Beautiful friends, I’m so happy you are here! I hope everyone enjoyed a blessed holiday with family and friends. It’s a brand new year, and I’m so excited to see what this year brings! I thought I would kick the year off with a fun round up of super simple thrift store makeovers!

WARNING: Lots of fantastically simple makeover ideas ahead that may make you want to run (not walk) to your closest thrift store!!

If you’re looking to get creative in the new year, looking around your home for a few things you can update might be a great place to start! Or, head out to your local thrift store and find you some bargains!

Today’s round up is all about the smalls!

I’ve shared a ton of mini makeovers in my Painting the Smalls series, and I’ve pulled 23 of my favorites to share with you today!

I used mostly whites and soft coastal hues for these pieces since most of them end up in my booth and that is what sells for me, but you can use any colors you like!

Find more details about each makeover by clicking the link I’ve provided below each after photo.

23 Simple Thrift Store Makeovers

ENJOY!

Mini Makeover #1

First up is this set of corbels one of my dear friends was purging from her kitchen redo:

She reached out to see if I could use them, and of course, I said yes!

They only needed paint to turn them into fantastic chunky bookends:

Painting the Smalls #2

Mini Makeover #2

Next up is this pie basket I picked up for super cheap at the thrift store:

Sea Glass and a cute wreath stencil brightened it right up:

 

PAINTING THE SMALLS #6

Mini Makeover #3

This next piece had some pretty details and I liked the glass bottom, so I decided to bring it home:

 

All I did for this one was remove the glass and  give it a coat of spray primer followed by spray paint to give it a fresh new look:

A little sandpaper highlighted the details…

PAINTING THE SMALLS #3

Mini Makeover #4

I rarely pass up a set of candle sticks since they’re always good sellers for me:

In my most recent smalls post, I redid three of these using Manatee Gray and White Wax:

 

PAINTING THE SMALLS #14

Mini Makeover #5

Another thing I always look twice at are clocks:

This was already a pretty piece, but it had some wear.

A couple of coats of Cotton bright white paint did wonders!

And once again, a little sanding highlighted all those details!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #14

Mini Makeover #6

Y’all know how much I love baskets…this is a set I picked up a couple of years ago:

I only used spray primer on these and it was enough at the time to freshen them right up!

Looking back now, the finish is a bit dull. Nowadays, I much prefer to use chalk paint on my baskets, and brushing it on with a larger flat round brush like the Best Dang Brush makes is so quick and easy to do!

I also added a classic black and white  toile fabric liner to the smaller of these two baskets:

PAINTING THE SMALLS #3

Mini Makeover #7

Small boxes area also something I always consider at thrift stores, and I’ve picked up two of this style over the years. I think maybe they were originally from Bombay Co.?

This one got a simple Cotton white makeover on the outside:

With a pretty pop of custom mixed blue and a sweet mini transfer on the inside!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #7

Mini Makeover #8

I loved this ornate $4 frame when I found it and knew it was coming home with me!

I layered white and Manatee Gray for a weathered look to bring out all those details and popped in a chalk board:

I just love those gorgeous details, and this one has a spot for the chalk!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #11

Mini Makeover #9

Here’s another set of candle sticks I couldn’t pass up:

Sea Glass and Black Wax brought out all these details…

 

PAINTING THE SMALLS #12

Mini Makeover #10

Can you tell I’m drawn to all the ornate things?? This shelf was another pretty piece:

It looks just right with its simple shabby update:

White is always a win in my book, and the cheat distressing method worked perfectly here!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #7

Mini Makeover #11

Next up is this rattan box. I love just about anything rattan, but I wasn’t sure if this box could be redeemed.

For 99¢, I was willing to take my chances:

Turns out, it could!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #9

Mini Makeover #12

This next piece was part of my Painting the Smalls, Holiday Edition in 2020:

This basket was a good size and I knew when I found it that it would be perfect for holding a Christmas Tree!

This look was achieved with Voodoo Gel Stain in Up in Smoke and dry brushed Cotton white paint:

PAINTING THE SMALLS, HOLIDAY EDITION!

Mini Makeover #13

Makeover #13 is this cool thrift store find:

It had seen better days, but a simple paint job in Cotton White and Vintage Duck Egg Blue changed the whole look!

 

PAINTING THE SMALLS #8

Mini Makeover #14

Up next is another clock that had yellowed its way right to the thrift store:

I’ve seen this clock at Hobby Lobby and it did not start out this way!

I gave it two coats of Cotton and added some decorative resin pieces I made with decor moulds to the corners:

PAINTING THE SMALLS #11

Pretty again!

Mini Makeover #15

Here’s a wire basket I picked up for super cheap:

I didn’t really love it when I found it but at $2, the price was right so in the cart it went!

It’s amazing what dry-brushing a little Sea Glass onto these plain pieces can do!

 

PAINTING THE SMALLS #6

Right?? And so easy! I always give these inexpensive metal pieces a second look now, and I update them this way often.

Mini Makeover #16

Here’s another thing I always pick up…spice racks!

Mint Julep and a mini transfer are lovely on this one:

PAINTING THE SMALLS #9

Not only are they still great for spices, but also for nail polish, essential oils, small craft paints and more!

Mini Makeover #17

Next up is this hanging soap dish I had gifted one of my favorite friends decades ago it seems, but she was finally done with it and offered it back:

White always freshens things up, and the addition of a mini transfer gave it a whole new look!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #4

Mini Makeover #18

This wood shop project from 1984 was only a dollar…

I gave it a fresh new Summer look with stripes:

This is a custom mix of 40% The Gulf, 40% Vintage Duck Egg Blue, and 20% Cotton.

PAINTING THE SMALLS #12

It’s actually cute now, right??

Mini Makeover #19

Here’s another basket I found that I actually passed on the first time I saw it at the thrift store since it needed some repair:

It was half off the next time I saw it and so I had to bring it home, and the repair ended up being an easy fix.

Cotton paint and the simple addition of a number from a pack of 2015 New Year’s decorations I found at the thrift store gave it a whole new, updated feel:

Sanding it added the worn look I love:

PAINTING THE SMALLS #6

Mini Makeover #20

That was a cute shaped basket to begin with, but how about this one a al Pepperidge Farm gift basket?

Not nearly as cute…but a similar treatment made it totally cute!

I didn’t even distress this one!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #11

I love you, paint!

Mini Makeover #21

Up next is another basket that just got a simple paint job:

I went with the same custom aqua blue mix (40% The Gulf, 40% Vintage Duck Egg Blue, and 20% Cotton) that I used on the paper towel holder I shared above:

I sanded this one too to give it that time-worn look:

PAINTING THE SMALLS #13

Mini Makeover #22

Here’s another set of candlesticks I found that were in serious need of a new look:

These detailed pieces are fantastic for showing off what the waxes can do!

This gorgeous combination is White Wax over French Linen:

PAINTING THE SMALLS #9

Mini Makeover #23

And finally, this metal basket I picked up on my first thrifting trip once everything started opening back up in 2020:

I loved it as is, but I loved it even more dry brushed with the same pretty blue custom mix I used on a couple of other pieces in this post:

It almost gives it a patina look!

PAINTING THE SMALLS #7

And that’s 23 simple thrift store makeovers!

Are you ready to grab your keys and head to the thrift store??

I hope y’all enjoyed this fun look back at some super easy redos, and I hope you’re feeling inspired to get creative!!

If you like what I share, feel free to share me with your friends!! I would love to continue to grow our blog family in 2022!!

If you have a booth or do craft markets, you might enjoy this post:

How to Price the Smalls

I’ll be back on Thursday with my first brand new thrifty makeover of the year, this mirror frame from my FREE-to-me Haul:

See y’all then!!

UPDATE! It’s done and ready to see now HERE!

XOXO,

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