Best Places to Buy Thrifty Home Décor

I love to find a bargain! I mean I REALLY love to find a bargain. And I'm always on the lookout for great décor for little money. I'm sometimes surprised at the places I come across great items. And it's so much fun to stumble across unexpected treasures. Since I've had some good luck, I thought I'd share with you my top 5 places to find home décor on a budget.
5 Best Places to Buy Thrifty Home Décor:
1. Online/apps - Just about everyone knows about eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. But there are lesser known virtual markets where you can find great deals on home and garden items. It seems that apps are popping up weekly for virtual shopping. OfferUp and Letgo are two of the most popular apps buyers are using today. There are others like 5Miles, Trove Market, Dealo and Varage Sale that are also making their way onto consumers' phones, making it simple to find great deals on just about anything.
2. Thrift shops - I admit that some are better than others, but you never know what you'll find. Thrift shops and second-hand stores like Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, Goodwill, Savers and Salvation Army have been around for years. Typically retail outlets like these take in donations from the public and proceeds from sales of these items are used to fund non-profits.
Places like these are a hit-or-miss. If you're looking for something specific, you may or may not find it. But with donations coming in daily it's best to check in often, and you may even ask when their sales are to get even better deals. 
Since items are mostly second-hand, pieces may need a little TLC to make them functional or pretty again. If you're not averse to a little DIY, you can really score at thrift shops by finding some great quality items.
3. Discount stores - These retail outlets are likely to carry some of the trendy styles, but lower quality items. Stores like Christmas Tree Shops, Big Lots, Ocean State Job Lot, and even some of the dollar stores have a variety of smaller items at much lower prices than you can find them at some of the higher end stores. 
If you're looking for home décor like baskets, glassware, wall art, or other small items, you'll find a huge selection of new items. For pieces like these, you'll be able to put together a beautiful look without spending lots of money. You really don't need to spend a fortune on accessories that won't get a lot of wear and tear. Although the quality may be lower than that of Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware, chances are you can get the same look and spend only a fraction of the amount.
4. Home improvement and big box stores - Although we think of Home Depot and Lowes as a place where we buy paint, lumber, maybe even appliances and small items like lightbulbs and hardware for fixes around the house, you can also find a variety of home décor items at reasonable prices. Drapes, lighting, rugs, drawer pulls and all sorts of items for DIY projects are available.
Wholesale clubs aren't just for buying giant canisters of coffee or tons of diapers either. Many of these warehouse big box stores also carry outdoor furniture, rugs, throw pillows, artwork and other home and garden items. And if you're a member, you pay less than the general public.
5. Retail stores (sale/clearance sections) - The sale and/or clearance sections of home goods stores offer some great deals. Items that may be out of season, slightly damaged or just plain not very popular with consumers are marked down for quick sale.
Home goods stores aren't the only retail stores where you can find items on clearance. Either in-store or online, stores like Target, Macy's, Pottery Barn, Kohl's, Ikea, World Market and so many others, have sale/clearance areas. If you wait until the middle or end of a season, you're likely to get the best deals on seasonal items. And if you shop online, you may have a wider selection, or be able to find items that aren't available locally. 
​Accessories and smaller décor elements are easy to change out for a different look in your home. Why spend lots of money on these items when you may switch your colors or theme regularly? Just my two cents.