Looking for a festive and unique way to display your vintage ornaments (or really anything else)!? This easy DIY turns a thrifted vintage cassette holder into a stunning Christmas ornament display you can style year after year. It’s the perfect mix of nostalgic charm and budget-friendly creativity—straight from the thrift store to your holiday decor. And BONUS! I’ll share exactly how I style this for the rest of the year!
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✨ Cassette Holder Thrift Flip – What You Need:
- Vintage cassette holder (I recommend hunting for one at a thrift store of garage sale – they sell for a PRETTY penny online!)
- Small screw-in cup hooks or bendable wire/S-hooks
- Paint or wood stain (optional, for refinishing)
- Wire cutters or pliers
- Vintage ornaments (Shiny Brite, Disney, glass, etc.)
- Ribbon
- Staple Gun (I love my Ryobi power version – so much easier than a traditional staple gun)
- E6000 (optional)
- Embellishments (optional): tinsel, greenery, mini garlands etc
🛠 Cassette Holder Thrift Flip – How To:
Step 1: Clean & Prep
Wipe down your thrifted cassette holder to remove dust and debris. If the wood is rough or scratched, lightly sand the surface to smooth it out and prep for paint or stain (only if you want – I left mine as is).
Step 2: Refresh the Finish (Optional)
If you want to give your cassette holder a new look:
- Stain it for a warm, vintage tone that enhances the wood grain.
- Paint it (chalk paint, gold, white, or festive green/red) for a fun and bold holiday vibe.
Let it dry completely before moving on.- (if you also want to stain or paint the slats, save this stem for after you remove the back during step 3 below).
Step 3: Remove Back & Slats
Using pliers, remove nails or staples in the back of your cassette holder so you can fully remove the backing. Once removed, pull out the top slats completely. You’ll then want to remove all but three or four of the remaining dividers, leaving equal space in between them. Once done, reinsert the top slats. Finally, using a staple gun, reattach the backing so it is nice and secure. For extra security, you can use E6000 glue to secure the top slats to the backing, essentially making stable “shelves” inside your cassette holder!
Depending on the size of your cassette holder, you should be able to display between 16-28 ornaments, give or take!
Step 4: Mark & Add Hooks
I only used cup hooks on the very top of my cassette holder, because the slats provide the perfect place to hang your ornaments using ribbon. The wood was fairly soft, so I just screwed in the cup hooks by hand. If necessary, use pliers for additional leverage.
Step 4: Hang Ornaments
Carefully hang your vintage ornaments with ribbon or twine. The internet got VERY mad at me for my long ribbons, but listen, I personally LOVE them. They give me whimsical vintage vibes and I love the look. BUT, I get it’s not the look for everyone, so you can always trim your ribbons short, or even use clear fishing line to hang your ornaments so they have a kind of loating in air effect!
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Step 5: Add Decorative Touches (Optional)
This is where you can get even more creative if you like!
- Add mini greenery or twinkly lights
- Clip on tiny bows or vintage labels
- Drape tinsel or a mini garland across the top for extra sparkle
Step 6: Style & Display
Prop your finished ornament display on a shelf or mantel, or even mount it vertically on the wall using picture-hanging hardware/wire like I did. It’s a showstopper, especially for small spaces where a traditional tree might not fit.
Bonus Tip: Seasonal Swaps
Swap out the ornaments each year or even for other seasons—think mini pumpkins in the fall or Easter eggs in spring. This thrifted piece becomes a year-round display board for your creativity! I also had people talk about using it to display hot wheels cars, Disney ornaments, and more!
As you can see below, I’ll be displaying my Lenox Spice Village in this repurposed cassette player for the rest of the year! (I did decide to use some E6000 to secure the “shelves” to the back of the cassette holder for added stability/security, just FYI). Honestly, I might have to thrift another one for ornaments because this one is just TOO perfect for my little spice jars (can you imagine little bottle brush trees stuck in there for Christmas too?! SO CUTE!)
Final Thoughts
Who knew an old cassette holder could become the highlight of your holiday (and year-round!) decor? This upcycled cassette holder thrift flip project is an easy win—budget-friendly, beginner-friendly, and endlessly customizable. Whether you collect vintage ornaments or just love a clever thrift flip, this DIY is guaranteed to bring charm (and compliments) to your Christmas setup.
Happy thrift flipping, friends!
XO, Ana
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