a Pro Thrifter

As a seasoned thrift shopper with more than 25 years of treasure hunting under my belt, I’ve learned a few things—like not to skip over the seemingly boring aisles! Don’t let those random fan blades in the hardware aisle that are sliding off the shelves keep you away; there’s a plethora of very practical treasures hidden down the way, just waiting for you to discover them. As I always say, the key to a successful thrift shopping trip is not to limit your thinking. With that in mind, here are a few aisles I never skip when buying secondhand.

Hardware

This aisle is a great place to find odds and ends, such as ceiling hooks, drawer pulls, extra screwdrivers, and even light bulbs to keep in your utilities pantry. I love stocking my toolbox with extra screwdrivers and hardware, so I rarely need to make last-minute stops at the store. Another practical item that I regularly purchase in this aisle is light bulbs. I recently found a pack of LED dimmable bulbs for just $2.99 that I needed for a newly hung chandelier at home. 

Linens

With the departure of Joann Fabrics, finding fabric is becoming quite the task if you don’t have an independent fabric store close by. Check the linens aisle and consider tablecloths, curtains, and cloth shower curtains in the same way you might consider a few yards of fabric new from the store. No matter the fabric content, you can always update the color with fabric dye. I also pick up dog towels and blankets in this aisle. Our Boxer loves faux fur blankets, and this aisle is full of them at a fraction of the cost of a home décor store. 

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Lamps

I love this section for both the lamps and the lampshades, as each can be updated easily to fit your décor style. Simply change the color of the lamp base with spray paint, or dye the shade with Rit Dye. I’ve found gorgeous, handmade, bespoke lampshades that I’m sure originally cost hundreds, and brought them home to elevate the look of a simple lamp. I’ve also painted stripes onto plain white lampshades to bring a little pattern into the room.

This is also a great section to check if you need a replacement part for a broken lamp. You can usually purchase an entire lamp for under $5, and disassemble it for the part you need, while one new part could cost three to four times that much. 

Crafts

In addition to being a fantastic resource for things like sketchbooks, crayons, and vintage craft kits, I’ve also found this aisle to be packed with useful organizational items. I’ve found packages of unopened 3M hooks, magazine files, staplers, hole punches, and shipping supplies, including envelopes in almost every size.

Looking to do the viral embossed toilet paper technique? Look no further for rubber stamps than the craft aisle! You'll also find rolls of wrapping paper, scrapbooking supplies, commercial hole punches and binding machines, as well as skeins of yarn in every fiber content, ranging from acrylic to silk mohair. This is also a great aisle to shop when you’re looking to wrap a gift and want to make it really special with ribbons and little add-ons. 

Decorative Scarves

While scarves are pretty and fun to wear, they can be used in so many more ways. Gather 10 to 20 and sew them together to use as the most charming curtains, or, if you’re less inclined to bring out the sewing machine, grab one scarf and use it to wrap a gift using the furoshiki method. You can also use this method to wrap a decorative pillow to bring more color into any room. While it may not be Hermès, a beautifully patterned, colorful scarf is going to look gorgeous under glass—name brand or not. Frame and hang it on the wall for a unique and timeless art piece.