From Flea Market Finds to Savvy Storage

A vintage wooden jewelry box proves just as useful today as it did in its prime. A couple of simple touch-ups, such as restaining the wood and updating knobs, give the box new life. With nine compartments, it offers plenty of space to organize jewelry.

Add efficient storage to your kitchen with a freestanding unit, such as this salvaged armoire-style cabinet, which is used to display dishes. A cool palette of light blue softens the worn wood and achieves a cozy, lived-in look that sets the tone for the surrounding area.

This old birdcage is the perfect place to stash mail and letter-writing essentials. To create your own cagey storage solution, scrub the framework of the cage with a bleach solution. Then clip off the wire from the front and back, leaving a few rows to act as mail slots. To create shelves, cut dowel rods slightly longer then the cage width and notch the wood to help it grab the wire. Cut glass or plexiglass shelves to fit and rest them on the dowel rods.

Nothing gets left out with this metal bin-turned-spice rack. Formerly a chicken feed bin, this rack keeps cooking necessities organized right on the countertop within arm?s reach.

This casual space nods to American collegiate tradition with memorabilia and a collection of vintage sweaters. Old metal lockers create the perfect place to stash gear and games. Rich retro vibes are expressed through genuine additions such as the warm red couch, and play off the locker's old-school vibe.

Flea market find meets inviting home office in this bright room. A salvaged desk provides a spacious surface area for work or display, and also boasts a spacious drawer for concealed storage. Its well-worn charm is accentuated by adding classic accessories such as a vase of flowers, books, boxes, and a comfy chair.

Mount a section of iron fencing on the wall as a coatrack. The metal bar mounted to this fence section is just right for holding hats, towels, bags, or gardening tools.

Recycle painted divider boxes into all-purpose organizers that can corral just about any small object. Whether you're organizing in drawers or out in the open, the colorful boxes can round up soap, silverware, and more.

A refinished wooden hutch takes on a new role as a dining room display case. Tucked in a corner and filled with books and wicker baskets, the hutch lends rustic appeal to this sophisticated space. A spacious hutch like this one can hold dining room necessities, such as linens and serving dishes, and kitchen overflow, such as less frequently used cookbooks.

Create a mail center from an old shutter. To reuse a cast-off shutter, sand and paint or stain the piece deep brown. Remove the slats from the top half with a handsaw. Screw a piece of plywood over the back of the open area, then glue a layer of cork over the wood. Cover the cork with decorative fabric. Use pretty thumbtacks to display notes on the corkboard. Stash mail in the bottom slots.

Old ornate metal heating vents are too pretty to leave to collect dust, so press them into service as nifty wall-mounted newspaper racks. Attach a vent to the wall with screws and voila! -- instant storage.

Give an old window new life by turning it into a rustic cupboard. Construct a three-sided box to fit the window. Install shelves to align with the window muntins. Then attach the window to the front with flat hinges. Now you've created nooks to display pottery and other treasures.

Reconsider beat-up flea market finds like this old dresser. By removing a few drawers and restaining the piece, it was transformed into the perfect mini-bar.

A turn-of-the-century tool chest stores silverware and table linens right on the kitchen countertop. The shallow drawers store dinner-party supplies such as place mats, coasters, and taper candles.

An old knife caddy is transformed into a pretty stash for bathroom supplies.

Salt and pepper shakers are easy to find at flea markets. These glass ones now hold bath salts and look charming when grouped together and displayed near the tub.

Two cast-off drawers are transformed into pretty storage boxes for linens. Legs were added to the bottom drawer to create a more finished look.

An antique mail-sorting station from a Paris flea market finds new life in America as office storage. To get a similar look, keep your eyes peeled when shopping secondhand stores and salvage yards for industrial cabinets and cubbies reclaimed from schools or shops. These pieces usually get an "A" for adaptability.

An old kitchen cabinet gets new life as a side table and bookcase. Turn the cabinet on its side for easy access to the books. If the cabinet does not have a lock, add one to keep doors closed when necessary.

Small trophies hold cotton swabs and razors in this bath. Place them on a vanity tray, near the sink, or on a shelf for a winning display.