7 Sleek and Stylish Ways to Utilize a Tray in Your Home

Trays are among the most underutilized items in the world of home accessories. Sure, you can use them for serving foods and drinks on any number of occasions. From presenting drinks and snacks to guests to surprising a loved one with breakfast in bed, there are endless opportunities for using serving trays for their intended purpose. 

That being said, trays are actually incredibly versatile items. You can use them in numerous ways to add flair to your home. With so many types of trays available, the possibilities are endless. Take a look at the following sleek and stylish ways to utilize serving trays in your home. 

1. Cute Kitchen Displays

Your kitchen is one area where serving trays fit in nicely. Use them to display flower arrangements or other small decorative pieces. Place those wonderful bottles of oils on them that everyone seems to have on hand. You know the ones; they’re meant to be used for cooking and finishing touches, but they’re also appealing to look at. Some of them are almost too pretty to actually use. 

Set a kitchen tray on the counter to create a designated space for sugar, flavored coffee creamers, mugs, and other essentials. Use one for setting aside your favorite seasonings to make them easier to find. Place your indoor herb garden on a tray, so you can easily move it around the kitchen and keep it close to incoming sunlight. Those are only a few of your options. 

2. Dining Room Decor

Trays can also be used in the dining room to elevate the space. Place one on your dining table for decorative but functional necessities. Those may include salt and pepper shakers, a napkin holder, cloth napkins and rings, and anything else your family regularly uses during meals. 

Of course, you could use trays for displaying purely ornamental items in the dining room, like vases, cake plates, cookie jars, and candles. Put one on a buffet table or hutch to hold decorative items and seasonal pieces. Whether you use trays for functional items, decorative accents, or both, they can create a beautiful focal point in your dining room.  

3. Coffee Table Centerpiece

Trays can serve as wonderful centerpieces for coffee tables as well. Arrange a carefully chosen selection of books or magazines on them or adorn them with fresh flowers and potpourri. On the other hand, you could simply use a tray as a way to keep track of your remotes, chargers, and additional necessities. 

Alternatively, you can use trays on your end tables for displaying family photos and decorative items. Place an essential oil diffuser on one and coordinate scented candles on another. If you enjoy sewing or needlepoint, a tray can hold the project you’re currently working on and a few supplies you need for it. 

4. Home Office Organization

Another way to utilize trays is to keep your home office organized. Keep pens, notepads, a container of paper clips, a stapler, backup staples, and other items on a serving tray so they don’t get scattered everywhere. You could use one tray for in-progress paperwork and another for completed projects. Whether you have a stationary desk or a mobile cart, trays can help you create a place for everything and keep everything in its place. 

Disorganization is one of the leading reasons for reduced productivity. In contrast, keeping your workspace tidy can improve efficiency and ensure you stay productive. It can reduce stress as well. Besides that, if you decide to work outside on a particularly nice day, you can use a tray to carry some of your essentials along with you. 

5. Beautifying the Bathroom

Trays can also be used in the bathroom for extra style and organization. Place rolled-up towels and washcloths on them for added appeal. This also works well in guest bathrooms. It may make visitors feel more welcome, and the extra creative flair is bound to impress them. Arrange your makeup and perfumes on a tray to cut down on clutter. On the more decorative side of the situation, you can place scented candles and soaps on a tray for a warm, inviting finishing touch.

6. Bedside Catch-Alls

You can use trays in the bedroom as well. Place one on your bedside table to keep books, reading glasses, your phone charger, moisturizers, and other bedtime essentials where you can find them. If you have a bench at the foot of your bed, that could be the perfect place for a tray of nighttime necessities as well. 

There’s also room on your dresser or chest of drawers for a tray or two. Everyone has those specific items that seem to get scattered and ultimately take over. Maybe you have a few pieces of jewelry that you simply take off and toss on the dresser at night. 

Perhaps pockets full of spare change repeatedly make their way onto the dresser, only to grow and spread over time. Pocket knives, watches, and countless other odds and ends can quickly make a mess of your dresser, chest-of-drawers, and night tables. Trays can help keep the clutter from getting out of hand. 

7. Outdoor Decor

Trays have earned a place in the realm of outdoor decor, too. They’re especially useful in outdoor kitchens for keeping salt, pepper, napkins, and other items close at hand. They can serve purely decorative purposes as well, though. Place potted plants on them for a beautiful, natural touch. You could even purchase trays that meld with your outdoor decor and put them in a designated place for guests to use when they need them. If you’re using trays outdoors, be sure to purchase those that can hold up to the elements. 

Enhance Your Space with Beautiful Serving Trays

Making trays part of your home decor is a great way to blend style with functionality. Whether you use them for purely decorative purposes or to help keep clutter at bay, they’re sure to transform your space. These amazing home accessories can be used in numerous ways in virtually every room of your home.  

Keep in mind, trays are made to be mobile. If you don’t like the way a decorative display looks in one spot, you can easily move it to another as many times as it takes to find just the right place. Since trays don’t require a commitment, you can even make small changes to the arrangements you place on them as often as you like, giving you endless ways to take advantage of them.