Repurpose These Common Thrift Store Finds For Unique Garden Decor

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Like your interior decor, making upgrades to your garden in order to dial up the design factor can become expensive quickly. But it doesn't have to. Whether you're frugal for necessity's sake or simply don't like sticker shock, there are plenty of ways to level up your yard and garden without breaking the bank. You may choose to repurpose household staples for fun outdoor decor, or if such items are in short supply, you may decide it's time to head to your nearest thrift store, but with a little focus.

Thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets are exciting means of upgrading your garden, because you never quite know what you're going to find. What's more, you'll be surprised by the myriad items that can be put to good use in your garden. Capable DIYers could easily turn a pre-loved crib into a porch swing. Those simply hoping to keep hard-earned dollars in the bank could well snag some gorgeous garden furniture in need of a little TLC, be it for extra seating or to add an accent to an existing deck design scheme. The important thing when visiting the thrift store is keeping an open mind and being unafraid of thinking creatively. As you'll see, it's amazing how commonly-thrifted items can be transformed to level up your garden decor.

Unless you have evergreens planted in your yard, you'll know all too well how drab deciduous trees look once they drop their leaves in the fall. Fortunately, with a few cheap glass bottles from the thrift store, it's possible to re-infuse your yard with color and restore that smile to your face by easily creating a bottle tree. That is, a tree with bottles decorating it. Now, while it's very much a case of dealer's choice when it comes to thrift stores, if you can, snag colored glass bottles, and look for those in a shape that piques your interest. The light will positively glow through them. Alternatively, create a bottle tree using vintage milk glass for a Victorian look.

Suspend inverted bottles in your trees by simply feeding branch ends into the openings of each bottle. Narrow necked bottles work best here to remain stable. And of course you want to make certain the branches are sturdy. Young trees work best, since you can reach the branches easily. If you don't have trees, you can simulate trees and branches using wood or bamboo poles.

If you happen upon a sturdy wooden crib, but actually want a porch swing, why not grab that baby bed and head to the tool shed? There are a couple of ways to transform a baby crib into a porch swing, and it largely depends on how sturdy your chosen crib is and how likely it is to support your weight. If you feel that the crib is built robustly enough that it can be simply suspended, then all you need to do is remove one of the longer walls from the crib, line the base with a mattress or cushions, then suspend it from your porch with eye-holed fasteners and sturdy rope. Alternatively, you can dismantle and reconstruct it into an attractive swing.

We cannot overstress the importance of checking the crib's structural integrity. If it's made of thin or fragile wood, you may need to build an additional frame to support the crib and ensure it doesn't give way when you sit. However, if it's built of sterner stuff and you're confident it'll hold your weight, then all you need is eight eyebolts (four with nuts, four without), and a length of sturdy rope. Use the base of the crib — the strongest part — as the primary seat. The head and foot boards become the seat's back and the short side rails serve as arm rests.

Ever happen upon a vintage bike, complete with baskets, and wonder who on earth would buy it when modern designs are so much better suited to today's cyclists? Well, depending on your thoughts about this next idea, it could well be you leaving the store with that steed slung across your shoulders. This idea is a popular one, and it essentially involves turning those baskets into garden planters, and the bike into a stylish art piece. All you need to do is find a way to ensure the whole thing doesn't topple over. Of course, if your bike comes with a kickstand fitted, then that particular problem is already solved.

Now, if you find a rusting bike with chipped paint and no baskets, don't worry: It's still possible to achieve the same look, but the process is a touch more involved than simply unloading it from the trunk of your car. Instead, you'll need a wrench or two to remove the seat and handlebars, some masking tape (to protect any parts of the frame that you'd prefer to leave unpainted), and some outdoor-worthy surface primer like Rust-Oleum outdoor primer, and a similarly resilient paint. If your bike has a vinyl coating, you'll need a direct-to-vinyl type of paint to ensure it sticks. You will also need to buy some bicycle baskets, ideally designed to fit on the front and rear of your bike. You can buy them new on Amazon, or used on eBay or...at thrift stores!

Large serveware bowls are a dime a dozen at thrift stores, as people look for ways to declutter cupboards and give away those items they use the least. The key with one of these bowls is choosing the right size to build a birdbath. As a general rule, a depth of around four inches and an approximate diameter of 12 inches is a safe bet. Ff your bowl happens to have a rough surface texture, great! This will help prevent the birds from slipping. Even if your bowl is smooth, you can add rocks to the base to give them somewhere with purchase on which to perch. This is also worth knowing if your chosen bowl is slightly deeper than recommended.

However, if you'd like to add a fountain, you'll want a deeper bowl. The extra depth will allow you to use something like the Hsbao submersible water pump and fountain kit, although this will also require additional materials. You'll need a container to serve as the water reservoir, plus a drill to add drainage holes to the bowl. To mount the bowl over the reservoir, cut some sturdy plastic or metal mesh to size, place it over the top, then set the bowl on top. It's extra work, but making your own recirculating birdbath like this is almost always worth doing. Birds love running water, and if you decide to try this means of adding water to your garden, any winged wildlife in your area is sure to notice and start paying you regular visits.

Mixing it up with accent furniture pieces is one of those unique outdoor seating ideas that can really help to up your outdoor living game. In fact, even just one or two pieces in the right color can help make your overall scheme pop. Fortunately, you needn't spend a fortune on new furniture to do it.

There are few things to bear in mind when shopping for used chairs at the thrift store. The first is to know which colors are, and aren't, likely to work in your on your patio or in your garden. Putting aside the palette of your existing patio furniture, some colors work better than others in your outdoor space, and generally speaking, it's worth avoiding those in jarring neon shades or with too-trendy patterns. The problem, especially with the latter, is you could quickly become bored or frustrated with the color you chose. However, furniture pieces in the right colors can both complement and contrast your existing set, adding the kind of visual interest usually achieved by a professional designer.

While thrifting for creativity, also assess whether the chairs are still structurally sound and safe, and whether they're designed for outdoor use. Interior chairs can be used, but you'll need to upcycle them with outdoor-ready paints or sealants, much the same way you waterproof indoor pillows for outdoor use. If you'd prefer to avoid the hassle of upcycling, keep an eye out for sturdy, outdoor-ready furniture. Wrought iron furniture, especially, is both strong and sure to stand the test of time, while remaining effortlessly timeless in terms of style. Or keep an eye out for free outdoor furniture on neighborhood social media that can be customized through painting, staining, and reupholstering.

It might seem like a crying shame to shatter those beautiful, colorful plates you were fortunate enough to thrift from your local store. However, you may just be amazed by how well upcycled thrifted plates can elevate your garden decor. You can either use the broken pieces to create mosaic stepping stones — giving you a handy spot to stand when weeding awkward parts of your flower bed — or use a few to adorn a new garden pathway. It really depends on how many plates you've scored at the thrift store.

Whichever you decide to do, you'll need some cement, some builders sand, water, grout, and something to use as a mold, like a foil pie tray. You'll also need a hammer. Mix up one part cement with four parts of sand, and add water until the mixture is firm but pliable. We should note this isn't an exact science: As long as your broken crockery doesn't sink into the cement, you should be fine. Gently press your pieces into the cement, ensuring that no sharp edges are exposed, and allow your stones to dry. Alternatively, you could order something like the Midwest Products daisy stepping stone kit, customizing it with your own mosaic elements.

There's something about an old, weathered whisky barrel that makes it hard to toss in the trash. For this reason, they often find their way to the thrift store instead. If you happen to find one during your next thrift-store trip, and you're keen to spend some time bringing an old barrel back to life as a water feature, then be sure to grab it. Line it with tough, waterproof plastic and place it where you want it to go before adding water and plants.

Next, round up your aquatic plants. For a balanced look, a blend of different plant types — like lilies, marsh marigolds, and pontederia — is best. You may also find that certain oxygenating plants like water violets (actually a variety of primrose) help to keep your water in tip-top condition. As for how to plant them, if you have some extra bricks lying around, use these as submersible "shelves" on which to anchor your plants. You can get as detailed as you like (or not) when customizing this project.

Finally, if you're looking for DIY fountain ideas for your garden, that's entirely possible with your barrel water garden. Buy a submersible water pump and fountain kit. Consider opting for a solar-powered kit, which will allow you to place your water garden anywhere in your yard that receives direct sunshine.

If there's a mirror, mirror on the wall of your local thrift store, grab it and use it to make your garden the fairest of them all. Usually the reserve of household interiors, mirrors have a surprising number of utilities in the garden. They can help throw light on shadier spots while giving the illusion of a larger space. They can also be a fantastic means of interrupting your nosy neighbors' view of your seating area, breaking up sightlines and creating distractions.

If you intend to thrift a mirror, then ensure it's up to the rigors of life outdoors. Mirrors with wooden frames are likely designed to be used indoors. This isn't a reason not to buy it, but you may need to sand the frame back and treat it with a stain or paint that's designed for outdoor use. Vintage vanity mirrors are great options since they are framed, and often mounted on posts that allow the mirror to be angled to the ideal position. 

Finally, a small word of caution: don't place your mirror in a spot with direct sunlight. This deadly mistake with mirrors in gardens can actually lead to fires (or at minimum blasting guests with blinding light), since the glass concentrates the sunlight. Ensure mirrors aren't redirecting that sunlight towards dry wood, grasses, or leaves, or towards structures. And monitor it weekly as the sun's path shifts, especially in summer and early fall.

This idea offers a nifty way to reuse an old watering can to add stylish lighting to your garden. It's perfect for bringing cozy Christmas vibes to your winter borders. Actually, it's pretty cute all year-round, especially in gardens where homeowners regularly entertain after sundown.

Even if you don't already have a watering can, don't worry — it's precisely the sort of thing you're likely to find at the thrift store. The same can be said for fairy lights, and if you happen to come across both, then you have almost everything you need to bring this idea to life. The fairy lights need to have an IP65 rating (meaning they can cope with outdoor use), and in order to make your light, you'll also need a screwdriver and a shepherds hook on which to hang your light.

Remove the rose from the end of the watering can's spout, and push however many strands you have down the pourspout. Then feed the lights through the rose's holes. You can use a screwdriver or an awl to widen the holes as needed. Once you're happy that a long-enough length of lights has been threaded through the holes, replace the rose, and suspend the can in your chosen spot.

If you're not feeling up to a heavy DIY session, it's still possible to illuminate your garden's after-dark decor with a trip to the thrift store. Anyone who's done garden makeover recently is likely to donate older accessories that no longer tie in with their outdoor scheme. That can include a variety of lanterns and lighting.

You may find solar-powered stake lights, which are great for adding effortless light and charm to your garden walkways. Hanging lanterns are another type to keep your eye out for, as they're perfect for casting a warm glow on your favorite trees or adding accent lighting to pergola beams. You may also be lucky to spy a vintage oil or candle lantern — another great way to set the mood with ambient or task lighting after sundown during your summer soirées.

Now, just because an old lamp was designed to be powered or used one way, that doesn't mean that you can't get a little bit crafty. You can repurpose any type of lamp or lantern by turning it into a solar light. Perhaps you've found an old candle-holder style or kerosene lantern. Convert it with some solar light tabs, a drill, and wooden plinths to hold them in place. The resulting light won't be affected by wind, and it'll be far safer to have on your patio table than a naked flame.

If you spend spring in the garden preparing your pots for planting, then having a potting table can make life infinitely easier, providing a dedicated work surface that can be both practical and decorative. It can also make a statement in your yard that lets your friends know you're serious about gardening. Store-bought versions can run $100 or more, like the Backyard Discovery Farmhouse indoor/outdoor potting table. Fortunately, you needn't spend a fortune to get one.

Instead, head down to your local thrift store, and if you spy a quality wooden table (or even a dresser), grab it! Provided you're happy with the size — and that it's sturdy enough to withstand the weight of pots, soil, and gear — you can easily turn it into a suitable piece of potting furniture. You may need to strip it back first, especially if the paintwork has deteriorated. Strip away any interior paint, then treat your table with a suitable outdoor-grade wood stain or paint. Customize any drawers or shelves for storage and display, then position it in a spot that receives plenty of spring sunshine while you work.

This trick might be the perfect way to enjoy the soothing sound of running water without the potential headaches of a more complex installment, particularly if you've reconsidered adding a large water feature to your yard. All you need to do is find a teapot and a few easy-to-source supplies. Fortunately thrift stores usually have lots of teapots. One idea is to simply feed water into the base of a single pot and have it recirculate — coming out of the spout and falling back into a reservoir below. Another is to build a multi-tiered fountain, one teapot pouring into another, or into tiered basins or tubs.

To build a multi-tiered masterpiece, first fit a pipe into the base of the highest pot to both suspend it and fill it with water. You'll also need a container to serve as a reservoir at the foot of your fountain, plus a submersible pump and tubing to circulate the water. The water will cascade from pot to pot, before emptying into the reservoir at the bottom.