Toss Your Ugly Under-Bed Storage — Use This Charming Thrifted Gem Instead

Whether or not you are a full-on devotee to the cottagecore trend, the home decor aesthetic has plenty of timeless elements you can still draw inspiration from when it comes to home decor and storage — like embroidery, vintage floral patterns, and rustic-looking wicker baskets.

In fact, as I saw in a recent TikTok, wicker picnic baskets are a great choice for under-bed storage. Not only are they highly practical, but they’re also much cuter than the bins you probably have under your bed right now.

I first learned of this charming idea from a video by Micah Guenther of Brook and Bramble Farm, a family homestead in rural upstate New York. In the video, she offers thrift store recommendations for items that can be repurposed in clever ways — and the first item on her list is picnic baskets, which she uses for under-bed storage.

This is a great idea, and I’m surprised I’ve never seen it before. There are all manner of suitcases and low-clearance plastic storage boxes under my bed, but they all look far less cute and quaint than a row of wicker boxes (which is, essentially, what a picnic basket is) in all shapes and sizes. Some even look like mini briefcases, which is very cute and would be handy for smaller items. You could store winter clothing, extra sheets and towels, shoes, or whatever you need to throw under your bed.

Obviously the whole point of Guenther’s video was to thrift a picnic basket, but I understand not everyone loves the process of getting to a store and hunting around for a while with only a chance of potentially finding the gem you seek. I enjoy the journey myself, but also recognize that it can be time-consuming and mentally draining even when you do find great stuff.

If you want something new or don’t have a good thrift option near you, The Container Store has an array of basket options, such as this lidded option that comes in small (16 inches long, 10.5 inches wide, and 7.5 inches tall) or large (20.25 inches long, 13.75 inches wide, and 9.5 inches tall) for $18 and $24 on sale, respectively. Alternatively, Wayfair has an 11-inch-long, 15-inch-wide, and 7-inch-tall handwoven seagrass box with a flip lid ($35.99, 60% off the original price of $90.99).