10 Vintage Finds That Double as Smart Storage Solutions
These antiques can "showcase your style while bringing a ton of character, charm, and whimsy into a home," says one expert.
Plenty of people head to vintage shops when they're on the hunt for antique art or unique home decor items. But there's a category many people overlook: Vintage finds that can be used as smart storage solutions. Things like mason jars, vintage serving trays, and even sturdy wooden crates can all be used as organizers for day-to-day essentials. And unlike many of the storage options you'll find at big-box stores, these vintage items also add some personality to the home.
“Choosing vintage items to organize can do two things: showcase your style while bringing a ton of character, charm, and whimsy into a home,” says Missi McKown, owner of Clear Spaces Organizing. Beyond adding a personal touch, upcycling vintage items into creative storage solutions can also be more sustainable (and more affordable) than buying new items. Who knows, you may even already have a few of these items at home!
Keep reading to see how professional organizers use everything from vintage doorknobs to antique metal tins as clever storage solutions. You'll want to keep your eyes peeled for these items next time you head to the thrift store (or sift through your attic!).
Mason Jars
Mason jars aren't just for preserving food. Audra George, owner and professional organizer at Pretty Neat: An Organization Solution, suggests using old mason jars to contain any office or craft supplies that you'd typically place on a desk or in a cabinet.
With mason jars, these essentials can be pulled out whenever you need them, and you can do it stylishly, too.
Trays or Bowls
McKown’s favorite vintage find is a “fun tray or bowl,” preferably in milk glass, crystal, or ceramic. She says they can be used to corral small items such as rings on a nightstand or “leaving the house” must-haves like sunglasses, keys, and a wallet, placed by the front door.
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Wooden Crates
Instead of store-bought bins, George says you might want to turn to wooden boxes or crates (something with an old-timey logo that would make Joanna Gaines proud). You can use them in your closet or kitchen, plus, George says that these pieces will add aesthetic value to your space.
Metal Cans
From metal food cans that once lined grocery store shelves, to milk cans that used to be a staple at back-in-the-day farms, McKown says that “old metal cans with a fun picture or logo” are great ways to add personality to your desk to hold pens and pencils. They also work for stashing larger items, like umbrellas.
Printer Drawers
McKown says that letter press printer drawers experienced a resurgence in the 1990s for displaying decorative miniatures, but nowadays, they’re back as an organization solution. And while you can certainly show off a collection of sea glass or shells within its teeny compartments, a drawer can also serve a purpose by storing practical things like spools of thread, buttons, stamps, small crafting supplies, and toy cars.
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Vintage Doorknobs
“Vintage doorknobs can be used as coat hooks in spaces without a closet,” McKown says. “They don't have to match to look cohesive. You can screw them into a stained piece of wood to elevate the look even more.”
Metal Rakes
Another creative vintage solution for wall organization? McKown advises using the top of an old metal rake hung on the wall as a place to stash keys, dog leashes, and umbrellas.
Tool Boxes
George says that old tool boxes are particularly great for storing paintbrushes, markers, and other craft supplies. They can even be used for gardening supplies, perfect for easy carrying out into the yard.
Vintage Cabinets
While an old armoire may have once been used for linens or kitchen storage, today, George says they're ideal for adding clothing storage to your bedroom.
McKown also loves a midcentury modern buffet for organization. Once spotlighted in dining rooms and used to hold plates and other serveware, she believes it can add warmth and personality to a home while also providing myriad storage options. Plus, since many have drawers or shelves behind the cabinet doors, you can easily hide away things like table linens and board games.
Card Catalogs
Card catalogs (yes, those pieces from libraries of yore!) are fantastic for holding a variety of items. In fact, McKown has seen them used in a novel way: as a liquor cabinet.
“The card boxes are drawers and can hold two wine bottles laying down facing different directions,” she says. “It can also hold liquor bottles and cocktail/mocktail mixes—just be sure to screw the caps on tight!”
Shelby Deering is a freelance lifestyle writer who frequently covers home design and decor for national publications. She has worked as a full-time freelance writer for over a decade, and has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years, writing home tours, interviewing top designers, and beautifying her own home. She holds a master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and when she's not writing, you can find her at thrift stores and flea markets, running, or exploring local trails in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and corgi, Dolly.
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