You’re reading Jersey Girl Thrift’s bi-weekly newsletter! A quick and fun read, full of second-hand trends, style tips, local sales, contributor stories, and a recipe or two. It’s everything you need to live a thrifty and luscious life.

🎃 Hello, Jersey Girls

First and foremost, are you swapping with us this fall? We can’t wait to see you! This season we’ve got…

Cozy sweaters? Check. Cute fall jackets? Check. Halloween costumes? Got a rack just for that. Bring a friend, grab your ticket, and let’s thrift together.

Now for the thrifted Halloween Haul of the season! This newsletter features one woman’s journey from a paralyzing “Pinterest-perfect” decor vision (we’ve all been there) to finally just having FUN with Halloween. See her favorite places to thrift and how she decorated her home for under $100!

THRILL-HER: Finding My Spooky Secondhand Style with Chelsey Leigh ✍️

In the past, I didn’t truly decorate the way I wanted to in my heart. I was super overwhelmed by having a cohesive vision and wanting everything to coordinate.

SO I didn’t do ANYTHING! Crazy, I know. I had one plastic white pumpkin that lived on my front steps long after the leaves had fallen and returned.

Now I know that home decor doesn’t have to be “Pinterest perfect,” and if I like it, it works! Especially for seasonal items.

So, this Halloween, I decided to really commit. But I needed to get myself organized! Where was I going to begin? What the heck was I looking for? Here’s my list for holiday thrifting.

STEP 1: MAKE A LIST

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t quite sure at first what I was looking for, but I had a feeling I’d know when I saw it. After hitting a few spots, I was able to hone in on my vision. 

I decided my vibe for this year is more fun spooky than scary spooky. Here is the list of items I came up with:

• Little pumpkins (obvi) 

• Faux flowers 

• Signs/hanging decor

• Hand towels 

• Decorative tray 

• Additional items that fit the vibe (gotta leave space for the item to choose you!)

STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE

I focused my sights on the following locations/websites to help build my shopping strategy. Here are my favorite spots:

• Goodwill (Pompton Plains & Elmwood Park locations)

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore

• Local garage sales via Nextdoor or Facebook Marketplace

• Estatesale.net (for local estate sales)

• Thethriftshopper.com (some outdated info, but still a good resource)

STEP 3: STAY FOCUSED

You can go bananas just buying stuff because it fits the theme! I tried to follow a few guidelines to keep myself in check. 

Before picking the item up, I asked myself:

1. How much do I wish to purchase this for?

2. If it’s more than I imagine, is it worth it to me?

3. Would I buy this item at “full price” or am I just attracted to it because it’s $1?

STEP 4: SHARE YOUR HAUL

I brought my various bags to one location and gingerly placed my items out so I could admire my work. I was impressed with myself! Are you chomping at the bit to see how I’m decorating this Halloween?

Chelsey Leigh’s (Fun) Spooky Swap Haul

1. PUMPKINS

   First and foremost: pumpkins. Yay! Can check them off my list, and they are so perfect.

2. FAUX FLOWERS
   I found some faux flowers at various places that were pretty fab.

3. WHIMSICAL NAPKIN HOLDER

I just had to have this owl napkin holder. Something that can remain out for the entire season and into winter!

4. KITCHEN ITEMS

I didn’t get hand towels, but I DID get these adorable pot holders to hang in my kitchen!

And I love that these sweet placemats are such a fun and simple way to add Halloween to a common area (and you can switch them out each season!)

5. TINS

I’m a sucker for a thing you can put things in — a box, tin, or catch-all tray, hate to see me coming! I was pumped to snag these spooky cat tins and this funky little skeleton dish.

#6 OLD PHOTOS

I bought a box of photos for $1 from a kind gentleman’s garage sale in Montclair (that’s a story for another day), and inside were these iconic Halloween dog photos. What a fun surprise decor piece! They go perfectly in this tiny double frame. (The dog’s name is Jojo).

#7 SIGNS

So much of the decor I chose was to place out at eye level, but there’s only so much surface area. I was excited to find these quirky signs to hang!

#8 OUTDOOR FLAGS

Can’t forget the exterior! I was able to snag these flags for 50 cents each! (In addition to a bunch of others that I will be changing through the seasons.) I love how nostalgic/retro Halloween imagery feels.

#9 REGRET

Are you even a thrifter if you don't grieve the item you left without? One regret is leaving this baby behind. As a true Jersey girl who loves a leopard print, I’m kicking myself for not picking this one up. Will someone go rescue her?!

This has been such a fun journey, and I cannot wait to decorate my home with these carefully chosen treasures. I’m so grateful to those who have passed these items on and vow to take good care of them.

What did I miss? Which items would you have thrifted or left behind? I love being a girl descended from hunter-gatherers :).

Stay thrifty, witches!

Chelsey Leigh

Want to share your story with the JGT community?

We already love swapping outfits. Why not swap stories too? Share your thrift tips, NJ musings, or spooky-season style ideas by filling out our contributor form below. We’ll help shape it and make sure your voice shines in a future newsletter. It’s the perfect way to promote your brand, project, or passion to the JGT community. 💌