Want to make your life more romantic without breaking the bank? This blog reveals six fabulous finds you can score at thrift stores and flea markets – from elegant teacups to glam vanity trays. Which one would you choose to add a touch of magic to your daily routine?

6 Secondhand Items That Will Help You Romanticize Your Life

These days, we’re all about romanticizing our lives. We try to elevate the everyday to make even the smallest, most mundane rituals feel special. The good news is that becoming better at romanticizing your life doesn’t have to involve spending tons of money. 

Thrift store finds for Romantic Living

Below are six items that you can find at thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets that will help you get into the routine of embracing the little things by using secondhand items to romanticize your life.

Teacups

What’s better than spending a slow morning sipping hot tea out of a beautiful vintage teacup as you plan out your to-dos for the day?

Estate sales and secondhand stores are often full of gorgeous china cups and saucers that can instantly take any cuppa to the next level and make you feel as though you’re starting your day in a luxe cafe. If you can, pick up a few cups and saucers. They don’t all have to match. You can invite a few friends over for a good old-fashioned afternoon tea party—what could be more chic?!

Journals

Journaling is a big part of romanticizing one’s life—oftentimes, the little things you’re experiencing each day end up being the big things in the end! 

Sometimes all it takes to start writing is stocking up on some pretty supplies, and there are many blank, high-end journals to be found secondhand. Just because someone else didn’t get into the habit doesn’t mean you can’t!

Vanity Trays

There is something so glam and romantic about sitting at a vanity to get ready for the day rather than hurriedly applying makeup in front of a so-so bathroom mirror. You can easily DIY a vanity by purchasing a small desk or dressing table and then sourcing a nice mirror to hang above it. 

Once you’ve done so, you’ll need the perfect vanity tray on which to display your favorite perfumes, lipsticks, and more.

Whether you opt for something glass, crystal, or brass, you can’t go wrong as long as it brings you joy and provides enough room for all of your go-to lotions and potions.

Glass Perfume Bottles

Speaking of perfumes, why not decant yours into traditional glass bottles for a bit of extra decorative flair? Vintage perfume bottles are easy to come across while shopping secondhand and will make your vanity display even more aesthetically pleasing. Plus, it’s hard not to romanticize your life when you make a ritual of spritzing on your favorite scent before dashing out the door.

Vintage Coffee Table Books: 

Coffee table books are full of inspiration, but vintage coffee table books in particular will help to take you back to a simpler time in an instant. Romanticizing your life is all about embracing doses of nostalgia and honoring some of the original greats who knew how to make the most of every day (think: Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, and Dorothy Draper, for example). 

Crystal Candlesticks

Finally, don’t leave a stunning crystal candlestick duo behind when shopping secondhand. Lighting candles at the dinner table will majorly elevate the experience, even if you’re consuming leftover takeout solo. 

Place vintage candlesticks throughout the house or apartment if you wish. They’ll shine on the mantel, coffee table, nightstand, and beyond—the more, the merrier!

Romanticizing life with vintage finds can be easy with these secondhand finds that can transform everyday routines into cherished rituals. Embrace the art of elevating the mundane and discover the unique, romanticized beauty that secondhand shopping can bring to your life with these secondhand finds for home decor.

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

April 15, 2025     Updated 10:04 AM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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