If you’ve ever wondered how to arrange flowers in a vase, you’re in the right place! Creating a beautiful floral display doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With a few simple steps, you can design an arrangement that looks like it came straight from a professional—even using thrifted or secondhand finds!
I think it’s so fun to create all types of flower arrangements, whether real or faux.
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However, it’s even more fun and challenging to give thrifted vases and flowers new life, and this project is the perfect example of how easy (and affordable) it can be.
Before I show you the new arrangement, let’s take a look at where we started.
We had some great luck at thrift stores and yard sales, finding perfect items to make a fall flower arrangement!
While browsing a thrift store in Mount Dora, we stumbled upon this vase filled with gorgeous, real-touch hydrangea stems and greenery in rich fall colors for just $25!
Twenty-five dollars might sound like a lot at first, but considering real-touch hydrangea stems like these can cost up to $12 each, it was an incredible deal!
We also found the four additional flower stems, lying on the table, in coordinating shades for only $2 total.
Can you get over how real they look?
I was thrilled because I immediately pictured using them to create a new arrangement—or maybe even a wreath.
Then, on our next outing, I came across this arrangement at a yard sale.
It was in a pretty bowl, looked a bit messy, but had realistic faux fruit in the same warm fall tones for only $5.
I couldn’t resist!
I knew that by combining all these thrifted treasures, I could create something truly special.
As I started planning how to combine all these pieces, I couldn’t help but notice how much flower arranging styles have changed.
The current trend feels more relaxed and natural—perfect for giving my thrifted finds a fresh, new look!
Let me show you the new arrangement as we talk a little bit about that!
Current trends in flower arranging
Have you noticed that flower arrangements look a little different lately?
I love that the trend has moved away from those tall, perfectly symmetrical bouquets.
Instead, today’s designs are much more relaxed and natural—and honestly, so much easier to make!
Arrangements now have a looser, more organic feel, with blooms and greenery placed in uneven, irregular ways.
One side might have a longer or trailing stem, and the focal flowers are often slightly off-center.
The result looks effortlessly pretty—like the flowers just happened to fall into place that way.
Another big shift is that arrangements are now broader and more spread out instead of tall and vertical.
And here’s the best part: you don’t have to make it perfect!
In fact, a little negative space—those small gaps between stems—actually makes your arrangement look more natural.
Just let the flowers breathe, go with the flow, and enjoy creating something beautiful without worrying about every petal being in the “right” spot.
Gather Your Materials
Before you arrange the flowers in a vase, gather everything you’ll need so the process goes smoothly.
Here’s what I used to create my thrifted flower arrangement:
- Faux flowers – I used hydrangeas and a few coordinating stems in warm fall colors.
- Greenery – A mix of leaves in different shades and textures helps make the arrangement look full and natural.
- Faux fruit – These add a fun pop of color and give the arrangement extra interest.
- Vase or container – Choose something that fits your style. A low, wide vase works beautifully for today’s more natural, spread-out designs.
- Floral foam – Helps anchor the stems and keep everything in place.
- Hot glue – Perfect for securing any loose stems or faux fruit.
- Floral pins – Useful for holding items like greenery or fruit securely in the foam.
- Wire cutters – A must-have for trimming stems to the perfect length.
Steps to Arrange Flowers in a Vase
Now that you’ve gathered your materials, it’s time for the fun part—putting everything together!
Here are the steps I used to arrange my thrifted flowers in a vase to create a beautiful look that feels effortless.
Prep your container
Start by cleaning your vase or container so your finished arrangement looks fresh and polished.
My thrifted vase already had two pieces of floral foam glued inside, so I simply wiped down the outside with a damp microfiber cloth—being careful to keep the foam dry.
If your vase doesn’t already have foam, cut a piece to fit snugly inside and secure it with hot glue if needed.
The foam will help anchor your stems and keep them in place as you build your arrangement.
Add greenery around the edge
Begin by placing greenery around the rim of your container.
Let some of the leaves and stems drape slightly over the edge to create a soft, natural shape.
This step helps define the outline of your arrangement and gives you a wider base to build on.
Anchor faux fruit
Next, it’s time to add your faux fruit.
Mine had picks attached to the ends, which made it easy to push them right into the floral foam.
If yours don’t have picks, you can secure them with hot glue.
Try placing the fruit near the base or slightly off-center—it adds visual weight, texture, and a touch of realism to your arrangement.
Place the largest Stems and flowers
Before adding the flowers, I started with the greenery stems that came with my hydrangeas.
The stems were very long, and I didn’t want to cut them, so I simply bent them and laid them across the vase, securing them with floral pins.
This helped create a base layer with nice movement and width.
Next, I used the same technique with the hydrangeas, bending the stems and placing them so the blooms sat naturally across the arrangement.
By crossing a few stems and varying their angles, I was able to build a full, layered look that feels soft and organic.
Place secondary flower blooms
Fill in around your focal flowers with the smaller secondary blooms.
Think of these as the supporting cast—they help blend your colors and textures together.
Step back occasionally to check your balance and make sure everything looks natural, not too even or stiff.
Fill in with greenery
Once your flowers are placed, go back and tuck in extra greenery wherever you see gaps.
Mixing different leaf textures makes the arrangement feel more realistic.
Don’t be afraid to let a few stems stick out a bit—it adds that beautiful, organic feel that’s so on-trend right now.
Add finishing touches
Once your arrangement feels balanced and full, it’s time for the fun little details.
Step back and take a look from every angle—fluff the flowers, adjust any greenery, and make sure no foam is showing.
I thought I was finished, but then I had a great idea!
To tie everything together, I decided to make a coordinating garland for our mantel using only items I already had on hand.
How fun is that garland?
I’ll be sharing how to make it soon!
To help the two pieces look like part of the same collection, I added a few small burgundy and red hydrangea blooms to both the arrangement and the garland.
That little pop of color made the whole display feel cohesive and complete.
Final Thoughts
I love how this project came together using mostly thrifted and secondhand finds.
It’s such a great reminder that you don’t need to spend a lot to create something beautiful for your home.
Once you know how to arrange flowers in a vase, the possibilities are endless—you can refresh your arrangement each season or mix in new pieces you discover at thrift stores or yard sales.
I hope this inspires you to look at old floral pieces in a new way and create something uniquely yours!
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Blessings, Donna and Rich
More Inspiration
Are you interested in more Thanksgiving inspiration? These posts might be helpful:
- How to Host the Best Thanksgiving Ever
- Thanksgiving 2024
- Thanksgiving 2023
- Thanksgiving 2022
- A Thanksgiving Weekend Tradition
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**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
You found some beautiful items, Donna and you arranged them in such a lovely way.
Thanks Kim, I was thrilled to find such pretty flowers! It was fun to put together!
What a fabulous transformation, Donna. I always pass flower arrangements like these up when I’m out thrifting but this makes me realize I need to take a second look. They’re the perfect complement to your fall tablescape! Hugs, CoCo
I was the same way CoCo, until I saw those hydrangeas, and I knew I had to have them for fall! Thanks so much!
Woah!! I LOVE This idea!! Your new floral arrangement turned out SO good, Donna!! Amazing finds!
Thanks Rachel! I was so excited to find such beautiful items at such low prices! I knew with a little love they could look fabulous! Thanks for your encouragement to hit the thrift stores regularly!!