The Vintage Find I’ll Never Pass Up at the Thrift Store (It’s Great for Storage!)

When the weather changes, you want to take out everything cozy in your house. While things like hats and sweaters can be folded up and stashed away in a relatively compact manner, blankets can be another story. A big, plush blanket can be a wonderful thing, but storing these large blankets can be a hassle. There’s only so much room under your bed or in your closet, and you probably don’t need another storage ottoman. What you do need to help you contain all those blankets — and look nice while doing so — is none other than … a log holder.

If you have a fireplace in your home, you’re probably familiar with log holders. They’re, well, a place to put your logs before you put them on the fire. They’re usually made of metal and typically resemble a wide, curved basket. This shape helps contain bundles of firewood, but it can also be a great place for a bunch of rolled-up blankets.

I have to credit content creator Erin Hoffman for this chic, clever idea. She posted a video on Instagram earlier this week showing how she turns a thrifted brass log holder into a stylish home for an array of blankets. She simply washes and dries the log holder, then folds and tightly rolls up several blankets and stashes them in the log holder. This seems to be a functional storage method, as Hoffman says her family uses these blankets “all the time.” Since the blankets are stored away but still visible, this could be a particularly useful method for someone who’s an “out of sight, out of mind” type.

“What a good idea,” one comment on Hoffman’s video reads. “I saw a beautiful one the other day and didn’t let myself grab [it] because I don’t have a fireplace. Next time!!” Let this be a lesson: Sometimes impulse buys can come in handy.

In Hoffman’s video, she says she found her log holder from a thrift store. Thrift, vintage, and secondhand shops can be a great place to find unique home decor for cheap — Hoffman’s log holder, for example, almost resembles a large gold handbag with claw feet. However, I understand that not everyone has the patience for thrifting, so you can find a similar log holder on Wayfair in both pewter and bronze finishes for $138, though it’s currently on sale for $77.99. There’s also a wicker log rack for $69.60 (on sale for $34.99), if you’re looking for a beachier aesthetic.

If a log holder doesn’t pique your interest, consider picking up a lid organizer instead for another unconventional way of storing blankets in your home.