baskets add style to your organizing projects
August 11th, 2008Welcome to Clean+istry’s first guest post, featuring organizing expert Jeni Aron (aka the Clutter Cowgirl). We know Jeni. We know her work. She’s actually performed magic with an organizationally-challenged member of Clean+istry’s own family, perhaps saving a relationship in the process. Jeni specializes in infusing energy, order and focus into “stuck” spaces. Her work has been mentioned in Apartment Therapy, New York Magazine and Blueprint Magazine. If you live in the NYC area and need help, she’s the one.
Baskets add style to your organizing projects along with function. The hugely popular interest in home organizing has encouraged many manufacturers to incorporate aesthetically pleasing products into their lines. Brightly colored boxes, binders, decorative cork boards and anything that Martha Stewart lays her golden fingers on are not only functional but also happy to look at. Baskets fall right into the pretty container category and can be used in every single room of the home.
Made out of bamboo, twigs, wicker and many other natural materials, baskets have been around since hunting and gathering times to, you guessed it, transport and organize what those fine humans were hunting and gathering. “Thor, let’s keep the venison in the bigger basket and the berries in the smaller one.” Makes sense to us.
These days, thanks to Fresh Direct, we no longer need to carry food in baskets on our heads (you can if you want to). We can use baskets to organize whatever floats our yacht. Here are some personal favorite ideas when it comes to organizing with baskets:
We save all of our small personal journals. Instead of losing them on a bookshelf, we store them in baskets from Ikea on our open shelving unit.
Same thing goes for our electronics. iPod charger, cell phone charger, digital camera and battery charger are all housed in an easy-to-reach basket on a shelf near the front door. Like things go with like things so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Decorative baskets can be kept on display in guest-centric rooms. Use a shallow bowl-shaped basket to gather all of your remote controls next to the television.
Closet space is precious and rare so instead, store bath towels rolled up spa-style in a generous-sized basket next to the tub.
For those of us blessed with young children, the joy of cleaning up their toys is made all that more heavenly with the help of storage baskets kept on the bottom shelf of a bookcase or under a hallway console table. This set of three includes a handy lid to keep the mess inside a secret. Kids can learn to manage their possessions right out of the womb.
A home office exposed to visitors can feature a cohesive look thanks to baskets. Even in a variety of different shades and materials, baskets harmoniously share a natural, warm appearance in high-functioning work areas. Periodicals, stationary, books, supplies and many other office paraphernalia can be kept out in the open thanks to baskets like these:
There are endless uses for baskets and one of the best things about these containers is their sustainability because most baskets are made out of natural fibers. We also love that baskets are interchangeable within the home. If little Elton outgrows his set of toy storage baskets, you can smoothly move them into your guest room to keep magazines next to the bed.
Here are some links to attractive baskets in all different price points. They can serve many different organizing purposes from wrangling dirty laundry to containing cook books:
Happy and attractive organizing to you!
Jeni Aron aka “Clutter Cowgirl” www.cluttercowgirl.com