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I'm writing this post right after New Year, and like many people, I'm feeling the urge to purge, get organized, and (attempt to) face the year well prepared. I started making a mental shopping list of containers I would need for the trouble spots in my home-- and realized with horror that so many of us default to a menagerie of plastic tubs and microfiber totes for home storage.
When we've switched to plant-based cleaning products and organic veggies, why are we still reaching for toxic, petroleum-based products in the other parts of our lives?
Those nonwoven polyester fabric bins are shedding microplastics, off-gassing, and slowly degrading into a greasy mess all while corraling pet toys or socks.
Those plastic tubs that schlep dorm room contents and holiday decorations are off-gassing VOCs and breaking down even more quickly when in contact with light (photodegrading).
When faced with these mad-material-science dilemmas, I like to stop and think about what people did to solve similar problems in the past...
Wooden chests, boxes, baskets, iron hooks, shelves, painted cupboards -- this reads like a list of most-coveted antiques. With good reason.
I can still smell my dad's sweaters when they came out of the cedar chest for the winter...
Made from materials that we humans are instinctively drawn to, these furnishings crafted in the past were durable, repairable, looked good, and smelled good. In contrast, we hide our plastic bins under beds and in the garage, recoil from that weird plastic smell when we open up the off-season totes once again, and landfill them when they break.
So what's the alternative?
Vintage and antique: Go for the well-made pre-war items.
Those boxes, baskets, and casework are out there to be found, from any era, at any price point.
Avoid anything from around 1900 to 1980 with chippy paint - or have it professionally stripped for safe handling of harmful finishes.
For antiques, have a restoration expert clean and finish it, and restore any joinery, to make sure it will last for many more generations.
For vintage baskets and crates, use a vacuum with a narrow attachment, followed by a steamer, to prep your old containers for a new life.
Level up when you buy new
If old is not gold in your aesthetic, you can find better options at retail.
Choose solid wood with quality joinery (not glue), unfinished, pre-built pieces.
For baskets and totes, look for fair trade certification or US manufacturing.
For fabric elements like linings, avoid polyester, Nylon, or microfiber - choose heavy cotton, hemp, linen, or wool.
I've curated some options available on Houzz - find my storage ideabook here.
Of course, in the 21st century we need to also prioritize (urgently) a shift to buying and owning less stuff overall. But I'm giving us all some grace in light of the reality that living with kids, pets, hobbies, weather, just necessitates a certain amount of stuff. Stuff that needs to be organized so we can store it off-season, and find it when we need it.
That's why we should choose better materials and better quality whenever possible, for the items that are part of our daily lives in our homes. We'll benefit from better air quality, save money in the long term, and keep harmful materials out of ecosystems near and far.
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