Say Goodbye To Boring Vases - Try This Fun Alternative You Can Get At The Thrift Store

While thrifting continues to rise in popularity, there are still some people who might feel lost while walking through the seemingly random odds and ends at their local thrift shop. To the untrained eye, a thrift shop looks like an explosion of useless, secondhand knick-knacks, but the rule to thrift better treasures is maintaining an open mind. With a little creativity, otherwise underwhelming home goods can be reimagined into intriguing statement pieces. Even the most common items you'll find at thrift stores have the potential to elevate your interior design. For example, salt and pepper shakers are plentiful in most thrift shops. You can actually use these pieces as a fun alternative to bud vases. 

Salt and pepper shakers have been around since the late 1850s, but they didn't catapult into popularity until around the 1920s. Since then, the simple matching sets have diverged into more artful iterations. Shakers can take the form of a chicken and egg, a set of books, a pair of clementines — you name it! They're typically made of glass, ceramic, or metal.

You can count on finding a unique set that speaks to you if you're willing to put in the time to search. From plain shaker sets to novelty pieces, you are bound to stumble across plenty of these items at your local thrift shop. However, if you don't find a set you love in person, there are plenty of people and retailers selling them online. Search catalogs such as Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, or eBay for more options.

Each shaker will vary slightly in its design. Generally speaking, there should be small shaker holes at the top where the salt or pepper was originally intended to sprinkle out of. Some will feature screw tops, while others have stoppers on the bottom to fill them from. You can use either version as a bud vase. Simply thread your flower stems through the shaker holes. Just make sure if you're using one with a bottom stopper that it's nice and tight. This will ensure you can securely fill it with water for your plants. If it can't hold water, you can use dried or faux flowers instead. 

Place your shaker bud vases anywhere your home needs a burst of color. This playful decor alternative offers a unique way to decorate your living room or kitchen with vintage thrift store finds you would otherwise not know what to do with. If you love the novelty of these collectibles but don't necessarily want to formally display them on a shelf, this is the perfect solution for naturally incorporating them in your home.

You can also style salt and pepper shakers on a tray, in pots as a plant accessory, or scattered wherever you need a bit of extra whimsy. For a more practical approach, consider filling old shakers with glitter for arts and crafts, or perhaps with flower seeds for easier scattering. Of course, you can also reserve one set for its intended purpose: serving salt and pepper.