After my latest post, I found myself in need of some therapy, and you know what kind of therapy I am talking about right? Retail therapy!!!  My favorite type of retail therapy is spending time searching for treasure at my local goodwill and thrift shops.  That is when the idea for this post was born.  I am going to teach you how to shop for Christmas decor at goodwill.

I will admit, it was really awkward walking around my local goodwill with my camera, taking pictures of random things while dodging weird looks from fellow shoppers.  But that is the price I was willing to pay to show you that just because it is secondhand doesn’t mean you can’t use it and make it work for your home.  Let us begin.

This is what a typical shelf would look like, a little overwhelming to the rookie goodwiller, but you have to see past the clutter and realize all of the possibilities.  The small group of tins would perfect for putting cookies in for your kid’s teachers, and normally they are only a dollar.  Get in there and move things around, most of the time the good stuff is in the back.

There is always an abundance of containers.  This brass urn would be perfect to put a poinsettia in or a bundle of evergreen branches.

Pretty candle holders with snowflakes.

There is never a shortage of wreaths just desperate for a makeover.  Check this one out.

There was this large nativity.  Now the colors are a bit weird to me, I would give it a good coat of glossy white paint.  The whole thing, just paint it.  I think it makes it look more like a nice piece of china and goes perfect with any home decor.

Don’t forget to check out the clothing and fabric section.  Winter scarves are great for wrapping around a wreath or even as a table runner if it is long enough.  There are always place mats and tree skirts and table cloths.

There were even some Christmas pillows.

I almost always find a few pretty ornaments, but these right here are brand new and from Target.  Perfect!  Now, let me show you what I purchased and how I used them in my home.

I bought a black and white scarf, which I plan to use on my door, a tablecloth, which I will use Christmas morning, a little porcelain nativity, see how nice and white it is?  So pretty.  I also bought a wooden church and two Starbucks mugs.  For those that know me well, I have an obsession with Starbucks mugs and proudly boast a collection of over 20….

I purchased these pillows for just $4.00 each, and the big metal bin, which I ended up giving to my neighbor.

And I can’t forget to add a little bit of sparkle.  Brass is back people, whether you like it or not, and Goodwill is a perfect place to find it.  The brass bowl would be just amazing with black ornaments in it and the little brass deer is pretty adorable.

Now I will show you how I used some of these items.

Here sits my little brass deer.  He is just adorable and was $1.00.

My white nativity sits on the edge of another bookshelf, just a little bit goes a long way.

I forgot to add these brass candlesticks to my photo earlier.  Normally you can get them for as little as $1.00 each.

Lets just talk about these pillows for a minute.  This is the first time I have ever bought pillows just for Christmas, and I am so glad I did. First, they match my couch, second, they go with the pillows I already have, and third, they unzip and I can remove the insert so they are easy to clean; because I have four kids and they will be on they floor at least 10 times a day.  Did I mention they were only $4.00 each?!?!

The gold glittery ornament now sits in a thrifted urn on this bookshelf in my bedroom.  Every room needs just a touch of sparkle.

I have makeover plans for the pine-cone and the wooden church and they both involve lots and lots of glitter.  And I hope to attach a vintage sled to my front door wrapped up with my new scarf.  I promise to share all of the details in a future post.

I hope this encourages you to visit your local goodwill and see what treasure awaits.  Don’t be afraid to paint it, or use it differently than what it was originated for.  Go decorate, Goodwill Style!!