February 18, 2016
Using baskets for storage and organization is just so practical, but can be pretty attractive, too. Last year, I saw a post from a lady who used an old crate to store her everyday cloth napkins and some silver in an old wooden box. I thought that was very clever.
As I recall, her style is more country. Mine is really not. Although I don’t think the old crate would be completely amiss in my home, I chose to look for a basket to achieve the same goal. This black woven basket caught my eye at Kohl’s. I even liked the fabric liner! The black was perfect with the kitchen island and the other touches of black all over the kitchen and family room.
Our kitchen is not overly big, but it is not small either. Sometimes when food is being prepared, it still seems it is not big enough. I really like the little basket with the napkins and the extra utensils in the mason jars. We serve food on the island a lot, especially when we have the whole family here with company!
Things can get pretty hectic. It allows people to grab a napkin and a fork easily. They don’t have to ask where the silverware drawer is. With a stack of plates next to the basket, they can help themselves and make their way to the dining room table, the kitchen table, or retreat to the deck.
This basket was filled with goodies and given to us by Dave’s mother. Notice it has the black color woven into it. It sits next to the stove on the counter. Each week, fresh vegetables and fruits are loaded into it. I love this! If your vegetables and fruits are stored out of sight, don’t you forget you even have them? This really is in my face every day, so that doesn’t happen.
If you are going out the door to the garage, you have to go by this basket. We try to keep apples and bananas in the basket for Will and the grandkids. Will picks up an apple on his way out the door in the morning. Aidan always finds the bananas. It’s a perfect place to encourage a good snack.
This is my dressing area with sink and the vanity. Although this chair was in this position for years, I never used it! I am too short to see the mirror well. Maybe I am not the normal person, but I stand to wash my face and put on makeup.
This space just seemed so wasted! Dave cut a shelf to fit the space and we installed it. That allows more storage on the shelf. Two big woven baskets were found at TJMaxx, which both fit under the shelf perfectly. Now extra towels and blankets are stored in them.
The chair is not missed at all.
The basket tray on the sideboard is a perfect way to show off a little display of spring items. The daffodils were from the garden last year. There are a few napkins, which I made from a colorful spring printed fabric. The pitcher was a find from North Carolina several years ago. The little dishes are from an Asian collection I have. The chocolate bunny is actually ceramic. These basket trays can be functional and it is a great way to set off a little vignette like this.
Notice the picnic basket under the sideboard? That was a purchase from 1971. Sometimes I live in a dream world. At the time, I had plans to take a picnic basket lunch to a boyfriend. My plan was to use the pony and cart we had. It did not come off exactly as planned in any way!
I still love the basket and believe it or not, it stores some of the baking pans and molds that don’t fit so well in the cabinets. It adds a little touch of red to mimic the colors in my painting. The painting is oil on canvas, which I painted many years ago, and, of course, one of my favorite subjects, flowers.
Hopefully, this has given you some inspiration for utilizing baskets for storage and organization.
