Organize (and Decorate) Your Home On A Budget With Baskets

Organize (and Decorate) Your Home On A Budget With Baskets
By Karen Fritscher-Porter, Fri Dec 9th

What's an item that can help you organize every room in yourhome, helps create the appearance that you're a tidy housekeeper(even if you're not), and perks up your decorating scheme?

Need another hint?

It comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and materials and can befound in many local retail stores, including craft stores anddiscount retailers, and at flea markets and craft shows and wellbasically it's a universal item found all over the world. Youprobably have one right now in your home.

It's a basket!

So the next time someone gives you one filled with anything fromsweets to colognes, don't discard it once you've used what's init. Once the items are gone, the basket's job has only justbegun. Read onward to find out how to use this wonderful item inevery room in your house.

For instance, in the kitchen, you can use hanging wall pocketbaskets, which have flat backs, to store dry sponges andscrubbers as well as pot holders, oven mitts, dry dish rags andspare kitchen hand towels.

And in your family room or den, you might use a deep, round orcylindrical shaped basket on the coffee table to hold televisionor other electronic remotes. A basket made of rags will slidewithout scratching (or put a doily underneath). (Imagine neverlosing the television remote again because you have an assignedplace to put it in full view--that blends in with your homedecor.)

And in the bedroom, a wicker hamper with a lid in the closet canstore extra pillows and keep them dust-free. If you see openingsin the wicker slats or don't like your linens snagging on theinside of the basket, line the hamper with a sheet or largegallon trash bag.

The ideas for using these globally designed and sold productsthat have been around for decades are infinite. And probably noproduct is so practical and useful as well as beautiful. (Andmodestly priced too!) Baskets are handmade works of art that arefunctional. Imagine serving drinks on that gloriousone-of-a-kind painting you have hanging on the wall. Not! Butwith baskets you can literally put your most unique artwork intodaily usage and daily view.

Baskets come in many sizes, shapes and materials such as willow,rattan, bamboo, rope, palm leaf, wire and rags. And many areadorned with metal garnishes, dried coco flowers,

gugo vinehandles and more.

It's that variety of qualities that make baskets so easy toorganize AND decorate with simultaneously.

And you don't have to take a basket as it comes. Dress up any ofyour baskets by gluing on your own garnishments. For example,craft stores sell all types of trinkets you can glue on yourbaskets. Be creative. Try personalizing your baskets withanything from buttons to plastic candy canes to miniature toyfigures or mini cloth stockings. You could also buy miniaturetoys and figurines from typical large discount retailers orsmaller dollar stores. (What fun to do by yourself or with yourchildren). And when you're done, you can still put that basketto work in an organizational function in your home---only itwill have twice the value to you (the purchase price plus thepriceless sentimental value).

(c) 2004 Karen Fritscher-Porter

About the author:About the author Excerpted from the book entitled How toOrganize and Decorate with Baskets by Karen Fritscher-Porter.Learn how to get your own copy athttp://www.OrganizeWithBaskets.com.