If you’ve been following our blog over the past year, you probably know the formula: Goodwill + Katie B + me (with John filming) equals pure chaos and a lot of laughs. This time we literally tore through the store supermarket-sweep style, tossing anything that caught our eye into the cart and seeing what we’d come up with.
To keep things authentic, we recorded a one-take video of our finds—no edits, no do-overs. John hit record and we just talked and riffed nonstop. We chatted so long we split the footage between both of our blogs. Watch the first half on this post and the rest over on Katie’s blog. So yes, we get goofy the moment John points the camera—imagine two grown moms who instantly revert to giggly kids when faced with a pile of thrifted treasures. We’re unabashed Goodwill nerds.
A few quick notes about the video experience:
- Customers walked by and the store intercom blared, yet no employee asked us to stop. Friendly southern hospitality for the win.
- I’m noticeably shorter than Katie—short-girl problems are real.
- I convinced Katie to buy two books, so expect a short book review from me around the 2:30 mark.
- Some of our offhand comments were hilariously odd—if you watch closely you’ll catch a few moments that still make us laugh.
- We apologize in advance if our Napoleon ignorance offends anyone; it was a moment of cluelessness, not malice.
- We confirmed the urn we found was empty. No ancient secrets discovered, just good decor potential.
- And yes, we coined a few catchy phrases—if you want more, hop over to Katie’s blog for the second half of the video.
For anyone who can’t watch the video, here are highlights and styling ideas for several of the items we found.
We picked up a ceramic urn/vase that would look sweet in a vignette on a dresser or buffet. Pair it with a stack of colorful books—Katie removed the shiny jackets to reveal soft, beach-glass-colored bindings underneath—add a few rice bowls and a white ceramic owl, and you’ve got a simple, collected look.
To dress up a less-than-pretty shelf back, we propped a piece of fabric (we thought the dress could be repurposed into a pillow) as a backdrop for a quick, inexpensive makeover.
A $0.99 dress could be transformed into a charming throw pillow. One of our favorite finds was a large coffee-table book—$2.50 well spent—which looks great left open to show striking photography.
In the sporting goods aisle we discovered an old tennis racket and colorful croquet mallets—perfect candidates for a playful wall display in a family room or kids’ space. Katie also unearthed a small ceramic Napoleon figurine that only needed light cleaning; a quick scrub with hydrogen peroxide on an old toothbrush brightens white ceramics nicely.
An ornate jewelry box for $2.90 could be refreshed by removing the glass pane and replacing it with fabric or decorative paper. A giant polka-dot queen sheet ($1.91) could be sewn into placemats, a runner, or pillows. The wooden dish we found is ideal for serving nuts or corralling craft supplies—small practical touches that add up.
I’m obsessed with updating kitschy seasonal figurines—spray painting a batch of small Easter tchotchkes in bold, modern colors (teal, lime, bright yellow) makes them feel fresh and intentional. A tiny yellow basket—77 cents—would be great for outdoor silverware and napkins, or in a bathroom to hold hand towels and soaps. A bright green serving dish I picked up for $0.99 will be perfect for snacks or soap display.
We also found a toothbrush-holder vase that mimics bone and a quirky ceramic cup with repeating dog motifs (99 cents)—both would work well as functional decor in a home office or bathroom. A large metal bowl for $2 is begging to be spray-painted a bold hue and used to tame a tangled heap of ribbons or craft supplies. Lightweight woven trays would make charming wall art, either left natural or sprayed in robin’s egg blue or metallic gold.
A Crate & Barrel popcorn bowl for $4.94 makes a thoughtful, easy gift—clean it out and fill with popcorn, a soda, and a movie card. I also picked up handmade pottery creamer and sugar jars with a pop of blue—perfect for a single bloom or for storing tea bags on the counter.
We found vintage suitcases—one for $1.91 that would hide small items under a table, and a shiny $2 suitcase that could store kids’ art supplies or double as a playful lunchbox. And yes, we even bought a cheesy Georgia Tech-themed tissue box because sometimes the tacky stuff is irresistible.
What I actually bought that day: the lime-green cheese tray and a giant Lipton Sun Tea glass jar (both in video 1), the large metal bowl and a wooden truck for Clara’s crayons (video 2), and the handmade creamer and sugar set with blue interiors (video 2). Thrift shopping is all about discovery and imagination—turning inexpensive finds into memorable, useful pieces.
What thrift-store treasures have you discovered recently? I’m always on the lookout for pretty dishes, bowls, and kid-friendly items that can be repurposed. Share your thrift-store wins—we could all use some inspiration on a Thursday morning.
Pssst—if you want more of our ridiculous videos, we’ve posted a few other clips in the past that showcase our shopping and decorating hijinks.