5 Ways to Use Baskets in the Home

Moving about most of my adult life didn’t give me much opportunity to find my style when it came to interior home design. My decor was minimal (at best) and I always looked forward to the day when I could settle into my own home and explore my own personal tastes.

After building the Mountain Cottage, I finally had the opportunity I’d been waiting for! Even with a very limited home decor budget, I’ve been slowly putting the pieces together. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in this time, it’s that I love having baskets in my home.

How to Use Baskets in the Home

Yes, I actually love them.  I can’t explain what they do to my old fashioned heart, but I simply can’t do without baskets. They’re beautiful. Extremely useful. And as I use them, they naturally become part of my home decor and give every room that old world vibe I’ve come to love.

Some things are too good to not share! So just for fun, I thought I’d give you my favorite 5 ways to use baskets in the home!

Tip 1: Use Baskets to Hold Your Kitchen Produce

Want that old world vibe in your  kitchen? Instead of keeping garlic, fruit or farm fresh eggs in a bowl on the kitchen counter, use a basket!

They come in all different sizes and shapes. I have a smallish one similar to this for my eggs and another to hold my garlic. Onions look beautiful in a basket. So do tomatoes.

I have this philosophy in my kitchen: bowls are for mixing and baskets are for holding!

Use a basket.

Use #2: Use Baskets on Open Shelving

If you’ve ever seen pictures of my kitchen, you know I’m a big fan of open upper shelving. It leaves the space feeling airy and also eliminates the extra work of washing greasy cabinet doors.

At the same time, unless you can find a way to hide little items, things get cluttered in a hurry. Which is why I use…baskets! I keep tea supplies in one basket and all my baking goods (baking powder and soda, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, etc) in another.

Whenever I need to bake, I just pull this basket off the shelf and leave it on the counter until I’m finished with my project.

Baskets look beautiful on any open shelf in the home. The bookcase. Bedroom. Bathroom or mud room. There’s always a place for a basket!

Use #3: Use Baskets to Hold Laundry

Large baskets are wonderful for both dirty and clean laundry. Leave one (like this large, lined type) beside your dresser and it looks like part of the bedroom decor. Shucks, even when it’s filled with dirty clothes, it still looks good!

And a woven basket sitting on top of the dryer is far more classy than a modern, plastic laundry basket (how’d they even get to be called baskets in the first place?).

Hauling laundry around in a real basket will make you feel like a real, old fashioned housewife.

Use #4: Use a Basket to Hold Crocheting or Knitting

If you crochet (like me) or are a wanna-be knitter (like me), it’s nice to have something to store your projects in. Baskets are nice because (unlike a bag) they’re open and you can see everything at a glance.

When you’re finished working on projects, you can set your basket on an open shelf, on the piano or just leave it sitting on the ground where it will contribute to the feel and atmosphere of the room.

Use #5: Use a Basket as Your Junk Drawer

I know. Good housekeepers aren’t supposed to have junk drawers. Which is why I never fit the bill! But I have discovered that baskets are a wonderful way to hide ‘junk.’

We keep a small, dark basket in the hutch of our dining room. There, we stash away pens, pencils, erasers, thumbtacks, fishing licenses, safety pins and well…many other little things.

The amazing thing about having a junk basket is that you can control the mess by choosing a small basket. Once it’s full, you know it’s time to do some sorting!

And I’m not saying we don’t have junk drawers in other areas of our home. But at least the kitchen/dining/living area is safe.

Where to Find Baskets

Baskets aren’t difficult to find. Most of mine were bought at garage sales and thrift stores. I’m a big fan of secondhand deals, particularly when I’m working with a nearly nonexistent budget.

And just a tip? Whenever you purchase baskets secondhand, it’s always smart to look them over for broken reeds before making a purchase! Sometimes they’re tucked away and can be easy to miss.

Of course, if hunting for baskets in a secondhand store isn’t your thing or if you need particular dimensions, the online world always has lots to offer!

Why You Should Use Baskets in the Home

Baskets aren’t just lovely. They don’t just bring an old world atmosphere to your home. Unlike so many decorative items a girl could use, baskets actually serve a purpose. And that is also something my old fashioned soul loves!

Have you ever thought about incorporating baskets into your home and lifestyle? What are your favorite ways to use baskets in the home? I’d love to hear in the comments below!