9 Ways to Use Basic Wire Baskets All Over the House

I’m always searching for ways to make organization look like it’s part of my decor (an inescapable reality of small apartments with no closets). Flimsy plastic bins just don’t cut it. Lately, I’ve been turning to basic wire baskets to use all around the house. Once you start thinking of them less like boxes, and more like flexible storage or shelves that don’t require brackets or a saw, you open up new organizational possibilities.

This basket tower from The Merrythought is clever in its simplicity. Just thread a set of baskets (these were spray painted white) through rungs of a ladder stand for extra storage. This would be great in a closet for scarves and belts.

Rachel of Smile & Wave hangs her basket backwards from a simple eye hook to use as a jewelry display. The open grid catches dangling earrings and smaller S-hooks support necklaces. (If you’re looking for more jewelry organizers, we have a whole roundup for you!)

Cute hampers are difficult to find, so why not DIY? Add a sturdy crossbeam support and casters to a large wire basket to create a hamper that actually looks like a piece of decor. Love the mudcloth print I Spy DIY chose for this project.

Another take on the basket shelf, this bathroom vignette from Bolig Maganiset adds so much texture in such a small space. Just remember to secure hooks to the wall with wall anchors if you want to display heavier items.

Secure a slim basket to your prep station to store cutting boards within easy reach. If you’re lucky enough to find a basket with a bar like Vintage Mellie, it also works for hanging tea towels!

Leave no nook overlooked! Smaller baskets take advantage of spaces that a shelf might overwhelm. Try a teeny wall garden or vertical bookshelf with a few baskets, as Fastighetsyran demos above.

Samantha of Simply Organized is a professional organizer and loves to use wire baskets for her clients’ laundry closets (especially these Threshold ones from Target). After having them purge incomplete sets, she groups sheets and blankets by size so they’ll always know what they’re grabbing.

Take this idea from Kate La Vie and keep track of small lotions & potions with coordinating baskets. Organize by type or routine so you can easily throw everything back in for a low maintenance organization system.

If you live in a small space, you know open organization is a fact of life. Elevate everyday basics, like toilet paper, with a special basket, as seen in Style Room.