You can find a lot of things at the thrift store and regret will always be one of them. Buyer's remorse is one thing, but leaver's remorse is a whole other story when it comes to thrifting. There are so many one-of-a-kind items you'll probably never see again, but at the end of the day, you can't buy everything and it's impossible to know for sure what you'll regret leaving behind days, months, even years in the future.
Here are ten things I've found in thrift and antique shops in the past few months that I absolutely regret leaving behind now that I've had more time to think about it or now that I've found a project/space they'd be perfect for.
01.
Starting off the list is this mirror I just passed up on our Kansas City trip. I immediately thought it was beautiful, but impractical to get because we were traveling. But we were driving, not flying so why didn't I try to fit it in the car?? I'll never know the answer and I'll always regret it.
02.
When I spotted this dish, I thought it was pretty, but didn't want to bother with the tape and didn't want to buy it without seeing all of it. I found it at the beginning of my thrift trip and forgot to circle back to it at the end. I remember the dish had strawberries and the cloche was nice and heavy. Not sure they're meant to go together, but I like both and could use the cloche separately. If I had bought it that is...
03.
Found this bathroom set during my Thrift Budget Challenge and it didn't make the cut for the day. However, I'm a sucker for mother of pearl and kind of wish I had grabbed these.
04.
I carried this bag around an antique shop for quite awhile before finally deciding against it. But now I'm wishing I'd kept it because it looks really similar to an adorable bag Isla was gifted for Christmas that I love. Wish we could've been coordinated with these. Her's is yellow gingham and would go so well with the pink.
05.
I apologize for the terrible picture, but hopefully you can imagine. I had no use for this ruffly pillow case when I found it, but I loved the fabric. If I had it now, I'd totally repurpose the fabric for a pillow for Isla's upcoming Princess and the Pea bed I'm working on.
06.
Another bad picture, sorry. I love the colors in this Christmas blanket, I think the townhomes are adorable, and I'd love to style this with my Christmas decor, but I was traveling at the time with limited suitcase space sadly.
07.
Another reject during my Thrift Budget Challenge. This vest was a little too wide and I was avoiding adding to my growing number of sewing projects. But it was a nice brand, I love the color, and I really like the amount of buttons. I'd love to style this now.
08.
This was a Facebook Marketplace find I missed out on. Don't get me wrong, I love my sofa, but these had me considering a change. The fabric looks perfect, I love the silhouette, and the pleating on the sides really got me.
09.
This one's a little hard to see, it's a tweed newsboy hat. I like how I look in hats, but rarely wear them so I talk myself out of buying them a lot. I wish I had at least tried this one on because I think it's a perfect vintage pattern/style.
10.
Lastly, this little print found at an antique shop. It looks just like a couple others that I found at the same shop the year before and am obsessed with. I'd need a different frame, of course, but I think it would've been so perfect to have the three of them hanging together.
I can't change the past, but I can reminisce and dream about what could've been while promising myself I'll do better in the future. And hey, maybe I will stumble upon one of these again someday.