Baskets are one of the easiest, most affordable ways to bring order to any space in your home. They work in every room—from overflowing entryways to cluttered bathroom counters. Whether you prefer rattan, wire, fabric, or wicker, there’s a basket style that fits your budget and your aesthetic. This guide walks you through 22 practical, room-by-room ways to use baskets to corral clutter, create visual calm, and make everyday routines feel smoother. No major renovations. No expensive shelving systems. Just baskets, placed with purpose.
1. Corral Throw Blankets in the Living Room
A big basket next to the couch is the simplest living room upgrade you can make. Toss all your throws inside and suddenly the room looks pulled together. Look for a tall, round wicker or rattan basket at thrift stores—they’re almost always available for under $10. Roll blankets instead of folding them so they fan out attractively over the rim. This keeps things accessible without creating a mess. It doubles as decor and storage at the same time.
2. Stack Baskets as Bedroom Nightstand Storage
Nightstands get cluttered fast. Small stacking baskets solve this without buying new furniture. Use one basket for nightly essentials—chapstick, earbuds, a book—and another for charging cables. Wire baskets from the dollar store work perfectly here. Label the front with a small tag if you share the space. This system takes five minutes to set up and keeps late-night rummaging to a minimum. No drawer organizers needed.
3. Hang Wall Baskets in the Kitchen for Produce
Free up counter space by moving produce off the counter and onto the wall. Hanging wicker baskets mounted with simple hooks hold onions, garlic, citrus, and apples perfectly. Most wall baskets come with a flat back and a hook already attached. Look for sets at home goods stores or online for under $20. Install them near your prep area so grabbing an onion takes two seconds. This also adds a charming, market-fresh look to plain kitchen walls.
4. Use a Basket Tray to Organize the Bathroom Counter
A shallow basket acts like a tray and keeps your everyday products from sliding around the counter. Group similar items together—skincare in one, hair tools in another. This makes cleaning the counter easy since you just lift the basket and wipe beneath it. Flat-bottomed seagrass baskets work great for this. Find them at craft stores for around $8–$12. It instantly makes a crowded bathroom counter look intentional and spa-like.
5. Create a Kids’ Toy Rotation System with Baskets
Toy bins are great. But labeled baskets in a rotation system are even better. Keep only 2–3 baskets of toys accessible at a time and store the rest. Swap them out weekly so kids rediscover old toys like they’re brand new. Canvas baskets with wire frames hold up to rough use and are easy to wipe clean. Get them in bulk from discount stores. This cuts down on overwhelm—for kids and parents alike.
6. Line a Mudroom Bench with Individual Baskets
Every family member gets their own basket under the mudroom bench. One person, one basket. Hats, gloves, and small shoes all have a home. When the basket overflows, that person cleans it out. It’s a self-regulating system. Rectangular woven baskets from discount home stores fit neatly under most standard benches. Label the front with chalk tags or iron-on letters. This cuts down on the “where are my gloves” panic every single morning.
7. Sort Laundry with Multiple Hamper Baskets
Skip the single overflowing hamper. Three smaller sorting baskets make laundry day faster because sorting is already done. Label them: darks, lights, and delicates. Tall wicker hampers with handles work perfectly for this. When a basket is full, that load is ready to wash. Look for matching sets at home goods stores—often under $40 for three. This small change saves real time every week and makes the laundry room feel organized instead of chaotic.
8. Display Potted Plants Inside Baskets
A plain plastic pot becomes a design statement when you drop it inside a basket. Baskets as plant covers add warmth and texture to any room. Make sure to use a saucer inside the basket to catch drainage water, or choose plants that don’t need frequent watering. Jute and rattan baskets in various heights work especially well. Mix three different sizes together for a simple, styled plant corner. Find them at dollar stores, garden centers, or thrift shops.
9. Build a Home Office Supply Station with Baskets
Office supplies spread out fast. Small desk baskets stop the creep. Use one for pens and scissors, one for sticky notes and paper clips, one for charging cables. Wire mesh baskets or small woven bins both work here. Label the front so anyone can find what they need quickly. Pick baskets that match your desk—dark wire for modern setups, woven for a warmer look. This is a quick Saturday afternoon project that saves daily frustration.
10. Wrangle Bathroom Towels in a Tall Floor Basket
Rolled towels stored in a tall floor basket look pulled from a boutique hotel. Rolling instead of folding saves space and looks neat. A tall cylindrical rattan or seagrass basket works best—the height keeps towels from falling out. Look for one at a home goods store or thrift shop; prices range from $15–$35. Place it beside the tub or shower for easy grab access. This completely replaces the need for a separate towel rack and adds visual warmth.
11. Organize a Linen Closet with Shelf Baskets
Linen closets become chaotic quickly. Matching baskets on each shelf fix that. Assign each basket a category—extra sheets, pillowcases, guest towels. Label the front so family members put things back correctly. Rectangular woven baskets in matching sizes give a clean, organized look without spending much. Measure your shelves before buying. A set of six matching baskets can completely transform a messy linen closet for under $50. It’s one of the highest-impact organization projects in the home.
12. Use a Rolling Basket Cart for Flexible Storage
A rolling cart with baskets on each level is storage you can move anywhere. Pull it to the couch for craft night, move it to the kitchen for meal prep, tuck it in the bathroom for extra supplies. Use small woven baskets that fit the cart’s tiers. Wire rolling carts are widely available for under $30. This setup is great for small apartments where every piece of furniture needs to do double duty. Flexible, affordable, and actually fun to organize.
13. Keep Pet Supplies Tidy with a Dedicated Basket
Pet gear ends up everywhere. One dedicated basket stops the sprawl. Leashes, bandanas, a ball, a folded pet blanket—all in one spot near the door. This also makes grab-and-go walks faster because you know exactly where everything is. A large round seagrass basket works well since it’s roomy and wipes clean. Place it near the front door or in the mudroom. When the basket fills up, it’s time to declutter pet gear—simple as that.
14. Add a Bedside Reading Basket
A small basket next to the bed is a simple, low-cost way to keep your reading life organized. Stack current books, a journal, and a pen inside so everything you need before sleep is within reach. Small oval wicker baskets or fabric bins both work. Thrift stores often have perfect options for $2–$5. This also stops books from piling up on the nightstand where they take over. When the basket is full, you finish a book before adding a new one.
15. Create a Charging Station Basket on the Kitchen Counter
Phones and chargers strewn across the counter create visual noise. A charging station basket corrals it all into one designated spot. Place a small power strip behind or beneath the basket and run cables in from behind. This keeps surfaces clear and charging cables from tangling. Use a low, wide basket so phones can lie flat while charging. Find inexpensive options at craft stores or dollar stores. It’s a quick five-minute setup that makes the kitchen feel instantly cleaner.
16. Organize a Craft Room with Labeled Baskets by Material
Craft supplies are notoriously hard to contain. One basket per material type is the solution. Yarn in one, ribbon in another, paint supplies in a third. Label each basket clearly. When you sit down to create, you know exactly where to find what you need and where to return it. Matching seagrass baskets from dollar or craft stores are ideal. Buying six at once usually costs under $25. The labels are the key—without them, stuff gets tossed in randomly and the system breaks down.
17. Line a Pantry with Deep Baskets for Snack Storage
Pantry shelves become a jumble when snacks aren’t contained. Deep baskets sorted by snack type make it easy to see what you have and what’s running low. Wire baskets with open fronts work best in pantries—you can see everything at a glance. Buy pull-out style baskets if your shelves are deep. Group chips together, protein bars together, fruit snacks together. Kids can grab their own snacks without pulling everything off the shelf. That alone is worth the investment.
18. Use a Large Market Basket as a Portable Toy Bin
A large handled market basket doubles as a toy bin you can carry from room to room. Pick up toys in minutes by just walking through the house with the basket. Drop everything in, carry it back to the playroom, and sort later—or not at all. Woven market baskets with sturdy handles are strong enough for heavy toys. They’re also attractive enough to sit in the living room without looking out of place. Find them at flea markets or import shops for $10–$20.
19. Store Extra Toilet Paper in a Bathroom Floor Basket
Running out of toilet paper mid-session is a problem baskets can fix permanently. A floor basket beside the toilet holding backup rolls is both practical and attractive. Round seagrass or wicker baskets work well here. Stack rolls so they fan out slightly for an organized look. Most small bathroom baskets cost $8–$15 at home goods stores. This also eliminates the need for over-toilet shelving, which can make small bathrooms feel cramped. Simple, cheap, and surprisingly effective.
20. Build a Homework Drop Zone with Baskets Near the Door
A homework drop zone by the door keeps school stuff from spreading through the house. One basket per child holds folders, permission slips, library books, and pencil cases. When kids walk in, bag goes on the hook, school papers go in the basket. In the morning, everything is exactly where they left it. Use labeled rectangular baskets that fit under a console table or on a low shelf. This one system eliminates morning chaos for most families within the first week.
21. Organize Under-Sink Clutter with Handled Baskets
Under-sink storage is almost always a mess. Pull-out baskets with handles make it easy to access the back of the cabinet without unloading everything. Keep cleaning products in one basket, extra supplies in another. When you need something, just pull the basket out, grab it, and slide it back in. Rectangular wicker or wire baskets with side handles work perfectly for this. Measure your cabinet height before buying. A set of two typically runs $15–$25 and completely transforms wasted under-sink space.
22. Style a Entryway Console with Basket Layers
A console table with baskets at different heights creates an entryway that looks styled and stays functional. Use three basket sizes—a tall one for umbrellas, a flat tray for keys and mail, and a small lidded one for miscellaneous items. Rattan and seagrass baskets in complementary tones work best together. This creates a layered, curated look without hiring a designer. You can source all three baskets at thrift stores for under $20 total. The entry sets the tone for the whole house—baskets make it look intentional.
Conclusion
Baskets are one of the few organization tools that work in every room, at every budget, and for every style. The 22 methods above prove that getting organized doesn’t mean buying expensive systems or starting a big renovation. Start with one room and one basket. See how it changes how the space feels and functions. Once you experience the calm that comes from contained clutter, you’ll naturally want to extend it through the rest of your home. Pick up one basket this week—even a secondhand one—and put it to work.