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  • April28th

    Vintage Leather Suitcases

    Posted in: Vintage

    Vintage leather suitcases have history, style, and charm. Buy three or more stacked together and you have all that, plus a unique piece of "furniture" and extra storage. Whether you are already a collector of vintage suitcases or if you have never had any before, once you realize how great they are for decorative storage you'll have a hard time passing them up when you find them. Especially if you find them for a great price.

    Step 1: The first thing you need is to find some vintage leather luggage with a hard body. You will probably also want ones that are stackable. You may have some vintage suitcases that are suitable already. Or you can search for some at thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets, consignment stores, eBay, some antique stores, or ask around if anyone you know has some old suitcases they'd like to be rid of.

    Step 2: Clean the suitcases, especially on the inside. Brush out and vacuum any debris. If the inside is musty smelling sprinkle some baking soda inside, let it sit overnight and then vacuum it out thoroughly.

    Step 3: Decide what you will be storing in your vintage leather suitcases. You'll probably want to use them for things you do not use that often. If you've stacked them up together the contents may not be as easy to access, especially things in the bottom suitcases. I use a lot of my suitcases to store my collection of vintage linens. You could also use them to store memorabilia or blankets.

    Step 4: Put labels on your suitcases so you can easily recall whats in there. You could use vintage leather luggage tags. Or use manila mailing tags tied on with ribbon or string. Or anything else you think looks attractive and strikes your fancy.

    Step 5: Decide where you will place your vintage leather suitcases. You can stack them at the end of your bed. Next to the side of your bed as a night table. Or you could use them in the living room stacked next to a sofa as a charming side table. If you aren't stacking them you can use them underneath beds or tables. Small suitcases can also sit on tables or shelves. If you cant find any old, hard suitcases in colors you like consider painting them or covering them with decoupage. Consider putting the stuff you are storing in the suitcases in plastic zipper storage bags to keep them more protected. If it looks like the suitcase you want to used is moldy think twice about using it for storage. Mold is not healthy for you and you don't really want it around. You could try cleaning it, but if you do make sure you do an excellent job.

  • February28th

    Shopping For Vintage Leather Luggage

    Posted in: Vintage

    Vintage leather luggage is easily found in thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets, and yard sales—often with a very appealing price tag. For example, I recently found several at our local Goodwill thrift store for $3.00 each. Ive even seen such suitcases at yard sales for 50 cents.

    Old suitcases, especially ones from the 1940s through the early 1960s, are pleasantly retro, neutral in color, sturdy, and flat: qualities that make them perfect for decorating, storing items, and stacking. Ive seen this in several home decorating magazines and books, and Ive implemented this dynamic in my own home in several different manners.

    Below are ideas for choosing vintage leather suitcases, ideas for storage, and possible ways of assembling the suitcases. Choosing the right type of vintage leather luggage is important. The best suitcases for stacking and storage have perfectly flat tops and bottoms, and have a sturdy, hard outer shell. Suitcases that are compromised structurally or are flimsy at all will not be suitable. This is usually not a big problem in finding and selecting suitcases—they were made well and built to last.

    Most age wear issues with old suitcases have to do with superficial wear and locks, handles, and the like that dont work perfectly. Luckily, this is not an issue when using them for decorating and storage purposes. Superficial wear like fraying, bumps, and patina lend an overall rustic, vintage effect that is pleasing, and the extent of any wear is just a matter of personal taste.

    Although suitcases in almost perfect condition are harder to find, they are out there. It just might take a bit more patience and scouring to find them. One thing to remember is to inspect the inside of the suitcase before purchasing it. Ive found some really filthy vintage leather luggage innards with mold and mildew that just cannot be cleaned well enough to warrant buying. However, a minivac, lysol, windex, paper towels, and common cleaning products can really improve most older suitcases.

    If youre like me—always looking for ways to keep items organized—you probably wont have to brainstorm too much to think of things you can store in the suitcases, from shirts to pants to vintage bathing suits. However, because of their very nature, its wise to give it a bit of thought, for best utilization.

    First of all, the suitcases are portable. Make use of this idea. If you have a 72-hour emergency kit, the suitcases are ideal. Think of anything that should be grabbed quickly in a house emergency: a ton of old, loose photographs, photo albums, diaries, mementos, family antiques, silverware or china, etc. Anything of value, monetary or personal, that is normally stored out of sight, are good candidates for vintage leather luggage storage.

    Of course, portability is not the only consideration. Suitcases make great storage for anything that needs to be out of the way, but readily accessible. Out of season clothing, shoes, potential children's hand-me-downs, holiday decorations, gift wrapping supplies, etc., all make great items for leather luggage storage. How nice not to have to dig though boxes and bags in the basement or attic.

    Also, if you are a bargain shopper who stocks up on sale items, the suitcases make a great reservoir for stocks of small items such as office and school supplies, toiletries, candles, fabric, and just about anything.