The “So ’70s” Vintage Kitchen Organizer I’m Using All Over My Home

As someone who scours for vintage decor every weekend, I’m always looking for new items to track down and add to my collection. This year, I discovered that in addition to searching for holy grail finds like handmade macramé pieces and teak furniture, I could start looking for actually functional vintage items that I could use in my daily life, too. I’ve started buying up retro wrapping paper, gift tags, and hand towels, and they’ve all brought some much-needed vintage flair to everyday chores and activities. 

But then one day, I happened upon an estate sale and perused the “free” box sitting outside. That’s when I spotted it — the cutest yellow utensil organizer. Although no one will really see it (it’s not like some amazing piece of artwork that acts as a conversation starter), I will see it, as it lends a burst of cheerfulness to an otherwise ho-hum drawer.  

I took it home, gave it a good cleaning, and placed it in my drawer, alongside a gray one that I’ve had for years (which I’m now thinking I need to replace with a vintage avocado-hued one). It’s just the thing to hold kitchen essentials, like bag-closing clothespins, cake servers, and (thrifted!) corn cob holders. 

Now I’m on a mission to find more of these plastic utensil holders in the wild, often showing off the grooviest colors around. The really nice sturdy ones, like mine, were crafted by Rubbermaid back in the day, and I’d like to expand their uses beyond utensils. Office supplies? Jewelry? Makeup? I’m thinking the sky’s the limit when it comes to these versatile wonders. 

As someone who has been a vintage devotee for years, I’m loving all of the vintage-inspired trends I see emerging everywhere, and the fact that thrifting has basically become a sport. I think, like me, people are gravitating toward well-made items from bygone times that are still holding up, and don’t come in blah colors — bright yellows and oranges, avocado green, and other ’70s colors are coming back in a big way, and I couldn’t love it more.

While somehow I scored a free one, you can find plenty of other vintage utensil organizers online or in thrift stores. Here are some lovely options to use all around your home:

If you spot a retro utensil organizer during one of your next secondhand quests, run, don’t walk, and take it home. Unless I’ve already snatched it up!