lara spencer is putting secondhand style at the center of a new TV competition, with That Thrifting Show premiering on Freeform on Thursday, March 19 (ET). The series frames thrifting not as a niche hobby, but as a mainstream design tool—one that blends creativity, budget discipline, and a sustainability-first mindset.
What happens when Lara Spencer turns thrifting into a timed design challenge?
lara spencer hosts and executive produces That Thrifting Show, which asks contestants—and viewers at home—to imagine decorating with secondhand home decor “from beginning to end. ” The format follows teams transforming a blank room into a finished, styled space using only thrifted finds within a strict budget. Each episode ends with a winner chosen by design experts Robert Hartwell, Dani Klaric, and Preston Konrad.
The constraint is part of the point: teams work with $2, 000 in thrifted pieces, and the show positions that limit as a practical lesson rather than a handicap. Spencer’s on-air message is clear: it is “not about bigger, shinier, newer, ” but about creating rooms “that tell a story, ” built from “vintage, upcycled, thrifted, thrown-away pieces. ”
There is also a built-in continuation of the items’ lifecycle after filming. The winning team keeps the thrifted pieces from both finished rooms, and each episode closes with a home video showing what the winners did with every piece—extending the show’s emphasis on reuse beyond the reveal.
What if secondhand shopping becomes the default starting point for home decor?
The series lands at a moment when thrift shopping “only continues to grow in popularity, ” spanning everything from neighborhood vintage stores to online marketplaces. On the show, Spencer singled out Facebook Marketplace as a recurring advantage for contestants, calling it “a goldmine” for sourcing low-cost—and sometimes free—items while designing on a budget.
At the same time, Spencer’s guidance frames thrifting as accessible rather than intimidating. For viewers who feel overwhelmed, she points to curated entry points such as flea markets and curated charity thrift shops. She also highlights the appeal of charity thrift shops in particular, describing them as a place where “everybody wins, ” because purchases can support a cause while still delivering strong finds.
The program’s central proposition is that a secondhand-only approach can be aspirational, not just economical. By placing sustainability and storytelling at the center of room design—and rewarding teams for creative reimagination—the show pushes the idea that used items can be the starting layer of a polished, contemporary space rather than the finishing touch.
What happens next for viewers trying to watch and participate at home?
That Thrifting Show With Lara Spencer premieres March 19, 2026, at 9 p. m. EDT on Freeform. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu the next day, and the first six episodes are available to stream the next day as well. The season runs for 12 episodes, with multiple episodes released at launch and the rest on a weekly schedule.
For audiences looking to translate the show’s approach into real-life habits, the on-screen lesson is less about chasing perfection and more about building confidence. Spencer’s tips emphasize starting small—“dip your toe”—and choosing environments that feel manageable, whether that’s a curated flea market or a curated charity thrift shop.
Behind the scenes, the series is produced by ABC News Studios in collaboration with Butternut, a division of Wheelhouse Entertainment, and Envisionary Productions. On-screen, the competition structure—two interior design duos racing time and budget—keeps the focus on decision-making under constraints, where each find has to earn its place in the room.
As That Thrifting Show arrives, the bigger story is how television can normalize secondhand buying as a first-choice design strategy. If viewers follow the show’s practical cues—budget discipline, curated starting points, and a willingness to reimagine what already exists—the thrifting surge may feel less like a trend and more like a new baseline for home decor.
