The Vintage Gem To Grab At The Thrift Store To Make Houseplants Look Luxe

It's true that nearly anything can be turned into a planter for your next spider plant or succulent collection. An old tea cup, your empty Folger's coffee container, or even a that old repurposed colander capable of holding soil are all worthy candidates to become the home for the newest additions to your indoor jungle — at least once you find a way to add drainage to the bottom to allow excess water to escape, avoiding root rot. But introducing drainage often creates yet another problem in the form of water leaking all over your railings, window sills, or countertops. Enter, a new thrifting hack: You know those glass platters and plates that are strewn by the dozen across the shelves of Goodwill? Turns out, they double as plant trays.

These glass trays come in all shapes and sizes, but they often have a slight rim around the edge that's just tall enough to hold the couple centimeters of water that will seep through your houseplants' porous soil when you water them. About five to 10 minutes after you initially water the plant, you should be safe to briefly remove the tray, pour the excess water into the sink or into the pot of the next plant desperately awaiting hydration. Even when the tray isn't being used for practical purposes, these crystal antiques serve an aesthetic mission, sparkling decoratively on your mantle 24/7. And of course, they're also a sustainable alternative to plastic plant trays, repurposing an item that's already in existence rather than necessitating the creation of a new one and giving new life to a pre-loved trinket.

When you go on a thrifting quest to obtain a more luxe look for your easy-to-grow houseplants in the kitchen via crystal trays, you might find yourself paralyzed by indecision when faced with all the options available on store shelves. So to make sure you only go home with items you'll actually use, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. First, make a list of the plants you have that need water trays, along with general measurements of their pots to ensure each tray you buy is wider than the pot you pair it with.

For plants that like to be watered from the bottom — aka, placed in a tray already full of water so that their roots can soak it up directly — make sure you pick glass platters with a taller rim, so that they have space for plenty of water. Of course, some glass trays are long, and could hold multiple small plants side-by-side, so factor that in as well and feel free to brainstorm creative ways to arrange everything within the platter to best be on display. Our final tip? Take the time to clean these trays every once in a while if you want to really make sure they enhance the look of your houseplants. Even though they're being filled with water regularly, it's often dirty water that contains particles from your plants' soil, bits of dead leaves, and so on (although placing a coffee filter at the bottom of your indoor plant pot can help lessen the amount of escaped debris). Still, cleaning each thrifted platter intentionally with soap and water straight from your sink will keep them sparkling far into the future.