If you haven’t noticed, baskets are a dime a dozen at thrift stores. Okay, maybe they are more like $2 for one, but they are cheap!
I hit the mother load of great baskets during my thrifting trip this week, and I’ve been racking my brain to try to come up with creative uses for them. They were super cheap, in perfect condition, and AAAACCCCKKKKK…….
Um, it looks like my dog got a hold of them while I was out running errands. He’s lucky he’s adorable, because he’s seriously beginning to ruin my house little by little.
He’s also lucky that I was planning on recovering the top of that basket with fabric, so hopefully my plan will still work. The large basked was $4.99 and the small basket was $2.99 at Goodwill, so if they are a total loss, I won’t be out much money.
I’m planning on giving them their makeover in the near future (don’t forget that you can spray paint those baskets!), and I’m very excited to share them with you. In the meantime, I thought I’d pass a long a little inspiration to you so that you could figure out how to use some cheap thrift store baskets in your own home. I bet if you look hard enough you’ll even find some forgotten baskets tucked into a closet somewhere.
1. Line your baskets with fabric remnants using this simple no-sew tutorial. These liners are really expensive, so now you can use your glue gun to make one. Brilliant!
2. Put large baskets on pedestals and use as planters. Note: For those of us with black thumbs, you’ll want to put the plant in a pot and then put the pot inside the basket. Just saying.
3. Hang large, shallow baskets on the wall as art. This is a great way to cover a lot of wall space very cheaply.
4. Turn a small closet into a storage nook by adding baskets to open shelving. This would be a great way to gain some use out of a small coat closet.
5. Line a windowsill with small baskets and use as pots for clipped blooms. Again, put your vases inside the baskets.
I’m sharing this post with Julia over at Hooked on Houses this week. Be sure to head over there and see what others are hooked on!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I can totally relate to dogs chewing things they aren’t supposed to. Good thing for them that they’re cute!!
Just a tip — make sure you put something under the basket planters to make sure no water soaks through onto whatever they’re sitting on
The baskets on the wall create a really interesting and unique focal point
Kelly @ DesignTies
I love using odd things for wall art, and the baskets are a great idea – they look so pretty! Great name, by the way!
love your ideas! darned dog! that’s worse than my two dogs that just won’t shut up. at least they aren’t ripping my thrifty finds to shreds
We have an attic full of baskets. I mean, we can find a basket for literally everything. Hard to wear them out. You make me think: Maybe I should try spray painting them some time. One of our most used ones held kids coats for like forever. It was painted white.
Love that chandelier basket!!!!!
I really like the baskets hanging on the wall. I’ve never thought of that. I can’t wait to see what you do with those baskets.
I just bought a desk at Goodwill for $15. I know you understand my excitement about this!! Now, I just need to work on it…a bunch.
~Kim
Great ideas!! LOVE the Country Living picture with the planters. LOVE it. I love the entire look.
Ooh, what a naughty doggie! They are so good at destroying your stuff little by little. Anyway, I love baskets and GW has them for the best prices. It’s practically criminal to buy them elsewhere.
WOW – you did hit the mother load!! That big basket – that you are going to cover the top – is awesome!! Can’t wait to see the finished product! Are you going to spray paint it too?
Great post!!!! I love baskets – for some reason I think they give a house a “homey” feeling!
~angela @ peonypatch
I am a basket nut as well!
My girlfriend teases me and says she is going to bring baskets to my funeral instead of flowers! She says she will remember me for all the baskets I have everywhere organizing things! lol!
Love all the baskets. What great containers for everything and I also love to hang them all over the patio and anywhere else I can find a place. Love yours. Hugs, Marty
Loved the baskets on the windowsill and can’t WAIT to see how you cover the big basket.
I adore those “no-sew” options. The basket liners are so cute!
I adore baskets. I’m always on the lookout for them. I fell in love with the no-sew liners. Soooo easy! Thanks for that. Definatly taking away some great ideas from this post. Thanks!!
I love baskets, but my kids would tear them apart if I had them. I usually buy some at the thrift store around Christmas and use them to hold baked goods.
Those pictures are so beautiful ! I am inspired.
I love, love baskets. I had the prettiest arrangements of baskets on top of my old entertainment unit. (I was sad to see it go, but the bigger tv is soooo nice) LOL Great ideas with the baskets.
Cece