Lara Spencer’s return to thrift-centered TV is a real design competition: That Thrifting Show with Lara Spencer premiered on Freeform on March 19, 2026. The show’s room challenge gives two design duos two days and $2,000 to transform a room using thrifted, upcycled, or creatively reimagined pieces. For shoppers looking to try budget decorating themselves, Spencer’s substantiated advice is simpler: plan your thrift-store, yard-sale, or flea-market route before you go.
What is That Thrifting Show with Lara Spencer?
Freeform announced the unscripted competition in September 2025. The series has 12 episodes and pits two interior-design duos against each other as they race to transform one room in two days. According to ABC’s show description, the teams have a $2,000 competition budget, and their pieces must be thrifted, upcycled, or creatively reimagined. Those are the show’s rules, not a suggested household decorating budget.
Spencer, the host and an executive producer, described the series as a chance to share her love of thrifting and celebrate interest in sustainable design. In Freeform’s September 9, 2025 announcement, she said, “It is so meaningful to share my childhood love of thrifting and celebrate this new generation’s passion for sustainable design.”
Lara Spencer’s best-supported thrifting tip: plan the route
In its May 12, 2022 article, HGTV describes Spencer’s habit of visiting yard sales, thrift shops, and flea markets. The visible excerpt gives one practical tip: map out the markets, sales, or shops you want to visit before leaving home. Spencer recalled that she and her mother used to find sales in newspapers and map their stops; she said, “Now we do it all online.”
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Turn the plan into a useful shopping trip
- Choose the kinds of stops you want to make—such as thrift shops, yard sales, or flea markets.
- Look up the locations and hours, then map a route before you head out. Spencer’s reported shift from newspaper listings to online planning reflects how she organizes stops, not a claim that any particular app or listing service is best.
- Leave room for an occasional spontaneous visit. HGTV’s excerpt also says Spencer enjoys popping into a thrift store when she has only 15 minutes; that is a separate, casual option rather than a replacement for planning a multi-stop outing.
The practical value of a route is that it gives a shopping day some structure. The source does not promise that planning guarantees a find or a particular level of savings.
How to use thrift finds in budget decorating
The show’s format offers a clear creative prompt: look for pieces that can be reused, upcycled, or reimagined rather than treating every room item as something to buy new. For a home project, start with the room and the function you need, then use a planned visit to look for pieces that could fit that purpose. Keep your own spending limit tied to your circumstances; the series’ $2,000 allowance is a production challenge, not evidence of typical decorating costs or thrift-shopping savings.
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Where to watch the show
That Thrifting Show with Lara Spencer premiered Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 9 p.m. EDT on Freeform. Freeform’s February 24, 2026 release said the first six episodes would be available on Hulu the following day. Hulu’s current series listing shows one season with 12 episodes. Streaming catalogs and availability can vary by territory and change over time, so check Hulu’s listing for your location.
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