You Don't Need Another Plastic Organizer

But I can help you justify another little dish

Vintage postmodern jewelry box from LoneFoxHome

It can be so tempting to look at a pile of clutter and want to wave the magic wand that is an Amazon storage bin. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of plastic organizers, but a recent attempt to organize my nightstand drawers left me with the flimsiest plastic bin imaginable. I genuinely felt a little sad realizing that somehow the quality of cheap plastic junk is getting even worse than I thought possible. I returned the bin and set out to find something “better”—something I would enjoy using, made from quality materials, that's actually nice to look at. I landed on a vintage lidded basket, and it got me thinking: my favorite storage and organization “solutions” are mostly vintage objects I've repurposed to bring some order to my space. These pieces are already out there, with more character and better materials than most of what's being made today.

And yes, this was supposed to be a New Year's post, but we all know how January went. Luckily, vintage is timeless. So let's get right to it: my favorite functional secondhand storage solutions for every room.

Entry

1. Blue accordion peg rack 2. Wrought iron heart key holder 3. Bamboo shelf unit 4. Brass bow coat hook 5. Italian rattan newspaper racks 6. 60’s coat hanger 7. Tord Bjorklund for Ikea coat rack 8. Aluminum letter tray 9. Metal umbrella stand 10. Scalloped brass bowl 11. Ikea dog-shaped wall rack 12. Multicolor chrome coat rack

I've never been lucky enough to have a true entryway in any of my apartments—you know, the kind where the front door doesn't smack directly into my sofa or dining table. But that's exactly where vintage options shine: they can bring character and intentional design that flows seamlessly with the rest of the space.

Look for:

• Ornate silver trays, footed bowls, and Murano catchalls to collect daily essentials like mail, keys, sunglasses, and loose coins

• Wall hooks and accordion racks for coats, totes, leashes, and accessories. Love this style with a built-in shelf and mirror, or interesting single hooks if space is limited

• Key holders, or a key cabinet for a more of a statement piece that can also stash your sunglasses (this bow one!)

• Coat racks, umbrella holders, or *bonus* a combo

• A bench/telephone table to serve as a shoe station

Living Room

1. Silver-plated catchall 2. Brass horse ashtray 3. Yaffa magazine holder 4. Lidded glass trinket box 5. Bronze cigar box 6. Silver-plated asymmetrical dish 7. Biomorphic glass ashtray 8. Wooden storage box 9. Egg-shaped trinket box 10. Studio pottery jar 11. Record storage crate

I've never met a catchall I couldn't find a use for. Every room in my home has its own dedicated dish, complete with the essentials: lip balm, a matchbook, and hand cream. There’s one on my coffee table, a favorite midcentury textured glass ashtray, that manages to corral a variety of odds and ends. One of life’s greatest mysteries is how even the most random clutter looks intentional once it's contained in a beautiful vintage vessel.

Look for:

• Little dishes, trays, bowls (honestly vessels of any sort) for matches, coasters, and the jewelry you take off while lounging on the couch

• Wood or brass boxes to store remotes (I also have a small one on my shelf that houses an assortment of incense)

• Related: nothing is stopping you from filling your vases with things— I use one for my matchbook collection

• Magazine racks are not only functional, but the right vintage style can make it a moment

Kitchen

1. Alessi storage container 2. Kitchen tools holder 3. Avocado green Pyrex container 4. French storage canisters 5. Wooden canister set 6. Tiered wire shelf 7. Japanese milk pitcher 8. Metal cutlery tray 9. Botanical metal lidded vessel 10. Italian stash jar set

Vintage kitchen storage is a longtime favorite niche. You can find any item in any style ranging from French antiques to weird and wonderful novelty. I still think about the sleek midcentury chrome canister set that my grandparents had on a shelf near the toaster— beautifully designed and perfectly functional.

Look for:

• Ceramic pitchers, crocks, and vessels for utensils

• Storage canister sets in all styles, labeled in all languages

• Vintage Alessi canisters, trays, and baskets (these storage jars are magical)

• Fruit bowls, the star of a countertop or dining table. Crystal, ceramic, wood, pewter, chrome— I’m constantly trading mine out as I find it impossible to choose just one

• Spice racks (and salt cellars for your Maldon)

• Enamel or rattan cutlery trays for extra drawer organization, or this post-modern Guzzini number that can hold its own out on the countertop

• Playful cookie jars can be used for so much more than just sweet treats— store dry goods, pasta, oats, tea stashes

• Vintage Pyrex storage (there are tons of these avocado green ones out there, you could build a whole set)

Bathroom

1. Ceramic canister 2. Brass and porcelain towel hooks 3. Studio pottery lidded jar 4. Silver butterfly tray 5. Striped porcelain cup 6. Ceramic cups 7. Ceramic tumbler set 8. French ceramic blue jar 9. Chrome vanity tray 10. Handpainted lidded dish

The bathroom has become my favorite place for repurposing miscellaneous vessels. Freedom to be a bit less restrained, plus endless bits and bobs to be wrangled, equals the perfect recipe for resourceful experimentation. An old Dimes candle holds cotton swabs, a green checkered tumbler fits my toothbrush, and my favorite—a set of handmade ceramic jars in the most vivid blue, scored at the Marta Los Angeles garage sale—now stores cotton balls, perfume testers, and charging cords (because every new red light tool means another cable).

Look for:

• Funky cups and vintage pencil holders for makeup brushes

• Small glasses to hold floss, hair ties, pins, and misc. samples

• Vanity trays for lotions and perfumes

• Ashtrays, ring dishes, and even collected shells for storing matches and stray jewelry

• Vintage towel hooks and racks (this one is pretty fun, though I’m not sure it’s much of a space saver)
  

Bedroom

1. Sculptural puzzle jewelry box 2. French pink framboise ashtray 3. Midcentury lucite box 4. Space Age mirrored shelving unit 5. Satin drawer organizers 6. Porcelain Capricorn catchall dish 7. Metal beaded jewelry box 8. Aluminum aviation storage trunk 9. Shabby chic wall storage 10. Burlwood jewelry box 11. Wooden triangle trinket box

Dressers and bedside tables are the inner sanctuary, scattered with our most precious jewelry, accessories, perfumes, and the like. It’s no wonder there's a seemingly endless source of vintage vanity sets and jewelry boxes – organizing these trinkets is a timeless feminine ritual. My midcentury jewelry box sits on my dresser like a real-life treasure chest, somehow managing to spark joy each and every time I lift its lid.

Look for:

• Jewelry boxes for jewelry and sunglasses

• A chest or trunk for storing extra bedding, blankets, towels, and bulky clothing like sweaters

• Baskets and hat boxes for scarves and seasonal accessories

• Bedside stash boxes to store everything from charging cables to sleep supplements

• And, of course, plenty of little dishes for everyday jewelry, hair clips, sleep masks, and those extra buttons that are always lying around
  

Desk

1. Cylindrical aluminum tool box 2. Small parts drawer storage unit 3. Brushed steel mail organizer 4. Colorful storage container set 5. Woven blue sewing box 6. Antique Edwardian trinket dish 7. Mail and bill holder 8. Industrial metal drawer unit 9. Space Age pencil holder 10. Ceramic lidded box 11. Wooden tool box 12. Wood and brass paper tray

Office and craft organizers are the holy grail of vintage storage. From industrial tool units to frilly sewing kits, these pieces were built to organize small items beautifully and efficiently. I love using metal industrial drawers for jewelry making supplies, and an old library card catalog for art supplies and crafting materials.

Look for:

• Desk organizers for writing utensils, scissors, paper clips, etc.

• Letter trays and organizers to give all your papers a home

• Decorative silver dishes for all of the business cards you intend to do something with

• Tool boxes and sewing kits for portable storage

• Parts drawers, card catalogs, and metal cabinets for odds & ends and craft supplies

• Lidded ceramic vessels for cords, memory cards, and misc. small electronics

  
  

And one final note: there are vintage specialty organizers out there for virtually any storage need. From tie racks to toothpick dispensers, if you know exactly what you're looking for, try searching for a vintage version.

xx Lindsay

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