The 5 Best Items to Source for Flipping During the Holiday Season

Looking to take on some simple thrift flips as you decorate your space this holiday season? Below, you’ll find five of our favorite items to look for as you shop secondhand, whether you’re in the market for larger furnishings or smaller decorative accents. 

Washstands

If you’re looking for a stylish alternative to the classic bar cart to spice up your at-home entertaining this season, consider setting your sights on a traditional washstand while shopping secondhand. Hayley Redmond Cilley of Tilt Top Living has enjoyed giving washstands a new life over the years and notes that they’re excellent for toy storage, too. We’re partial to wooden washstands with marble tops, which look super chic in all types of homes. Top yours off with a tray full of liquor bottles, a pretty set of glassware, and a vintage cocktail shaker, and you’re all ready to celebrate with friends and loved ones. 

Elevate your holiday hosting with this Late 19th Century Mohogany Washstand - available for bidding in our online auctions.

Candle holders

Redmond Cilley enjoys keeping her eyes out for candle holders while secondhand shopping all throughout the year. “With such a broad range of styles, they are so versatile and can be used in any room of a home,” she says. “We love to curate a grouping of eye-catching shapes for a collected feel or add a fun colored candle to match the season—they’re perfect for a unique and upscale tablescape.” Most silver candle holders will likely just need a bit of polishing, but if you come upon wood pieces that have seen better days, you can also consider spray painting them or covering them with gold leaf to give these preloved finds a new lease on life. 

Light up your space with this enchanting Mexican Tin Christmas Candelabra Christmas Tree - available for bidding in our online auctions.

Ashtrays 

Instead of using them for their intended purpose, buy ashtrays to use as decor this holiday season. For example, ashtrays are great to use as bases for jarred candles; they’ll jazz up your coffee table in an instant when entertaining! Alternatively, use them to house jewelry on the nightstand on a day to day basis. Ashtrays will most likely just need a quick clean to be good as new again, no major flipping required here. 

This Vintage 2-piece Heart Shaped Ashtray can easily transforms into a chic jewelry box, making it a versatile addition to your decor - – available for bidding in our online auctions.

Vases/Vessels

Whether you like to display real or faux sprigs of berries, evergreen stems, and the like, you’re going to want to keep plenty of vases and vessels on hand this holiday season to dress up your dining table, mantel, entryway console, and the like. While traditional stoneware vessels can cost a pretty penny, you can oftentimes find beautiful secondhand options at thrift stores and estate sales. They may simply need a coat of paint or a bit of DIY love to look a bit more luxe. There are many useful online tutorials that detail how to make a vase look rustic or distressed on a budget. 

Add an artistic touch to your space with this Royal Arts Art Nouveau Vase - available for bidding in our online auctions.

Tablecloths, Blankets, and Fabric Scraps 

Why purchase a premade tree skirt when you can sew your own using fabric scraps? When secondhand shopping, keep an eye out for festive colors and patterns that will take your Christmas tree to the next level. Not into sewing? Many tablecloths and blankets can be artfully wrapped around the tree to resemble a standard skirt; look for cozy plaid pieces that will add warmth and seasonal flair to your living space.

Dive into the world of festive fabrics with this set of assorted napkins, placemats, and tablecloths, all available for bidding in our online auctions.

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

December 1, 2023     Updated 12:12 PM

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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