My Mother-in-Law’s Thrifted Storage Hack Is So Smart, I’m Stealing It

Whether we’re talking about cabinet hardware or statement lighting, candlesticks or serving pieces, cooler metals are making their mark alongside warmer golds and bronzes again. I’ve been on “Team Brass” for a while, but that hasn’t stopped me from incorporating hints of chrome, pewter, and aluminum here and there. I’ve been doing a lot of shopping for these pieces at thrift stores and flea markets, where tarnished silver pieces can often be found by the dozens — just waiting to be brought back to life with a little cream polish.

Because anything and everything silver has been on my radar, these metals have been catching my attention everywhere, including my in-laws’ home. Last weekend, while there for a visit, I zeroed in on a clever decorating idea my mother-in-law had with silver pieces for her kitchen countertops: She used what looked like a tiny, vintage silver chafing dish as a tray to elevate her hand soap and countertop cleaner — literally and stylistically.

I’m a sucker for anything footed, so I thought this simple move was both pretty and practical (and thrifty, too). Not only does corralling cleaning products in a cute dish make your counters look more charming, it also makes them easier to grab — and your countertop easier to clean, since you can remove pieces in one motion and just wipe away.

I started looking around the rest of the kitchen, only to realize my MIL had an army of silver dishes doing this same sort of thing throughout the space. An oblong footed silver bowl held fruit, while a circular silver dish made for the perfect protective “coaster” for a fresh vase of blooms. The tiny footed glass dish, though, was probably the most brilliant hack because it was perfectly sized for bottles — and I could see it working well for hand towels in a powder room or bath, too. 

My MIL told me she picked up most of these plated pieces at Goodwill or her local thrift store for just a few dollars and polished them back to life. Of course, now that silver is trending again, prices may go up. But you can probably find items that are tarnished and need some love for a song still. 

Just a little thrift shopping PSA: Don’t overlook little silver plates and serving pieces. I’m not saying you should fill every surface in your home with them, but they’re a great way to stylishly organize items on a table or in a corner of your kitchen. And they can even protect some of your more precious surfaces.