Guest Blog: If I Ran the Zoo...or the Container Store

We recently did a little re-do of our circa 1977 wet bar.

Super Messy. Super Orange. Super Retro Owls.

We went with an industrial chic décor theme. Over the past few months, I have kept a lookout for appropriately trendy industrial chic containers that would be functional for an office space. And so I thought to myself, “I’ve heard of a place called the Container Store and while I have never been there, now might be the time.” 

While the Container Store was nice and bright and had lots and lots and lots of containers, alas I could not find what I was looking for.

It seems they do not stock old lard cans. . .

or blue collar worker lunch pails. . .

or vintage pharmacy receipt boxes. . .

or even muffin tin organizers. . .

Really?

I was a little disappointed.

Hobby Lobby pulled through with a nifty little galvanized metal cabinet

and Wal-Mart.com provided some very cool metal bins.  

I added the Scrabble tile labels

But that’s okay.  It would have been way too easy to just walk into a store and pick out all the containers I needed in one fell swoop. I wouldn’t have had the thrill of the hunt. I wouldn’t have had to use any creative juices. I would never have come to the realization that a lunch box makes a great place for storing greeting cards and envelopes. 

 I may never have discovered how wonderfully a lard can holds phone chargers and such.

If I ran The Container Store there would be a lot less bright and shiny and a lot more dented and rusty. 

And if you needed a working man’s vintage lunch pail you would know right where to go.

-MJE

P.S. Don't the maps look great?