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1. Stair Basket - A stair basket
is shaped like the letter "L" upside down.
Set one on your top step or
your bottom step of your staircase. Fill the basket ongoing throughout
the day with things that need to go up or down. That way you
only make one trip. And whichever direction you go with it, up
or down the stairs, leave it at the opposite end of the stairs
once it's empty. That way your next trip with the basket will
include items that go to the opposite end of your home.
2. Bushel and Peck Baskets -
These look like wide, round pails and usually have swinging metal
handles. They're deep baskets (that hold a bushel or a peck,
for example). And unless you're a farmer (or selling produce
at a farmer's market), you won't want to fill them with dozens
of tomatoes, apples or other fruits and vegetable (unless you
have a lot of immediate family members to feed!). Instead fill
them with your children's miscellaneous toys divided into different
categories for each basket (dolls, soldiers, rubber balls, etc.).
3. Wicker File Baskets - Wicker
file storage baskets or boxes are becoming quite popular. You'll
find them in lots of mainstream stores or specialty organizing
stores. They're sort of square or rectangular shaped baskets
(to accommodate hanging file folders or manila file folders).
Usually the wicker file storage basket is made of rattan (because
it's quite sturdy and durable). And they'll often have a lid
and swinging handle so you can go mobile with the baskets from
room-to-room. For instance, carry the file basket from your home
office closet to the kitchen table to do your work. Just store
the file basket on a shelf in your home office like you would
a box. Or store the basket in the open; that's okay because wicker
file baskets are much more stylish to look at than a plain paper
file storage box or traditional metal filing cabinet. A wicker
file basket is part of your home decor.
4. Utensil Caddy - You've probably
seen these at picnics. They're a caddy or basket with dividers
and a handle so you can tote it around. A picnic caddy might
be used to separate the knives, forks, napkins, etc. The utensil
caddy might be made of rattan or willow or something else even
such as plastic. Use them in your kitchen to separate whatever
you'd like (anything from straws and coffee filters to plastic
forks and knives). These baskets work in the bathroom too for
separating and toting toiletries.
5. Hanging Wall Pocket Baskets
- These baskets, often wire or rattan, have a flat back so the
basket hangs flat against the wall and a pocket opening. Stuff
it with oven mitts in the kitchen. Or fill a "pot-bellied"
wall pocket basket with a decorative flower arrangement and hang
it in the foyer.
6. Wicker Hamper - The best
thing about a wicker hamper is it's lightweight and durable.
Fill it with guest pillows in storage or your child's large collection
of stuffed animals. You'll find many sizes ranging from mini
hampers to full-size hampers. Rattan is common in hampers. But
look for rag basket/hampers too for ones that are more unique
and stylish.
7. Wine Caddy - Store your bubbly
in a vertical, cylindrical shaped wine caddy or tote it in one
that has a top handle. A wicker wine caddy is an inexpensive
way to jazz up a gift bottle of wine (and it's classier than
a paper gift bag.). Just line the caddy with some colorful tissue
paper that starts at the inside basket base and fluffs up all
the way around the wine bottle where you can see it. Then tie
some curly, sparkling streams of ribbon to the handle.
When your gift recipients are
done with the wine, they can use the wine caddy basket to store
tall utensils.
So where do you get all these
nifty baskets? From everywhere.
Here are six places where you
can purchase baskets (or perhaps even get them for free):
...from online stores that solely
specialize in baskets
...from flea markets
...from yard sales
...from home decor bricks-and-mortar stores
...from home decor online retailers
...from friends who are discarding empty gift baskets (Ask them
ahead of time to save them for you year-round.)
And don't forget, even the plainest,
ugliest basket (in your opinion) can be painted or adorned and
decorated in many other ways. Don't discard these functional,
handmade works of art. |
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