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18 Unexpected Upcycling Ideas for Thrift Store Finds

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Discover 18 unexpected upcycling ideas that turn thrift store finds into useful, charming treasures for home and garden.

Hello my friends! For almost ten years, Mondays here at The Cottage Market have meant one very special thing…Thrift Store Makeovers! That is a whole lot of paint, imagination and forgotten treasures finding their way back into the spotlight, and I have loved every minute of it.

This week we are giving our beloved tradition a playful little twist. These are not simply pretty makeovers. They are wonderfully unexpected upcycles that take one object and turn it into something completely different. We are talking about lampshades becoming herb baskets, a chandelier feeding hummingbirds and old wooden hangers drying the dishes. Felt like kickin it old school lol!

Some of these projects are quick and wonderfully doable. Others may ask for a few tools and a free afternoon. Every one of them proves that the best thing you can bring to the thrift store is an open mind. That strange little object sitting in the corner may be hiding an entirely new purpose.

So pour yourself a cup of your favorite brew, get comfortable and prepare to look twice. I have a feeling your next treasure hunt is going to be very different after seeing these clever ideas!

18 unexpected thrift store upcycling ideas for home and garden from The Cottage MarketPin

1How to Make a Chandelier Hummingbird Feeder

Karin at Renovated Faith rescued a ten dollar chandelier and turned it into a gathering place for hummingbirds. Tiny jars become extra feeding stations, cheerful flower details help attract the birds and fresh paint gives the entire piece a joyful new personality. This is the kind of garden surprise that would make everyone stop and smile.
How to Make a Chandelier Hummingbird Feeder thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Renovated Faith for the complete tutorial

2Garden-Themed Entry Desk on a Wall

Donna at Funky Junk Interiors solves a small entryway problem with an old ammunition crate mounted right to the wall. The lid opens into a compact writing surface, then closes again to hide the supplies inside. Add her pretty garden stencil treatment and this hardworking little desk becomes wall decor too.
Garden-Themed Entry Desk on a Wall thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Funky Junk Interiors for the complete tutorial

3How to Make Hanging Herb Baskets from Mini Lampshade Frames

Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods removed the worn coverings from a group of miniature lampshades and discovered the perfect little baskets hiding underneath. A coat of gold paint, some lightweight chain and a few pots of herbs create a vertical garden filled with vintage charm. It is clever, compact and just plain pretty.
How to Make Hanging Herb Baskets from Mini Lampshade Frames thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Sadie Seasongoods for the complete tutorial

4DIY Wall Shelf from a Vintage Grain Sifter

Sarah at Sarah Joy found a large vintage grain sifter for only ten dollars and gave it a wonderfully simple new purpose. A fitted pine board becomes the shelf while the original wire screen creates a textured backdrop for tiny books, plants and collected treasures. It has the character of an antique with the usefulness of a modern display shelf.
DIY Wall Shelf from a Vintage Grain Sifter thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Sarah Joy for the complete tutorial

5Industrial Side Table from VHS Storage

Old VHS storage drawers are the sort of thing most of us walk past without a second glance. Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods stacked them, added an industrial metal finish, fitted the drawers with handles and label holders, then placed everything on hairpin legs. The finished side table looks remarkably like a vintage metal card catalog and may be one of the smartest disguises in the entire collection.
Industrial Side Table from VHS Storage thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Sadie Seasongoods for the complete tutorial

6Bicycle Wheel Clock {Thistlewood Farms}

KariAnne from Thistlewood Farms turned a castoff bicycle wheel into an oversized wall clock that is impossible to ignore. A clock kit brings it to life while pieces of a vintage yardstick become the hands. Hung against a chalkboard with hand drawn numerals, it is equal parts farmhouse, industrial and fun.
Bicycle Wheel Clock {Thistlewood Farms} thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit East Coast Creative to see the Thistlewood Farms project

7Antique Insulator Outdoor Lighting

Those beautiful old glass insulators already catch the light during the day, but The Vettel Farm found a way to let them glow after dark too. Simply place them over appropriately sized solar landscape lights and allow the sunshine to do the rest. The blue and clear glass creates the softest little pools of light along a path or garden bed.
Antique Insulator Outdoor Lighting thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit The Vettel Farm for the complete tutorial

8Spindle Wind Chimes

Christy at Confessions of a Serial DIYer gave a collection of old chair and crib spindles the happiest new life. Painted in white, aqua and green, they hang from a repurposed candlestick base with a tiny rescued bird perched on top. The spindles add color to the garden and make their own wonderfully unique sound when the breeze rolls through.
Spindle Wind Chimes thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Confessions of a Serial DIYer for the complete tutorial

9Repurposed Bed Spring Craft Storage

When Dinah at DIY Inspired no longer needed her daughter’s toddler bed spring, she turned it into fabulous vertical storage. Wire baskets, recycled jars, hooks and clothespins can all be moved around as supplies change. It is a brilliant way to use wall space in a craft room, office or even a bathroom.
Repurposed Bed Spring Craft Storage thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit DIY Inspired for the complete tutorial

10DIY Laundry Room Drying Rack Using a Vintage Ironing Board

Donna at Funky Junk Interiors took the top from a vintage wooden ironing board and mounted it horizontally as the foundation for a laundry room drying rack. Plant brackets, a wooden pole and black pipe hardware provide plenty of hanging space while the stenciled laundry design adds rustic charm. Practical storage has rarely looked this interesting.
DIY Laundry Room Drying Rack Using a Vintage Ironing Board thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Funky Junk Interiors for the complete tutorial

11Upcycled Ladder Shelves and DIY Crates

Joan at Scavenger Chic started with one wobbly vintage ladder and built graduated wooden crates to fit between its sides. The aged red finish and hand painted logos give the shelves the look of well loved store displays. Use it for books, toys, office supplies or kitchen storage and no one will ever guess it began as an old ladder in the garage.
Upcycled Ladder Shelves and DIY Crates thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Scavenger Chic for the complete tutorial

12Vintage Washboard Message Center and a Story

Susan at Homeroad replaced the metal center of an old washboard with a chalkboard, then added Scrabble and clothespin magnets for holding notes and reminders. The original frame keeps all that wonderful laundry day history while the new center makes it useful for a busy home. Her funny garage sale story makes this tutorial even more memorable.
Vintage Washboard Message Center and a Story thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Homeroad for the complete tutorial

13How to Make a Table from an Old Vintage Suitcase

Barb at MadeByBarb knows that a structured vintage suitcase is far too interesting to hide in the back of a closet. With carefully attached legs and a refreshed finish, hers becomes a nostalgic little accent table that still offers storage inside. This idea can lean farmhouse, mid century or wonderfully well traveled depending on the case and legs you choose.
How to Make a Table from an Old Vintage Suitcase thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit MadeByBarb for the complete tutorial

14Two Old Door Pieces Became the Sweetest Little Bench

Gail at My Repurposed Life saw a little church pew hiding inside two narrow sections of an old door. A few thoughtful cuts, pocket holes, trim and armrests create the bench, then a beautifully worn crackle finish gives it instant age. It is a substantial transformation, but the original door details still get to tell their story.
Two Old Door Pieces Became the Sweetest Little Bench thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit My Repurposed Life for the complete tutorial

15Repurposed Wooden Cable Spool

Loren Crane rescued a wooden cable spool from the side of the road and turned it into two useful pieces in one. Shelves fitted around the center hold children’s books while foam, batting, fabric and decorative nails create a comfortable upholstered seat on top. Add wheels and this little reading spot can roll wherever it is needed.
Repurposed Wooden Cable Spool thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit DIY Inspired to see Loren Crane’s complete tutorial

16Antique Clothes Wringer Coffee Table

Joan at Scavenger Chic looked at an antique clothes wringer stand and immediately saw a coffee table. She adjusted the old folding frame, restored its timeworn wood and built a reversible pallet wood top that can show off two different finishes. The finished piece preserves its unusual history while becoming useful for an entirely new generation.
Antique Clothes Wringer Coffee Table thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Scavenger Chic for the complete tutorial

17DIY Gazing Ball and Stand from Thrift Store Treasures

Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods found richly colored bowling balls hiding inside thrifted bowling bags and knew they deserved a place in the garden. A glossy protective finish gives them the mesmerizing look of gazing balls while a stripped and painted bell shaped lampshade becomes the stand. Two unrelated thrift store finds come together as though they were always meant to meet.
DIY Gazing Ball and Stand from Thrift Store Treasures thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Sadie Seasongoods for the complete tutorial

18Wood Hanger Dish Drying Rack: 7 Steps

And here is our final little plot twist…a stack of ordinary wooden clothes hangers becomes a working dish drying rack! The angled arms that once held shirts now support plates and bowls in a compact countertop design. It is wonderfully strange, completely useful and exactly the kind of project that makes you look twice.
Wood Hanger Dish Drying Rack: 7 Steps thrift store upcycle featured on The Cottage MarketPin
Visit Instructables for the complete tutorial

One More Look Before You Leave

Isn’t it amazing what can happen when someone looks beyond an object’s original purpose? A worn chandelier, a lonely suitcase or even an old bed spring can become something useful, beautiful and completely unexpected. That is the real magic of upcycling…it gives forgotten things another chance while filling our homes with pieces that have personality and a story.

I hope at least one of these projects made you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” The next time you are wandering through a thrift store, flea market or yard sale, take one more look at the odd pieces everyone else has passed by. Your next favorite project may be sitting right there waiting for you.

Happy treasure hunting and happy creating, my friends!

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