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Organizing With Baskets
I would like to share some helpful tips that I use to help keep my family and myself organized, and sometimes clutter free.
Recycle those baskets
Being a huge fan of baskets, I have found many useful ways in which to use them. Next time you receive flowers, plants or fruit in a basket don’t throw them away recycle them. I've been collecting baskets for many years.
Things that I use baskets for:
Baskets for my desk
- Bills that need to be paid
- Bills that have been paid
- Pen and Pencil Holder
- Plant baskets (In the picture below, in the basket I have 3 African Violets) Keep the plastic that is in the bottom of the flower or plant basket and this will catch any excess water when watering your plants.
Bathroom basket
- This basket holds small shampoo bottles, soaps, bath salts, bubble bath, sponges, hair products.
- Baskets for make-up are sometimes useful if you have a shortage of storage areas.
Baskets for the kitchen
- A basket that holds medications that family members use daily or perhaps once a month. such as Aspirin, Band-aids, Prescription Medications, gauze, tape, etc.
- For the dogs a basket to hold dog supplies such as shampoo, skunk wash, ear cleaner, gauze pads for ear cleaner, which all fits nicely under the kitchen sink.
- In a kitchen cupboard a basket for soup supplies such as bags of dried peas, minestrone mix, pastas, dried soup mixes.
- Bread baskets are a wonderful addition to the dinner table.
Baskets in other rooms
- Larger Basket to hold CD's or movies or to store paperback books in. These baskets I purchased at IKEA for $7.00 each.
- A Basket on top of a dresser makes a great catch all.
- Basket placed on the floor or a table to hold dried, fresh, or artificial flowers.
- Wicker laundry baskets will last you for years.
Gift Baskets
Recycling for Gifting
Have too many baskets? Gift baskets make a warm and welcomed gift for any occasion. Fill them with treats that you've baked or with soups for an ill person. There are endless ideas on how you can get creative with a gift basket.
"Even the simplest wicker basket can become priceless when it is loved and cared for through the generations of a family." Sister Parish
Baskets are great to organize toys.
When my children were smaller in their playroom my husband had built shelving on two walls of the room, and upon the shelves were baskets galore to hold toys.
My dream closet should it ever be built, will have shelves with baskets upon baskets.
Walking around just now to take pictures of some of my baskets for this hub, I never realized how basket obsessed I am. I have baskets in every room. One may think that I’m a “ Basket-Case”.
What do you use baskets for?
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Hi Maria, Thanks so much!
Oh Susan,
How I love to organize...it brings me peace to de-clutter and I have a variety of baskets myself...what a cool classic song, perfect!
Voted UP and UABI. Hugs, Maria
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Hi Steph, Baskets are great. My problem is I think I like them a little too much :) Thanks for stopping by.
Great ideas! Another one that my sister has used is to organize certain "grouped" items for sale in a basket - whether for a raffle, or even at a garage sale. Or, a basket is cute for gift-giving, as you noted.
We tend to have a lot of baskets too - bookmarking!
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carter, I just heard that we are getting a storm coming our way, so yes waiting for warmer weather may be a good idea :)
Well thank you friend - I might just have to come over and get them :) but I think I better wait till it gets a little warmer don't you think?? :)
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carter, Glad you found this hub and glad that you will be using some of my ideas. I have tons of baskets I don't use if you'd like some :)
Hi Susan,just making my way through some older hubs and found this one. Great ideas, I do love baskets and after reading am going to use some of your ideas at home, thanks.
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Sharyn, I would have guessed you'd be a basket user :) Thanks.
Great hub Susan. I do most of these types of things already with baskets. Helps keep things organized and looks nice too.
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GoingDutch, LOL Thanks for stopping by and for commenting :)
I have just got into baskets - can't get enough of them in my flat! My husband thinks I've gone mad.
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carol, Thanks, I will have to come by and read your hub.
Thanks for sharing Just Ask Susan. I think this is a wonderful hub. I wrote a hub on organizing the kitchen, bathrooms and closets and I used baskets for practically everything. Voted up.
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alekhouse, Thanks. I have stainless baskets too that I use for fruits and vegetables that I keep in my kitchen. Baskets are great! Have a good weekend and thanks for your comments.
Great hub with a lot of good suggestions. I use baskets all the time...every kind of basket you can think of...from plastic to bamboo. I even use them in my bed and breakfast. One is filled with brochures, maps, and info on the area, and another, smaller one, with my B&B brochures.
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CyclingFitness, Glad you like it. Thank you.
Fantastic ideas for all of those gift hampers we new seem to get as part of Christmas Cosmetic gifts and ways to have quite a unique arty while organised home too! Love it
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Sue, Thank you :)
Fantastic uses for baskets.
Voted up and awesome.
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Tina, They do have a plastic laundry basket that holds their toys :)
Oh,Yes I can imagine that they can have fun with the things in a basket like that and in suitable height for them:))
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sestasik, Nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping always nice to meet a fellow basket liker :)
MM, Thanks, baskets are great.
Tina, I like the idea of one for the mittens and hats but the dogs would have a great time pulling everything out :)
I am also a basket lover! So decorative and useful! These are great ideas and I got some new ideas on how to use mine:) I have one inside the door for hats, mittens and other useful things! Voted up, useful
Tina
Hi Susan, I love baskets, I don't know why I don't use them more, they look nice around the home and they are so useful, you have some great ideas for them here.
Thank you for sharing and voted up.
Great ideas for using baskets. I accumulate baskets for a while, then recycle them into gift baskets too!
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Ruby, Thanks for reading and have a great day!
RH, Steal away ... The towel basket is a good idea if you have a bathroom that has enough room. I used to keep a big basket on the floor with towels, but then got lazy about rolling them :)
Susan - I love baskets too! I use them for decoration but I didn't think of organizing my CD's like that - I'm going to steal that idea:) I still don't think I have enough of them....I love your ideas for organizing with them. I noticed the towels rolled up in the larger one - love that!
Great ideas Susan. I am a basket person. I love them. I keep one beside my computer. Thank's for sharing..
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Cardisa, So many people love baskets for that reason.
missolive AKA Basket Case :), Thanks. One of these days I am going to draw the plans out for the closet and give them to my husband.
time2write, I love to go seashell hunting.
joan, Thank you, glad I gave you a few new ideas.
THis is a great idea. I've used baskets in similar manners, myself. But you've included some ideas i hadn't considered.
(Laughing), I guess I'm not the only "Basket Case" after all! I have been doing the same thing with baskets in my own home for years. Of course since I live near the beach, I also keep a couple of baskets out for the shells I collect. Great hub and I voted "Up", of course!
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Arlene and ehow, Thank you both.
Frank, Thank you glad you find them useful :)
Chuck, Have never thought of using a basket for jumper cables , but may start doing that. Thanks.
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K9, Thank you :)
Victoria, I like the idea of a basket for shoes. That would be really helpful for me. Thanks.
shea, So glad that my hub was helpful for you. Happy uncluttering :)
Hi Susan - I too am a fellow "Basket Case"
I use them quite a bit. I love your idea of a dream closet. I prefer stacking in baskets as well. Boxes work great too!
Great hub and great ideas/tips.
Thank you for sharing :)
I love baskets, they are natural and looks good.
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alphagirl & T4, Thank you. Glad you both liked the hub.
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Peg, I have 2 Newfoundland dogs and when one got sprayed I had to run out to the nearest pet store and buy something to get rid of the smell. Now I always have extra on hand :)
I also use baskets for kitchen, dining room, and believe it or not, to hold jumper cables. I think it's funny. Nice use of baskets there.
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Hyphenbird, I have an addiction to boxes too. Wooden boxes, marble boxes, glass boxes. Just had to share that with you :)
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Barry, Shoe and boot boxes work well for bills, I agree. If I had my druthers I'd just store them in a garbage bag :)
Just Ask Susan.. your Hubs are so usefull.. and interesting someone like me who can benefit from these shares.. gotta go up and awesome with you :) Frank
Really helpful ideas. Thanks for that!
Very, very, nice! Just don't ask me to MAKE one! Voted up for all the great suggestions.
I am trying so hard to organize my house. I think so many of your ideas will help me rethink my clutter! Great hub!
Susan, great hub! Voted up and all the way across! I don't think you're a "basket-case," but that wasy funny. I like how you formatted your article, too. It's very attractive!
I started picking up baskets at yard sales a while back. I thought I was developing this weird fettish, as I had never before been drawn to baskets. When I found that they are great for storage and making things look less cluttered, I became even more attracted to them! haha. I also use them for magazines, for a cat bed, and even for shoes. I have a big one on legs in my bedroom that I put my most used shoes in for easy access. I'm not even more motivated to use the baskets I have stacked in the garage, waiting for use. Thanks for the inspiration! I'm even working on a hub about keeping things neat and clean....:-)
Beautiful, convenient, and just plain smart, Susan! Great tips for using baskets when organizing around the house. Thanks-- you always teach me the coolest things!
HubHugs~
K9
Great advice! I try to use as many baskets as possible.
Fabulous helpful hints! Thanks Great feng shui with decluttering!
Baskets are great for organizing and you are really organized. Not really a basket case! I have a small basket on the bathroom counter with clean folded wash cloths so each guest has their own towel to use.
Your description of the dog basket cracked me up. Skunk wash? Whooee. You are prepared.
A "Basket Case". That is so cute. I also like baskets. They look nice and keep clutter from happening. Thanks for an interesting and helpful Hub. It really does have some great ideas.
Great Hub I find A4 Shoe Boxes great for Bill unpaid & paid. cover each one with different colour adhesive covering.
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