Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Basket Love

My friend Laura, over at I'm an Organizing Junkie , is holding a basket carnival today. Now I don't know how much of a basket lover I am, but Laura is doing her best to work on me. I don't even know if this really qualifies for her carnival or not, but, it is what it is. LOL.

The other day I was at a store and I saw a set of 3 seagrass baskets on sale for 60% off. With Laura, in the back of my mind and the pull of a great sale, I bought them. Regular $24.99 and I got them for $9.99. Who can resist that? I had an idea what I would do with one of them, but three? But I bought them anyway, 'cause did I mention they were 60% off?

So the first one, the one I did have a plan for, went on my dresser. I have a horrible habit of dropping papers, cards, paraphenelia on my dresser top. It's an awful catch all for everything I don't have time to file. A real mess. So a while back Laura suggested I get a basket for that and then when it was full, that would be my cue that it needed to be put away. That way it contained it, yet didn't pressure me to have to file four times a day. So now I only had to decide whether I wanted to use the smaller basket and be forced to put things away a little more often or the biggest basket and really be able to let things build up before I had to put them away. Hmmm, decisions, decisions. So I finally went witht the smaller one, because knowing me I would leave that great big one forever before I cleared it out. So voila, the smaller basket:


Now what to do with the other two? I looked down at my bedroom floor by the bed and saw this:



my overflowing book bag. My books were spilling over and getting bent, which was making me crazy. In my world, books that are brand new are never bent and develop a bow. So let's just say had been nagging at me for awhile. A light bulb moment struck and seeing that wall to wall book shelves or any book shelves for that matter are not in my immediate future, voila, here's the bigger basket:

And look, there's space for a couple more new books! Bonus! And, oh dear, not a bonus. I need to wipe the dusty baseboards that the taller book bag was hiding. Ugh.

Okay middle sized basket. What to do? What to do? Ta da. All those little bottles of bath stuff, and the magazines in the bathroom, nicely contained. I've got to play with it a bit more and put in another towel or two to make it all pretty, but now all the bathroom's little things are contained nicely and accessible.


There you go, Laura, that's my basket story and I'm sticking to it.

For great basket organizing ideas, visit our hostess, Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

16 comments:

Cyndi said...

Well, I'm impressed! I love those baskets!! I'm a true "basket case." I love baskets and have bunches, but they simply serve to contain my disorganization in a more decorative way. LOL

Anonymous said...

I love baskets to keep "stuff" contained in one space -- looks so much neater than stacks or clusters.

Anonymous said...

Baskets can come in soooo handy! I emailed the Austin heroine link to all my friends who are women. Many enjoyed it!

ellen b. said...

Well done Susanne! I like your style. I also am very impressed with the 60% off. I hate buying anything for full price...

Donnetta said...

I have been wondering what I could in my odd shaped and small bathroom. Your basket idea looks like a very possible option! Thanks for the great idea!!

Faith said...

I have TONS of baskets all over my house. I even have the top part of my kitchen wall decorated with various wicker/shaker baskets.
I use a huge wicker one next to my bed for books on my "to read" list. My husband has one of church papers/youth group stuff.
living room has one of Adirondack brochures, family room has childrens' book basket and a huge wooden one I keep under the coffee table with all sorts of "souvenir books, various art books,etc.) ok, I should have just done my own post on this..sorry it's long

Laura said...

Wheeeeee! Isn't that a great sale, I saw those at Canadian Tire!! I love how you've used them. It looks great and so very functional and decorative. How cool is that. I love, love, love, love them!

Did I mention that I love them? :)

He he...all these baskets are making me delirious!

Michelle said...

Great sale.. Cdn tire you say??? Might have to get there.Thank you for your Birthday wishes to McKenna ;-) have a great day with your baskets..

Anonymous said...

Great uses of baskets...my hubby often steers me past the basket section of home stores...lol I love them but don't always use them so I have quite a few empty ones.

Islandsparrow said...

Very nice!

I could use a basket or two like that myself - I have a few book piles hiding dust too. :)

gail@more than a song said...

You got all 3 baskets for 9.99?!!! How fun and I love them. What a GREAT idea about putting books in that one, I have books piling up in my room and I might just have to borrow that idea. Very smart! Great deal too.

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Believe it or not, I do the same things with baskets. and I'm no organizing junkie, for sure. My only problem is, things still get dusty in baskets!

Anonymous said...

Love love love those baskets!

Barb said...

It's funny. You may think you're not a basket person - I've never really thought I was - but I have them all over the house. I use them for all kinds of ways to stay organized. Honestly, if all my baskets went away, my house and especially my closets and even more especially my craft supplies would be a complete mess.

Hen Jen said...

LOL, you are such a book person!!

Anonymous said...

I'd say that you did a great job utilizing that great bargain.