Timeless and Tidy: Using Antiques to Organize Your Space

November 2021

As you know, we talk a lot about Organizing that fits YOUR lifestyle here at The Organized Flamingo. One of the ways you can incorporate organizing that fits your lifestyle is if you have vintage items that you have been storing and don't know what to do with.

Laura Brock Va Beach and I had an Instagram IGTV session (which you can watch HERE) and talked all about how you can use vintage items to organize everyday items all while adding personality and dimension to your space.

Laura is based in Virginia Beach, VA. She has a shop called The House of Hanbury. She sells vintage and antique items on her website and has two physical shops in Virginia Beach, VA. S he is an avid collector and it's in her genes! Her mom was a designer, and her father was also an antique shopper, so it’s in her blood. She loves the hunt and the history of vintage items. With our lives moving so fast, she wants to show the world how you can use vintage items around your house.

“Vintage has an emotional connection.”
– Laura Brock Va Beach

Here are 12 vintage Items you probably have around your house you can use to GoSo (Get Organized and Stay Organized).

Boxes – vintage wooden/brass/other boxes are great for storing old letters, in your front entry way to hold your mail, keys, bedside tables, vitamins, like a Milk Glass wedding Cake Box. etc. Asian Cricket Boxes brass. Great for desk accessories, like tape. They are breathable because they are vented. If you are the type of person that doesn't like boxes because they won't remember what’s in them, what are tips to remember what's in them: painters tape is good to use because it wont leave residue. Tins are another type of box.
Ice Buckets – great to use to hold items in your kitchen and use for ice when needed. Multifunctional.
Old planters. Great in the bath to hold the bigger bottles, great for guest buckets. Great for kitchen towels, wash rugs, brushes, exercise bands,
Turntables – great for corner spaces, bathrooms, shelves that are too deep.
Bowls, great for remotes, towels by the pool, on the way out the door
Plate Holder: great for holding magazines
Umbrella vases: great for toilet paper
Milk Glass ITems: great to display and use for small items like cotton balls, paper clips,
Brass is very popular, durable and beautiful.
Revere Bowl, good for sticky notes, paperclips, and pins.
Small trays as dish soap containers
Busts to hold your jewelry

“Joy can come from the stories, not just from the physical look.”

We also talked about the upkeep of vintage items. Here are some things to consider for cleaning vintage items:

Ceramic and porcelain is durable for the most part and easy to watch. Washed with soap and water. Brash lids get polish cleaner. If you don't like polishing, don't use silver or brass (unless you like the patina look on those materials). If you use wipes, she recommends silver polish wipes
If you are storing food in a tin, use a plastic bag or liner. Be cautious of storing food in vintage items.