6 Nostalgic Home Items to Look for at Thrift Stores in 2025, According to Designers

Furnishing your space with thrifted items is a great way to save money on decor, but it also allows you to get creative by personalizing your home with unique touches. In 2024, nostalgia became the inspiration for everything from furniture to electronics, and this trend will definitely continue in 2025 with thrift store finds that channel a sense of comfort.  

“Nostalgia offers an extended level of connection that contemporary decor can’t compete with,” says Allyn Lewis, owner of Gem Finds Vintage. “Sprinkling nostalgic pieces throughout your home offers a sense of familiarity and comfort.” From a design standpoint, Lewis says, mixing old and new items is a classic technique that professionals use to create a curated, layered aesthetic. “Applying this principle to your space helps elevate the overall look, making it feel more intentional and timeless while also keeping it interesting and full of character,” he adds.  

Secondhand shopping expert Macy Eleni agrees, noting nostalgic decor leans into the warm and fuzzy feeling you might get when scouring your local thrift store for budget-friendly finds. “These pieces make us feel things and capture emotions that a random Amazon decor purchase could never,” she notes. “It’s also more sustainable and cheaper to utilize what already exists in thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, and Facebook Marketplace versus buying new.”  

What specific nostalgic secondhand finds should you be on the lookout for, though? These are the most popular thrift store finds to seek out in 2025, according to our panel of secondhand shopping experts. 

According to Lewis, maps are trending again. But it’s an elevated version of the “wanderlust” decor trend of the mid-2010s this time around, thanks to more travel-related imagery and old-timey versions of maps versus more contemporary options. “Maps are a great place to start if you’re looking for an easy way to incorporate nostalgia into a room,” she explains. “Look for a map of a place or city that has personal significance to you — whether it’s an elegantly framed antique print or a folding map styled on your office table, it will spark curiosity and conversation.”

“Books are one of the best ways to weave nostalgia into your space because there are books out there for everything,” says Lewis. Your book hunt should be based on the aesthetic of your choosing. For example, Lewis says a cloth-covered floral book can “add an elegant Victorian touch to a bookshelf,” while a worn-in leather-bound book “can add sophistication to an office.” If you want to go bigger, Alex Bass, an interior designer, art curator, and founder of Salon 21, also suggests browsing the secondhand coffee table book section. “I find the best coffee table books at thrift stores in great condition,” she remarks. 

No matter what aesthetic you’re shopping for, lamps are always a great thrift find. According to Lewis, fairy lamps are particularly popular right now because of their enchanting yet functional touch. “Fairy lamps are candleholders with a base and a shade that offer a whimsical, cozy glow,” she explains. “While rare fairy lamps can get extremely pricey, less-sought-after colors and styles can often be found affordably and still add instant charm and delight to any space.” Go flameless by adding a battery-operated candle or a puck light to your fairy lamp, too. 

If that’s not your style, though, you can find tons of other nostalgic lighting options at thrift stores, including Tiffany-style lamps, vintage IKEA lights, and more. “Lamps are often really inexpensive at thrift stores and are an easy way to quite literally brighten up a space,” says Eleni. “Most trends popping up online are based in nostalgia, so when some ‘mid-century modern inspired’ IKEA lamp is going viral, I promise the OG is somewhere in the secondhand world and will last you a lot longer than something made to look like it now.”

Vintage artwork is the one thing designers recommend looking for in 2025 — and it’s also a fantastic source of nostalgia. In addition to finding an oil painting, poster, or print, Bass recommends framing your more unique treasures. “You can always reframe unusual thrift store finds and incorporate them into gallery walls,” she explains. “I typically ask my framer for leftover scraps of vintage-looking gilded frames as well to complete the nostalgic look.” This trick usually makes professional framing much cheaper, too. 

Warm up your space with vintage or antique wooden stools and chairs. “They remind me of something you would find in a child’s bedroom, and now they are all the rage,” says Bass. “Add one to your hallway with a stack of books on top or in a powder room to hold extra towels.” You can also mix and match wooden chairs and pair them with a more modern table to add a nostalgic touch to your kitchen. 

What’s more nostalgic than trinkets? Eleni says to lean into objects that spark joy, aka “something that grabs your eyes as you’re wandering the decor aisles at the thrift and makes your inner child scream, ‘I always wanted that!’” This could be anything from an incredibly rare Juicy Couture gumball machine from the early 2000s (Eleni’s latest thrift find) to a board game you can stack on a shelf. 

No matter what you’re nostalgic for, adding a few secondhand items that jibe with your decor style can help ground your space in 2025. And there’s no better place to look for these objects than a thrift store.