All my favorite: Etsy storage finds
Plus my tips to help you find what you’re looking for.
It’s so nice to finally be able to share all the fun things we’ve been working hard on behind the scenes. Last week Home Front’s Summer 2025 Trend Watch launched, this week we debuted our latest digital cover story, starring Internet-famous product designer Gustaf Westman. At 322 square feet, his Stockholm apartment is one of the tiniest homes we’ve ever featured. Every single item had to earn its spot—even his countertop cutlery organizer is a delight—which inspired the new criteria for my personal storage search... —Lindsey Mather, digital director
On Board
While I love a trip to The Container Store as much as the next person, if the storage I’m seeking is going to be out in the open, I want something not everyone has (and that I’ll be happy looking at every day). Handcrafted or vintage is a guaranteed good bet—there’s a reason most of Gustaf’s furnishings are of his own design!—and Etsy is a treasure trove of both.
Nine Etsy options I’ve hearted recently:
A coat hook both me and my daughter will love: her for its lion likeness, me for its minimalist birch construction.
Paper clips, push pins, matches, batteries—there are a surprising number of objects that would fit in these display-worthy vintage jars.
Quilted underbed storage beats the plastic kind by a mile, especially when it’s made with recycled fabric scraps.
If you’ve got an empty wall, you can have a home office—when the work day is done, this drop-down desk/shelf combo is so slim it practically disappears.
I’ve seen plate risers for kitchen cupboards, but never a colorful metal version for full-to-bursting bookshelf overflow. Genius.
As seen in illustrator Naomi Otsu’s apartment: modular shelving with practically no assembly. Unfold these metal brackets, slide in standard wood planks from your local hardware store, and you’re all set.
Anything on my nightstand is fair game for my toddler, so my ring dish era is over. What I need is this ring shelf.
A basket designed just for people like me who are always piling things on the stairs to grab the next time they head up.
As my skincare lineup has expanded (that’s your mid-30s for you!), it can no longer be contained by our medicine cabinet. I love the simplicity of this oak and cherry wall unit, which comes with your choice of towel bar or drawer underneath.
Free Advice
I’ve found the key to a fruitful Etsy browsing session is patience. Go into it knowing that you’ll be clicking through upwards of 50 pages just to find one or two objectively good versions of whatever you’re looking for. But don’t worry, you can definitely supercharge your search. These are a few tricks I’ve picked up:
Filter by Shop Location
That vintage lamp seems like a great deal until you calculate the cost to send it halfway across the world. Especially if I’m on the hunt for furniture or larger decor, I narrow my search to my state to avoid busting my budget on international shipping. And don’t be afraid to ask the seller if you can pick up your purchase IRL to avoid delivery costs entirely!
But Keep Your Search Terms Broad
You might think: the more specific, the better. But your eye will always be more discerning than the search engine’s. So rather than typing in “multicolored graphic floral rug,” just write “modern flatweave rug” and scroll, scroll, scroll. This is where that patience comes in handy! Be persistent and you’ll eventually land on exactly what you were envisioning.
When in Doubt, Check the Etsy Journal
While Etsy has an Editors’ Picks section that’s updated daily, I find the best product curation lives on its blog. There are more tailored staff curations here, as well as in-depth shop spotlights (how cool is this reclaimed hardware?).
Side Notes
Each bedroom door in designer Meta Coleman’s impeccable Utah house (above) has a hand-painted portrait. How cute!
One day I hope to also put my child in the middle of an ottoman.
I’ve been convinced: Thrift your picture frames and put your money towards cool custom mats.
This swirly stair railing might be the ultimate reinvention of a utilitarian detail.