How to Get Organized With Vintage Finds

How to use vintage finds to organize your home in style. 

Forget organizing with flimsy plastic bins, cheap wire baskets, and basic canvas totes.  Vintage is the way to go! 

Decorating with vintage decor is a wonderful way to add charm, character, interest, and a touch of uniqueness to your home.  It's also a fantastic way to corral clutter and organize your home in style.

I incorporate vintage items throughout my home, but today, I am sharing how I utilize some of my favorite pieces for storage and organization.  

From large antique oak card catalogs and dressers to small crocks and storage drawers.  Vintage, antique, and thrifted items are perfect for organizing your home in style. 

What are the best vintage pieces to use for storage and organizing? 

- Card catalogs

- Antique dressers

- Suitcases

- Lockers

- Canvas laundry totes

- Lidded jars and canisters

- Metal locker baskets

- Crocks 

- Trays

- Metal milk crates 

- Wooden crates and boxes

WHERE TO SHOP FOR VINTAGE STORAGE ITEMS? 

- Antique Stores and malls

- Vintage markets

- Flea matkets

- Thrift stores 

- Yard sales

- Church sales

- Estate sales

- Facebook Marketplace

- Etsy

- Ebay

- Upscale curated online marketplaces (Chairish, 1st Dibs)

- Vintage Keepers

- Instagram

How to get organized with vintage furniture and decor! 

1. CARD CATALOGS 

Antique card catalogs are getting harder to find (at least affordable ones!), but if you're persistent in searching auctions and Facebook Marketplace, you have a good chance of snagging one for a great price.  Even if you have to pay retail, they're worth the splurge.

I have two card catalogs in my home (one in my office and one in the basement) and use them to store and organize small craft supplies, furniture hardware, and extra printer ink.  They're the perfect combination of stylish and practical. 

2. VINTAGE SUITCASES 

A stack of vintage suitcases is great for styling under a bench, entry, or console table, and is perfect for storing extra linens, throw blankets, and off-season clothes.  You could even place a stack of vintage suitcases in an office or craft room and fill them with notebooks and other office supplies. 

3. LOCKERS

I'm such a sucker for a good set of lockers.  I have two sets in my own home and often sell them in my vintage booth and at markets.  

The set in my mudroom is used to store riding gear, sweatshirts, winter hats, and gloves.  In the summer, I swap out the winter items for beach towels and summer essentials.  The large locker set in the basement is used to organize board games, toys, and extra craft supplies. 

4. CANVAS LAUNDRY TOTES

I have multiple vintage canvas laundry totes around my home and love using them in place of wicker baskets.  For years, I used one to corral shoes by the mudroom door; it was such a great storage solution.  I also use vintage laundry totes to store packing supplies and Owen's Nerf gun collection.  Toys just look so much nicer when they're in a vintage storage bin.

Functional and Stylish Vintage Office Updates

5. VINTAGE JARS AND CANISTERS

Vintage glass jars and lidded canisters are ideal organizing solutions for bathrooms and pantries. From storing and organizing bars of soap, cotton balls, and Q-tips to baking and cooking essentials.  Vintage clear canisters double as beautiful decor and storage. 

6. METAL LOCKER BASKETS 

A few years ago, I bought 30+ vintage metal locker baskets from Facebook Marketplace.  I sold most of them but kept about eight to use throughout my home.  I primarily use them to organize snacks and food in the pantry, but they can be found throughout my home. 

7. VINTAGE CROCKS AND PLANTERS

Small vintage crocks are so versatile.  I primarily use them as planters, but the smaller ones are ideal for organizing kitchen utensils, office, and craft supplies.  They make pens, pencils, markers, scissors look good while being easily accesible. 

8. METAL MILK CRATES 

Old metal milk crates are ideal for storage due to their durability and ability to be stacked.  They're also wonderful for doubling as decor and storing extra blankets and pillows.  

9. VINTAGE WOOD CRATES 

Just like metal milk crates, old wood crates are fantastic vintage items to use for organizing.  They often have great vintage graphics, beautiful dovetail joints, and can be found in multiple sizes.  Smaller wooden boxes are ideal for countertop and drawer organizing, while larger crates can be used to organize pantries and linen closets.  

10. ANTIQUE DRESSERS

Dressers aren't just for bedrooms!  Living in a smaller home with limited closet and storage space forces you to get creative and use multi-functional furniture and decor.  Antique dressers are one of my favorite ways to add surface space, hidden storage, and style all in one.  Mudrooms, entryways, offices, craft and game rooms are all great spaces for multipurpose dressers. 

The antique dresser in our mudroom has worked beautifully to organize mail and keys in the first drawer and shoes in the lower three drawers. 

What are your favorite ways to organize using vintage items?

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