Storage items that keep your life comfortable and organized, from your desktop to your wardrobe

At the end of the year, we finally finished our big year-end cleaning. To keep our newly tidied homes and office desks organized, and to make the spots that bothered us during cleaning even more usable and comfortable, now is the time to reconsider our storage solutions. Small accessories should be stored so they're visible while also being protected from scratching each other. From clothes that won't fit in the wardrobe to a spot for tomorrow's outfit, we'll introduce storage goods and ideas. 

Accessories tend to involve a lot of small pieces. You might store your most-used pieces separately for easy access, or sort them by item type to prevent tangling. Since accessories range widely from earrings to rings to necklaces, it's worth reconsidering the right storage for each type.

Sort by item type for a tidy look

Among the accessories women wear every day are many different types—rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, hair accessories, and more. You may not wear all of them at once, but say you decide today you'll head out wearing a ring and earrings—you'll pick out which ring and which earrings suit that day's outfit from within each category.

At times like that, if your rings are stored separately from your earrings, choosing becomes much smoother, and you also avoid the tangling that happens when differently shaped items get mixed together.

The tower oval accessory tray from PLYWOOD laboratory is perfect for storing items by type. It comes in a version with three stackable trays and a lid, and you can also add extra trays on their own, so you can expand your storage as your collection of accessories grows. Since the inside of each tray is lined with fabric, you can place delicate accessories directly inside without worrying about scratches.

When stacked, the cross-sections form a beautiful, tower-like striped pattern. This material, so characteristic of PLYWOOD laboratory, is called "Paper-wood," a type of plywood made by sandwiching vividly colored recycled paper between layers of stacked boards. Carefully crafted by hand using wood sourced exclusively from Hokkaido, each veneer sheet is thoroughly inspected and repaired so that no holes appear on the cut surface. The result is a high-quality plywood with few flaws in its cross-section, beautiful enough to be left as is. Alongside the oval type, a square version is also available. 

Add a tray, and even unexpected items become storage boxes

Accessory cases aren't the only things that can hold your accessories. With a bit of creativity, even unexpected items can become wonderful storage pieces. The box in the photo above is actually a bento box. A simple, undecorated wooden or bamboo bento box looks perfectly natural displayed with accessories inside, and if it's a two-tiered box, you can stack it without taking up much space.

The two-tiered bento box from Kohchosai Kosuge has a beautiful sheen thanks to its bamboo construction. Placed on a dresser or by the sink, no one would guess it's actually a bento box. Inside, for holding earrings, is a small sakura (cherry blossom) plate from Aizawa Mokuzai Kougei. Having a cutely shaped small plate inside a square bento box changes the whole impression. You could even divide it by item, using one section for earrings and another for rings.

If you're worried about placing delicate accessories directly on hard bamboo, lining the inside with fabric is another option. The light blue fabric visible at the back of the photo is actually a coaster. With a bit of imagination, you can put unexpected items you already own to good use—it's fun to search around and see what you can find. 

The new year brings a fresh start at work. Ideally, a tidy desk helps your work go smoothly. Make use of organizing trays so your desktop doesn't get cluttered with all the small items you need for work—pens, sticky notes, USB drives, and the like.

Separate documents into "to check" and "checked" for smooth processing

These days, computers handle much of our work, but it seems many people still deal with plenty of documents that need checking. Try placing incoming papers in PLYWOOD laboratory's villa tray, sorting them into "to check" and "checked," for smoother processing. And this isn't limited to work—there are plenty of uses at home too, like temporarily holding papers sent home from your child's kindergarten or school, or setting aside unopened mail. Deciding on a fixed spot for things matters, so you don't end up tossing something aside meaning to check it later, only to realize the deadline has already passed.

The villa tray comes in two sizes, A4 and A5, and can be stacked either with trays of the same size or different sizes. Each size comes in its own colors—blue and green for A4, pink and orange for A5—making for a vividly colored, cheerful tray. 

Use each drawer for a different purpose

If trays alone aren't enough to organize everything, we recommend also using drawer-style storage. Since it adds height, it lets you store things efficiently in a small footprint, while keeping the contents hidden and maintaining a tidy overall look.

The Kurashiki Ishō drawer box has three drawers of different heights. Use the top one for pens, sticky notes, glue, clips, and other stationery. The second drawer works well for a calculator or earphones, and the third can hold glasses or chargers.

The wood used here is called nato. It has beautiful grain, and with proper care, it can be enjoyed for years to come. If you look at the corners, you'll notice that the pieces of wood are joined together in an alternating pattern. This is a traditional technique called "ishidatami-gumi" (checkerboard joinery), assembled without using any nails. Since no nails are used, there are no parts that can rust, which means the construction itself is built to last.

Combining trays makes them easy to use

For those who want to keep only their most frequently used items ready on the desk, a small tray is the way to go. It's a perfect spot for a few pens, a small notepad, a hanko (seal), and a wristwatch. It's nice that the size is compact enough to carry the tray along with you when you move around. In the photo, we've paired a copper tray by tone with a sakura mame-zara (small cherry-wood dish) by Aizawa Mokuzai Kōgei.

The coloring of tone's products is created through a traditional Takaoka dōki (bronzeware) technique that draws out the natural properties of copper without using any paint. Since the material changes color over time, there's an added charm in seeing how different colors and textures emerge depending on how and where it's used.

Made by bending thin copper sheets, it's characterized by the natural curves that appear at its four corners. It has a presence that changes the atmosphere of its surroundings just by being placed there, making it a wonderful piece that adds a touch of elegance to the inorganic feel of an office or study.

You don't need a big bookshelf, but you'd like to keep a few favorite magazines or paperbacks nearby. Especially with a book you're in the middle of reading, you want to keep it out where you can quickly pick it up whenever you have a spare moment, rather than putting it away. If books pile up too much in the living room, the space can start to feel cluttered, so it's best to display only a carefully chosen selection.

Turn the top of a shelf into a bookshelf

If you want to keep a few books on a living room shelf, bookends are just the thing. Many people may remember having them on their desks as students, but may never have considered them as an interior item since becoming an adult.

Since you don't need a large, fixed bookshelf, and can place your books wherever you like, it's actually a surprisingly versatile item.

The FUTAGAMI bookend Funto (weight) is made of brass, letting you fully enjoy the texture of the material. Without any surface treatment, it's simply lightly polished, leaving the roughness and dull sheen of the brass intentionally as is. You could call the look rustic, and that would be accurate, but there's none of the clumsiness that word might suggest—instead, it carries a refined coolness.

You'd normally imagine bookends being used in pairs, but the FUTAGAMI bookend can also be used on its own. This is because its center of gravity tilts diagonally toward whatever it's supporting, giving it a construction that can withstand the weight of heavy books or notebooks. Of course, depending on the weight and number of books you want to hold, feel free to use two of them to sandwich them in place.

Two types are available: one with a dull gold color characteristic of brass, and one called kuro-mura (black mottled). The kuro-mura finish is colored with a paint made by mixing pigment into an urushi (Japanese lacquer) base—a coloring technique said to have been passed down through Takaoka imono (cast metalware), which has long been used to craft Buddhist altar fittings and statues.

During winter, keep magazines in a basket

If you'd like a more casual style of storage that still avoids looking cluttered, try using a basket. The TOINO ABEL basket L/MULTI is originally an outdoor basket bag. Its larger size makes it great for outings, but it also works wonderfully as a piece of natural-feeling interior decor.

The wide opening makes it easy to put magazines and newspapers inside, and if you place it beside the sofa with the lid closed, it won't look cluttered at all. Basket bags tend to get used a lot in summer, but in winter they often end up pushed to the back of the closet. Large ones take up storage space, and it's often said that the best way to care for a basket bag is to use it regardless of the season. Coming up with different uses for it depending on the season will only deepen your attachment to it.

▲A basket with a different design (sold out). It looks lovely displayed as an interior piece too.

Woven from natural reed, TOINO ABEL baskets are based on a distinctive design that has traditionally been made in Portugal, with each one carefully handwoven, one at a time. Since they're highly breathable, they're also well suited to storing fabric items such as blankets and room shoes, in addition to magazines.

Large capacity, great usability, and a beautiful basket that looks lovely even left out on display

The Tsuruya Shoten rattan basket, square type (yarai weave), is a beautiful undressing basket that looks like something you'd find at a ryokan. As the name suggests, it's great for use in a washroom, but it's also recommended for gathering seasonal clothes that don't fit in the closet, or for storing frequently used bags, scarves, and gloves all together. Also, if you decide on the next day's outfit the night before and keep the whole set of clothes, accessories, and even the bag together in it, you can avoid a frantic scramble in the morning.

Even though it's been in continuous production for 40 years, it has no old-fashioned feel to it. Instead, it feels natural, with a hint of Scandinavian atmosphere—and that's because it uses unfinished, unpainted rattan. Many of the rattan products Tsuruya Shoten makes are baskets and chairs with a glossy finish that carry an old-fashioned charm, but the maker keeps evolving, aiming to create pieces that also suit contemporary life. Traditional items can sometimes feel out of place or awkward when placed alone in a modern living space, but Tsuruya Shoten's rattan baskets give off such a refined atmosphere that there's no need to worry about that at all.

Rattan is flexible, allowing beautiful designs and weave patterns to be expressed through "bending," "coiling," and "weaving." Combined with its high durability and the fact that repairs are available if something ever goes wrong, it's perfect for anyone who wants to use their belongings for a long time.

For storing your treasured clothes, the scent of cedar that keeps insects away

Everyone has a favorite piece of clothing—something that finally fits their body and style just right, or perhaps a vintage piece handed down from someone dear to them. No matter what material it's made of, clothing is said to last longer if it isn't worn on consecutive days. Wear it for a day, then let it rest for a few days. In other words, clothes spend far more time resting in the closet than they do being worn. That's exactly why where and how you store them matters so much.

Winter clothing in particular tends to be more delicate than summer clothing, due to the materials used. Wool and cashmere sweaters and cardigans are known to attract insects, and because they're bulky, cramming them tightly into a closet risks losing their shape. For special garments, you naturally want to prepare a storage spot that's different from the rest.

If your storage space allows, treat yourself to one box per garment. Although these boxes were originally designed for storing shirts, a women's sweater will fit into them without any trouble. Since they're an open type with no lid, air can circulate freely without the contents being sealed in. Of course, you can also stack them two or three high. If dust is a concern, simply drape a cloth, such as a handkerchief, over the top.

Woodlore's cedar storage boxes are clothing storage boxes made from American aromatic cedar (red cedar). Red cedar has deodorizing, moisture-resistant, and insect-repelling properties, giving you peace of mind knowing your treasured clothes are entrusted to a natural material. The gentle scent of wood also brings a sense of calm. If the scent starts to fade, simply rub the surface lightly with sandpaper to bring it back.

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