I'm a Basket-case

I've recently discovered my extreme love and use of baskets in my home. I don't know about you, but I do not like "clutter" of any kind sitting around my home. When I speak of clutter, I basically mean a pile of anything that appears to have no home or needs to be contained in some way. So, one way that I've begun to contain the stuff sitting around the house is by the use of baskets. It seems that whenever you put something into a basket, it suddenly looks neat and organized and like it belongs there - it has a purpose. And I like to use baskets to contain items you may not initially think of putting in a basket.

So, let me demonstrate to you what I mean. Here are just a few examples of ways that I have recently begun to use baskets that I hadn't thought about before...

1. Video Game supplies, including controllers and cords. A basket keeps everything tucked away and hidden from view, yet easily accessible for kids (and husbands).


2. Movies, including VHS tapes, DVDs, Blu-Rays, and Video Games. I was able to find baskets that fit our DVDs and X-Box/Wii games perfectly to size, but had a little extra room for the blu-ray category (which is steadily growing).


3. Small Games and Decks of Cards. While board games may be a bit large to store in a basket and better served on a shelf, small hand-held games and card games are great for storing in baskets. You don't even need to stack them nice and neat. Just tossed 'em in and they're out of sight.


I have some of the above items on display in our living room. The rest of the shelf is still waiting to be filled in with picture frames and other accessories when they come out of boxes.

4. Magazines. My favorite way to keep magazines looking nice is to lay them down flat and stack them - this keeps the pages from becoming wavy or crinkling. I particularly like this when I have a stack of magazines that I want out and about for constant browsing. Stacking magazines by themselves on a coffee table or bookcase looks nice, but if you stack them in a basket, it looks even better.


You can also store magazines upright in a basket or storage container to achieve the same effect.


I especially like these storage boxes for long-term-put-away storage.

5. Hand Towels and Washcloths. Stacks of these small towels and washcloths always seem to fall over, looking messy. I've loved using these baskets to store these types of items.



Why the obsession with baskets, you ask? There are a couple reasons why I like baskets, in particular, to accomplish this task of organizing.

1. Baskets come in many different shapes and sizes - big or small, round or square, lid or handle... Finding the right size/shape of basket should be pretty easy given that so many stores offer a wide variety. I've picked up most of my different baskets at Target.
   
2. Baskets add texture to a space. They can consist of a variety of materials including wood, bamboo, wire, wicker, woodchip, leather... the list goes on and on. And all of these textures add interest to your space.
   
3. Baskets come in many colors - brown is the most common color, but baskets can be dyed almost any color - white, black, green, red, blue... And if the basket has a fabric liner inside it, the liner could also add all kinds of patterns and colors to your space.
   
4. Baskets weave together form and function perfectly. They display (or keep out of sight) our junk so nicely, yet make the junk easily accessible in any room you want.

So, as I continue to unpack boxes and find places for items in the house, baskets are very much on my "wanted" list. I will probably purchase many more in the near future. Is anyone else with me on this topic? Maybe we could form a support group. I'll go first... "Hello, my name is Katie, and I'm a Basket-o-holic!"

Do you have any particular storage items that you're fond of using to help contain the clutter? Please share!