My usual obsession is small bowls and little dishes, and while that is by no way waning, I have recently become quite enthralled by...containers. Particularly, stainless steal containers.
There are still a few of these available at Crate and Barrel for quite a steal of a deal--perfect for packing cookies for a picnic, keeping snacks handy on the counter or even filling with jelly beans. Just pick out the licorice ones first. One size fits most.
This set from the West Elm has a variety of sizes like a conventional canister set, but don't be limited. These would be great on a desk to hold supplies, crayons and markers on your art table or necessities in your bathroom cabinet.
I can't figure out how to buy these or how much they cost, but they are awesome...the future. I can't even find them again, so maybe they don't even exist.
Of course, I want every stainless steel tiffin, lunchbot or other small container I see, but I already have a few in the pantry.
I also have my grandmother's stainless steel canisters which still look great after all of these years. Mom used them forever before passing them onto me. The handle on the top unscrews so you can fill them with whatever you are storing inside for easy labeling. My point is that stainless steel products last forever, look great in just about any space and have a timeless beauty. There's my rationalization and now I'm going to buy some more.