Experts Say Thrifting Is in a New Boom — Here Are the Items Worth Searching For

As baby boomers, the wealthiest generation in modern history, begin to downsize, decades of accumulated belongings are flowing into estate sales, thrift shops, and donation centers. Much of it was made to last, unlike many products produced now, says thrifting expert Virginia Chamlee, an antiques dealer and author of Big Thrift Energy.

“Baby Boomers not only have nicer things from when they first bought their homes, but they also inherited a lot of really good pieces from their parents, like midcentury modern furniture and more collectible items,” Chamlee says. “They’re letting go of that stuff too.”

She says that combination has created a golden age for thrifting.

Although baby boomers and older generations make up less than 20 percent of the U.S. population, they control a disproportionate share of the country’s housing wealth. Realtor.com says they hold 34.1 percent of the total value of U.S. housing. As longtime homeowners move from large family houses into smaller, easier-to-manage homes, the effect is reaching well beyond the real estate market.

“What I'm seeing is a real wave of Baby Boomer downsizing—clients who've been in the same house for 20, 30, even 40 years moving into smaller homes, luxury condos, or properties with less to manage,” says Cindy Raney, a global luxury property specialist and founder of the Connecticut real estate firm Cindy Raney & Team. “The downstream effect is enormous. Decades of furniture, antiques, china, and art are hitting the secondary market all at once.”

Another complication for sellers is that younger buyers often furnish homes differently than their parents and grandparents. Formal dining room sets, heavy wood furniture, and inherited china frequently bring in less than owners expect, even when the items are well made, Raney says. Instead of staying in families, many pieces end up at estate sales, consignment shops, and donation centers.

Meanwhile, the rise of fast furniture and low-cost home retailers has changed what shoppers find in secondhand stores. Mixed in with mass-produced decor and impulse buys are durable pieces from an era when furniture and home accents were built to last for decades.

For shoppers hunting vintage finds, Chamlee suggests focusing on solid wood furniture with dovetail joinery rather than particle board, along with oversized artwork and substantial marble or travertine pieces. These items can be harder to move, but they are often among the best values available.

Design experts point to the following standout categories as the best things to look for while thrifting.

TV Stands and Entertainment Centers

Large TV cabinets and entertainment centers may not be high on many thrifters’ lists, but Chamlee says they are exactly the sort of overlooked pieces worth noticing. As flat-screen TVs moved onto walls, many bulky cabinets designed for older sets fell out of favor and started turning up in estate sales and secondhand shops.

Chamlee says the key is to think beyond the item’s original use. With a little creativity, old TV cabinets can become armoires, storage units, or even closet substitutes. Remove the pull-out television hardware and add shelves, baskets, or cubbies for sweaters and linens. In smaller apartments, they can also function as closets if a hanging rod is installed inside.

“A big part of thrifting is thinking outside the box,” Chamlee says.

Sterling Silver

Silver is another category Chamlee says shoppers should watch closely, especially because many people overlook it without realizing its value. Flatware sets, serving trays, and decorative objects regularly show up in thrift stores.

The challenge is identifying what you have. To check whether a piece is true sterling silver, Chamlee recommends looking on the underside or inner rim for a “925” stamp, which means the item is 92.5 percent silver. Marks such as “silver plated” or “EPNS” (electroplated nickel silver) indicate only a thin coating of silver rather than solid sterling.

Brand names can also matter, she says. Makers such as Tiffany & Co., Gorham, and Georg Jensen may carry value beyond the metal itself because of their reputation and collectibility.

Dining Room Furniture

Dining tables and chairs can be excellent thrift-store finds, says Nashville-based designer Brittany Blanton.

“A good antique woodshop can breathe new life into these pieces while still maintaining their character,” she says. “A solid wood plank refectory table with 50 to 75 years of wear will be much more durable than a newly built table.”

Blanton recommends searching for solid wood Windsor, Regency, or Arts and Crafts–style dining chairs, especially those with carved wood backs. She says sets of six or eight are often priced near the cost of a single new chair of similar quality.

A refreshed upholstered seat or new cushion can also help vintage seating feel at home in a modern interior.

Upholstered Pieces With Good Frames

Vintage upholstered furniture may take a little imagination, but it can deliver strong value, says Atlanta-based interior designer Sarah Bowman.

Colors and fabrics from past decades, such as brown or orange crushed velvet, can make older pieces seem dated at first glance. But underneath, many chairs and sofas were built with construction standards that are harder to find now.

Club chairs, Chesterfield sofas, tufted ottomans, and slipper chairs from the 1960s through the 1980s are all worth a second look, Bowman says. Reupholstering them can often cost less than buying something new.

When judging upholstered furniture, she advises looking for kiln-dried hardwood frames, eight-way hand-tied springs, and pieces with good proportions and scale.

Original Artwork

Original artwork may be one of the most overlooked secondhand opportunities, according to Sophia deDomenico, founder of Los Angeles–based Et Sal Interiors.

Earlier generations often treated art as an investment and were willing to spend not only on the piece itself but also on quality framing. Paintings, charcoal sketches, lithographs, watercolors, and signed prints can all appear in thrift stores and estate sales.

She suggests starting with art you genuinely like, whether that means landscapes, abstracts, or prints. Then look for possible signs of added value, such as artist signatures or gallery labels. In some cases, the frame may also be worth something on its own.

“The framing alone on these pieces is often worth hundreds of dollars,” she says.

Vintage Textiles

Vintage textiles are another category to watch as more household goods return to the secondhand market, especially items made from natural fibers, says Jessica Davis, founder of Atelier Davis.

Davis recommends looking for embroidered cotton tea towels, which were especially popular from the 1940s through the 1970s. Their hand-stitched details can bring warmth and personality to kitchens or powder rooms, and they also make thoughtful hostess gifts.

Vintage cotton overshot throws and coverlets are another good find. Common in American homes from the 1930s through the 1960s, these woven textiles can add texture and depth to a bedroom while still standing up to daily use. When shopping, Davis says to favor 100 percent cotton pieces because they are breathable, comfortable year-round, and made to last.

Cotton flatweave rugs are also making a return, she says. Often found in homes from the 1950s through the 1980s, they work well layered into rooms to add warmth and texture.

Value can be subjective, Davis says. More detailed embroidery and better condition can raise a piece’s worth, but vintage finds often come down to personal taste and how well they fit into a home.