I Never Go to the Thrift Store Without Looking at This Underrated Section

On most weekends you can find me at estate sales and thrift stores, looking for those holy-grail items that make my thrift trip go from fun excursion to total steal. I’ve spent countless hours looking for mid-century light fixtures and gorgeous crewel artwork, and sifting through original oil paintings and vintage fabric squares. But sometimes the best thrift finds are smaller, and not the kind of thing that would get me a spot on Antiques Road Show. 

That’s why, when I’m done searching for the bigger treasures, I head to an often-overlooked section of the thrift store that I call the “paper bins.” Typically tucked away in corners or jammed into basement shelves, I’ve found excellent, cheap treasures in these bins that are great not just for my own use, but also as gifts for others. Now no thrift trip is complete without me looking through the bins. 

Whether or not the name is official, I call these the “paper bins.” That’s because they are typically filled with blank notecards, greeting cards, and wrapping paper — all at a fraction of the price of what it would cost to buy these things new (and with more character, too!).

I often find items hailing from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, and I think these paper items have way more charm than any cards or wrapping paper currently for sale in big-box stores. They make the gifts I wrap for friends far more interesting than they typically would be, and oftentimes the gift wrapping is almost a gift in and of itself. I mean, where else are you going to find notecards with adorable little girls holding flowers, or a sad puppy dog telling someone to feel better — all with that true vintage charm?

I had a ton of fun wrapping gifts this past Christmas with all of the wrapping supplies I had collected throughout the year, but keeping greeting cards, wrapping paper, and vintage notecards around is also just a great way to be sure that I have cards on hand anytime I want to send a thank you note or sympathy card to a friend. 

I love all things paper — especially now. This year I’m working on going more and more “analog,” eschewing text messages for mailed cards, and opting for wrapped presents instead of emailed digital gift cards, for example. Plus, this is a more sustainable way of buying new paper products — many of the items I’ve found were made 60 years in the past, making them vintage gems that could stand to be used before I look at any retailers’ newest paper offerings. 

In addition to all that cuteness, and the “Oh my gosh, where did you find this?” comments I regularly receive, here’s another little secret: I haven’t bought new, full-priced notecards and gift wrap since I started raiding these bins — and the ones I find are rarely priced over $1 a piece. I never pass up these bins; even if it’s not the season or I don’t foresee a specific occasion, I stock up anyway so I’ll always have the right card or wrapping paper on hand. 

Here are a few of my tips for those who want to also go the vintage paper route:

• When you hit an estate sale or thrift shop, always look first at those areas where you know the good stuff lies, but then loop around to those little bins hidden in nooks and crannies. 
• At estate sales, I’ve found that boxes of notecards can typically be found in basements and closets; at thrift stores, they’re usually located next to notebooks and office supplies. 
• Be patient as you sift. Sometimes, there are hundreds of cards or stacks/rolls of wrapping paper to go through. But the good news is that these items tend to not be the main draw for shoppers, so you’ll likely have these bins all to yourself. 
• Train your eye to look for vintage details (think: embossed designs, groovy motifs, bright colors, and original packaging that looks old and has prices like 79 cents).