Move over, little libraries. Trinket boxes are taking over Phoenix

In the age of social media, the way we build community differs from years past.

While some may find solace in sliding into Instagram direct messages or liking a post, others have taken to the streets. Instead of keeping connection solely online, trinket boxes have popped up across the country and right here in the Valley to bring people together in delightful, small ways.

Using social media to get the word out, @phxtrinkettrade and @garfieldtrinkettrade have created boxes full of assorted knick-knacks that people can come and trade, from stickers and bookmarks to mini figurines and crystals. Anything that can fit in your pocket and is appropriate or kid-friendly works, which means no cigarettes, personal hygiene items, food or money.

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The people behind these trinket boxes created them for one sole purpose: To give something back to the community.

“It makes people happy and I think it’s just very important for that, for us to have something like that, just to bring even a small little joy in your day-to-day life,” Ashlyn Aviles, creator of the Phoenix Trinket Trade, said. “Even something like that can make some people happy.”

But how exactly do tchotchkes contribute to the neighborhood?

Why make a trinket box?

Aviles, an elementary school teacher aide from Phoenix, started the Phoenix Trinket Trade after being inspired by @phillytrinkettrove.

Aviles hadn’t seen anything like this before and realized one was missing from the Valley.

Located on Grand and 13th Avenue, the box was put up on Nov. 22 near Bacanora PHX and Ábloom Salon and Gallery. As of January 2026, her account has more than 17,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 14,000 on TikTok.

Aviles said it’s important because it brings people together and allows them to find something they love.

“I’ve had a lot of people message me saying, ‘Oh, I met a few people in line when we went to the trinket box and we started talking,’” she said.

Odalis Orencia, a stay-at-home mom from Phoenix, and her family put together the Garfield Trinket Trade on Nov. 30 at 1213 E. Garfield St., Phoenix. The account has 459 followers on Instagram and 1.6K on TikTok.

The Garfield trinket box started as a project inspired by her younger family members, who always wanted to visit the Phoenix one. As Orencia couldn’t keep heading out there, she thought, why not have one nearby? Her family has lived in the Garfield community all their lives; she grew up there, and her younger siblings are still growing up there.

She chose this area in Garfield because it’s near the Garfield School, the Alwyn House, a community garden, multiple free little libraries and several community pantries. She said she thought that this neighborhood would really appreciate something like a trinket box because people are consistently giving back.

She also wanted to do something for the neighborhood. In the past, her family would decorate for Christmas, making Disney characters and having light shows. Over the years, they’ve had to stop, which is why Orencia felt compelled to do something free that people could visit every day.

She and her family are avid thrifters, even going multiple times on some days. Once they decided to do the trinket box, they visited local Goodwill stores, where they found a box that worked. Her younger brothers looked through their rooms for things to give and other family members contributed what they had.

The importance of building community

Dawn DeLay, an associate professor at ASU who teaches social and peer relations, heard about the trinket boxes being displayed in the Valley and around the country. She thought this was a nice opportunity for the community, a way to bring folks together, provide a sharing opportunity and build connection among people.

DeLay said trinket boxes foster community relations in several ways. First, it’s an opportunity to give and receive, which she said is foundational in developing, building and maintaining meaningful relationships. The idea that someone would start this is also part of an intentional pro-social action, which leads others to engage with intentionality.

“As humans, we have this thing in our brain where we want to mirror behavior,” DeLay said. “If we engage in some positive pro-social action, it’s more likely to spread and start to take root.”

She said she does believe there is a loss of community in the world. Social media’s lack of direct face-to-face contact and the current social and political climate can play a factor in causing people to feel unsafe, DeLay said. When people are fearful, they tend to isolate, lack trust and feel less supported.

DeLay said that because of this, building community where we are is really important right now.

“I don’t think social media is wholly bad,” DeLay said. “I just think if it keeps you isolated without doing some of the other behaviors that we know are healthy, like getting fresh air, exercise, sunshine, some face-to-face social exchange, then that is when it can become disruptive.”

Small ways DeLay said people can create community are by being kind and smiling. She said if you smile at a person or make eye contact, it can make a big impact because mirror neurons in our brain will still register that act of kindness even if they don’t smile back.

DeLay said thinking about others, giving back and providing allows us to feel as though we have purpose and create community. This builds a safe space where we can think clearly, act freely and be ourselves.

The impact on local businesses

Alejandra Martinez, who owns Ábloom Salon and Gallery near Phoenix Trinket Trade, said it’s been fun to see people coming through and to see that kind of energy.

One day, the box popped up and while people usually wouldn’t entertain something like that, she noticed people stopping to check it out. She figured they saw it somewhere and that was what brought them here. Out of curiosity, she went up to people participating and found the trinket account. When she found out who ran the account, she recognized Aviles, who is part of the neighborhood.

The salon and gallery participated as well because Martinez wanted to see what was in there and trade a trinket. She said they have lots of little crystals and organic product samples that they use at the salon, so this was a way to share and contribute things they hadn’t seen in the box.

Martinez said the box hasn’t been a disruption to businesses as people come to the trinket box, share a photo on social media and then get in their cars to leave. She said it has been a positive influence as it has brought a lot of new people to the neighborhood.

She has even recommended that her own clients take a crystal from the front desk and visit the trinket box.

“Hopefully, our clients have been able to also take trinkets and participate,” Martinez said. “And my last client, I was like, ‘Bring your daughter, I think she would love it,’ because she’s a Pokémon girl. And I’m like, I think she would like what’s in the box. We’re telling our clients and kind of being a part of that, too. It’s been fun.”

Positive feedback from the community

People have been thanking Orencia for giving their kids reasons to go on walks, whether that’s taking the pets out or rerouting from the Garfield school. They have thanked her for doing something for the community.

Orencia said the trinket box brings the community together. When she visited the Phoenix one, she saw people standing in line chatting, rather than just hiding inside their homes.

“I visited the one on Grand Ave., and just even standing in line, it’s gotten a lot of traction. Just standing in line, you end up talking to neighbors that you have no idea just live right behind you,” Orencia said. “You just start sparking up a conversation, you get to know them a little better. It’s just really sparking more engagement within your community.”

Another project Orencia and her family had been working on was to make a pantry/little library to also have in the Garfield neighborhood; she’s currently working on collecting enough books for it. She has also opened a trinket box in Mesa at 1110 W. Southern Ave. #8.

Aviles said she has gotten a lot of approval so far about the box; she tries to respond to everyone who visits. Some of the other comments Aviles has gotten include “we needed this in Phoenix,” “thank you for bringing this” and “this brings a good community together.”

Sometimes there’s a line outside of the box and people will trade amongst themselves as they are waiting. Others have reached out to Aviles as they want more of these around the state.

Some of the concerns people have mentioned include “What if someone steals everything?” or “What if someone destroys the box?” Others have wanted to set up a box, but are wary that it won’t do well.

At first, Orencia said she was a little skeptical about setting the box up, but you never know unless you try.

“A vision, a community, a box,” Orencia said. “Set it up. Don’t be scared if you think it’s going to be destroyed; there’s only one way to find out. I’m definitely encouraging people to take part in it; it’s so much bigger than we think. It’s really important for our community.”

Reporting by Dina Kaur, Arizona Republic