There are some really off-the-wall things I have found and brought home from thrifting.  I can't help it.  When I find old vintage decorative birds, I have to purchase and put them aside...you never know when I may want to hot glue one to a wreath or add one to a Christmas tree.

My husband doesn’t even bat an eye anymore when I come in with these random items.

While I love the random items, there are 5 things I will never leave behind when I am thrifting:

Table Linens

I feel like fancy linens are the kind of things people buy to "save for a special occasion" but deem them so special that they never get used and eventually get donated. I cannot begin to tell you about all of the tablecloths and napkins I have scored for next to nothing.  I give them a hot soapy wash to clean them and a nice iron.  Some I have even brought in to have monogramed.  Instant glamour at a fraction of the cost!

Tapered Candles

This is one of those things you don't even think about until you have a dinner party and need them.  I love to grab whatever size and color candles I find when I am thrifting for a cheap price and keep a basket of them in my pantry.  

Ribbon/Trim/Tassels

Keep an eye out for ribbon and trim.  You can save a fortune using it for gifts or even trim on lamps, pillows, curtains....

The same with tassels! I am not sure if you have ever priced them but the large decorative tassels can be really expensive.  

Fabric/Bolts of Fabric

The amount of money I have saved buying yards of fabric at thrift stores would blow your mind.  Again, if you can, this is one of those things that you should stock pile.  You never know when you are going to need it.  I have found some very large bolts I was able to stitch one quick seam in and use for table clothes for under $10.  I actually just recovered the chairs in my dining room with fabric remnant I found for $5 at Goodwill. 

Baskets

You can find some really old and quaint baskets thrifting.  And the options are literally endless.

One of my favorite tricks is buying crazy cheap ones and using them outside on my front porch to hold my son's outdoor toys. When you are buying them for $5 a pop, it doesn't make you cringe when you toss them at the end of the season when they get gross!

What do you always grab when you are thrifting?