This DIYer Upcycles the 'Ugliest' Things in the Thrift Store and Gives Them New Life
When most of us browse the home goods aisles of thrift stores, we're usually looking for the prettiest things we can find – but not Jenna Townsend.
This creator, known as @touch.of.townsend on TikTok, specifically seeks out the "ugliest" items at secondhand shops, and then takes them home for a makeover. This is such a lovely way to give items from the waste stream a new life - read on to learn more!
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This Thrift Flipper Took an "Ugly" Dog Figurine and Made It Look Expensive and Chic
"I thrifted the UGLIEST things I could find!" Jenna Townsend wrote on a recent TikTok. "Who else loves an ugly thrift flip! SO MUCH potential out there on those thrift store shelves!!"
In the video, she peruses the home goods shelves of a ThriftSmart shop, panning past a bunch of items - including a scary anglerfish statuette that I was certain she was going to choose - until landing on a ceramic dog figurine. The white figurine is messily painted with black and green spots, and probably safe to assume was a child's project at a paint-your-own-pottery studio.
Most people wouldn't even give the puppy a second look, but Townsend immediately saw the potential. For $3.99, she bought it, took it home and got to work - and this upgrade was much easier than you'd think. All she did was cover it with gold spray paint, which completely transformed this kiddy art project into something Jonathan Adler could sell for $95.
@touch.of.townsend Who else loves an ugly thrift flip! SO MUCH potential out there on those thrift store shelves!! #thriftflip#crafting#thriftfinds#secondhand#diyproject
Honey in Transit - Silken Echo
Next, She Turned a Mini Christmas Dresser Into Functional Year-Round Decor
Then, Townsend browsed the aisle of Goodwill, where she found a teeny-tiny red Christmas dresser (probably around a foot tall), finished with candy-cane drawer pulls and topped with a wooden Santa Claus. This also cost $3.99, and was also really simple to make over.
After bringing it home, Townsend used a hammer to knock off the Santa (sorry, Santa). Then, she painted over the entire piece with beige paint followed by a brown wood stain. After letting the stain dry, she wiped it off with a paper towel, resulting in what looks like a brand new natural wood mini dresser!
Thrift Flipping Is a Fantastic Hack for Sustainable Shopping
Rescuing "ugly" items - or just items you think are unlikely to sell - from a secondhand shop and then upcycling them is such a wonderful idea. All at once, you are supporting your local thrift shop, spending less money than you otherwise would have on a new product and getting to flex your creative muscles.
Additionally, you are helping to divert items from the waste stream. In this era of overconsumption, so much of what we buy winds up in thrift stores - and items that don't sell usually wind up in the trash. So by rescuing items that would have otherwise gone to the landfill, thrifting items to flip is so much more eco-friendly than buying new.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 7:20 AM.