How to Organize With Baskets

Way to organize with baskets. Streamline your entire home without breaking the bank. 

Since I caught the organizing bug after finally getting my entire home free of clutter, I might have to say my favorite things to do is look at new and different organizers on the market. I love to see the different options out there hoping I might find something new to use in my own home. The funny thing is what usually catches my eye is a basket. Not the stand of drawers in coral green but the shelf that is full of simple baskets. And the fact that you can now find baskets in just about every shape and size makes it clear that I am not the only one that loves to use them in my home.

Baskets are my dream organizers. Not only will they work in just about every room they are quite possibly the best solution for just about any items you are looking to corral. Remember to always keep in mind your organizing mentality when you are setting up a new space. If you are like me and need systems that have the least amount of steps possible, then baskets are probably going to be your dream organizers too.

Before we dive in let’s go over just a few things to remember when working with baskets as organizers.

How to Choose the Best Baskets for Organizing Your Home

1. Be sure the basket is durable when needed. What I mean by this is that you want to have a basket that will hold up well with what you are storing inside. Durable plastic in the kitchen pantry, for example, will be the best option for corraling those heavy canned goods.
2. Be sure the basket will not damage your shelf. I love a good wicker basket like the next girl but did you know the bottom of those baskets can really scratch up a shelf? For a quick fix, simply add a few felt squares on the bottom to prevent this from happening.
3. Be sure the basket fits the job. If you really want a space to be organized then you need to choose items that “fit” in the space. Baskets that are much larger than the job calls for will only keep your space looking cluttered or out of whack.
4. Be sure the baskets are labeled clearly. Let’s face it if our family won’t use the baskets there is no reason to even set them up. What you need are clear labels on each so everyone knows just what goes inside. This really is the key to an organized space in your home staying that way. Make it easy so everyone in your home will use it.

How to Organize With Baskets

In the Office

We are going to start off in the office because I believe paper is a universal headache. No matter where you live or what stage of life you are in, paper is most likely something you need to deal with every single day. Use baskets to hold your mail as soon as it comes in and keep it front and center. This is important especially if you are still getting statements and other financials mailed to your home.

A simple woven basket will work great here, try to shoot for a size of 15 x 13 so it will hold papers and magazines easily. You can take your paper organizing one step further and set up baskets for each member of your family.

This really helps to sort out the papers being sure that they are getting to the person they need. Since my kids are older and living on their own now, you would think that papers for them are few and far between.

Actually they aren’t. I still get quite a few items for each of them and by having a basket set up and ready for me to toss their mail into really does keep the papers under control.

You can even use baskets to keep your finances in check. A small woven basket from a set is perfect for holding your receipts for the month until you have a chance to file them away.

In the Pantry

Quite possibly the very best place to use baskets to organize may just be in the pantry. This is probably especially true if you have a pantry that has wire shelving. I am not sure what we were thinking when we installed wired shelves in our own pantry but luckily baskets saved us there.

I like to baskets to hold themed food items so I can get in, find what I need quickly and get right back out again. This is great on those nights I am looking for something else to make other than what is on our weekly menu for the night.

Be sure to select durable baskets like these aiming for a size of 11 x 15. The ones in the picture above do well to withstand the weight of canned foods and condiments. You will also want baskets with handles that you can use to slide in and out. If you have a wire shelved pantry as I do, then sheets of plexiglass will make the sliding part a bit easier to do.

D/M PRO TIP: If you have young children or grandchildren set up a cereal basket just for them. Include small snack boxes of their favorite cereals, a few plastic bowls, and spoons. Teach them a bit of independence better helping them to do more on their own. 

READ: HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR PANTRY

In the Kitchen

One of the hotspots in any home might be the kitchen counters. There is something about all that wide open space that calls to my clutter-bug soul just begging for me to put things on it. I have found that a few baskets really help to corral items on my counters keeping the overall look of my kitchen neat and organized.

Baskets are also great to use in drawers to really keep things where they belong. You can go crazy here with a drawer full of baskets or just add one or two to keep things sorted just a bit. With so many sized baskets on the market right now, you really can go all out here.

Baskets are really helpful in a baking drawer where you can use them to keep measuring spoons separate from measuring cups. A great way to keep any baking projects from getting frustrating because you are looking for things.

In The Refrigerator

I just started using baskets in our fridge and this was a game-changer for our family. The baskets helped us to keep our food organized so we were sure to use it up before it went bad. Set up a basket for foods you have multiples of like cheese or yogurts. Label things clearly so your family knows exactly what is inside.

Set up a basket for leftovers and date each container inside. This will help you to know what you have to eat and the date it was made so you are sure to eat it while it’s still fresh.

D/M PRO TIP: If you have young children or grandchildren that simply must eat all the time, set up a basket on a lower shelf just for them. Fill with snacks they love and keep just the day’s amount inside. This way they know what they can eat that day without eating more that is good for them. Label the basket with their name or their picture if the child is very young. 

In the Family Room

I love using baskets to encourage my family to keep rooms neat. I have found that the easier I set up things in a room the more likely they are to put things away.

A large basket to hold throw blankets and pillows or a basket for kid’s toys are a few great ideas for this room. If you don’t want to invest in a large basket right now you can always use a laundry basket in its place. Big is your goal here and you want something that is big enough to hold bulky items like pillows and blankets.

You can also use a small basket on a coffee table to hold remotes for the TV or other electronics. Never go searching for your TV remote again!

Your goal of this room is to corral common things so the space is neater. Take a look around at what is always in your family room and find ways to make it easier to keep things out of the way.

In The Linen Closet

Another hot spot for clutter is the linen closet. Even with the shelving things can still get messed up if someone is looking for a sheet or towel. By using baskets you can keep things on the shelf where they need to be.

D/M PRO TIP: Don’t worry too much about the state of what is inside the basket. This is usually what happens when you have an area that your family is in daily. Allow them to keep the baskets a bit shuffled as long as they get the item in the basket itself. I have learned that I need to pick my battles if I want my house to stay somewhat organized. As long as they put the items back in the baskets where they belong I feel as if we have had a victory! 

A few ideas for baskets in this area are:

• Cleaning supplies
• Wash Cloths
• Towels
• Bath Toys
• Sheets
• Bath Supplies
• Toiletries

Be sure to label the baskets so everyone knows just exactly what belongs where.

In The Toy Room or Play Room

There really may be no permanent solution to keeping a child’s playroom organized. No matter how many times I tried I just couldn’t find a system that was foolproof for my gang of boys. What I had to do was pick and choose the items that I would insist would be kept in bins. This included books, expensive Lego sets, and games. I like to have specific baskets for each that are clearly labeled.

The rest was just tossed willy-nilly in large bins to at least keep the floors somewhat clear for walking. This compromise worked quite well in our family. The room was somewhat organized yet not so stifling that my boys could not let loose and play.

In the Entryway or Mudroom

Having an organized area for the family when they enter or leave the home is really a great idea in any home. By setting up baskets for shoes, hooks for coats and bags, even baskets for outside gear you can really keep a messy mudroom neat and tidy.

Remember the easier you make things the more likely your family is to use it. If you have the room for a basket for each family member this is a great way to keep things from getting lost in the shuffle. A large basket can hold 4-5 pairs of shoes keeping them out of the walkway. This one tip alone is a gamechanger in a mudroom.

In The Closet

A great place to really keep things organized with baskets is in the closet. You can use them to hold small items like socks or scarves or you can use them to keep t-shirt collections under control. Baskets can really create an organized space quite easily and still be a system you can easily use and keep up with.

READ: HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET

This can work for any age as well. If using baskets in a young child’s closet that cannot read yet, picture labels will better help them to know what goes where.

In The Laundry Room

I think when people talk about baskets for organizing the very first place they think is in the laundry room. If you sort clothes before you wash then this is a great tip for you. Label laundry baskets for fast and easy sorting and store in your laundry room. The baskets can then double for folded clothes as you return them to the rooms where they belong.

You can also use baskets to organized laundry supplies. Fabric sheets, deterrent measuring cups, even a catch-all for “pocket finds” all work great to help keep this space neat.

In The Garage

One of the most overlooked areas in our homes might just be the garage. A dump all for most families it can be easy to ignore this space until you are in it.

Use large plastic baskets to keep things in easy to find categories such as car care, or electronics.

This will allow you to not only find what you need quickly but to keep this home maintenance area a valuable tool for your home.

Extra Basket Ideas

As you might have noticed there are dozens and dozens of ways to organize with baskets, here are a few bonus areas that you can really go crazy with!

Pet Toys – I just love using a basket to keep all of our pet’s toys in one place. By using a low sided pet toy basket our pup can easily get the toys he wants to play with all on his own. This still doesn’t stop him from getting all his toys out at once, but it does make it easier for me to pick them up at the end of the day.

Just be sure to choose a basket that has durable sides. As your pup reaching in and out for his things he will do some wear and tear to the sides of the basket. By choosing a sturdier option your basket will hold up much longer.

Vertical Organizing – Use baskets to give you a little extra room in a small space. Wall hanging ba

skets are a great way to store items in a bathroom or even a kitchen. Us them to hold towels, magazines, cutting boards, mail, even lids for your pots and pans. By using your walls for extra storage you will free up more counter and cabinet space. Something that can be hard to come by in a small kitchen.

READ: HOW TO CREATE SPACE IN A SMALL KITCHEN

Books – If you love books like I do then this might be one tip you are going to love. Sturdy wire baskets can work great to hold book collections that you love. By having them out where you can enjoy them you can double up books as a work of art and really add something you love to liven up an otherwise dull room.

Toilets – If you have a small bathroom then storing extra bath supplies might not be an option. Take advantage of the space you have by using a toilet bowl basket. I like the size 16x8x6 as it fits well on most toilet bowl backs. This works great to hold tissues and extra toilet paper.

Towels – Another great tip for a small bathroom. Store a few extra hand towels in a hanging wall basket that doubles as wall art.

Organizing with baskets is a great way to keep a home neat and clutter-free. By using simple organizers you will not only make it easy to keep up with but easy for your family to keep up with as well.

Do you have tips on How to Organize with Baskets? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!