Storage Options Using Wire Baskets
Searching for simple storage solutions can lead us to return to some of the more traditional materials and styles as we come across objects that were once taken for granted. Old wire storage baskets have been around for many years and a lot of us are very likely to have thrown them out with the trash while going through one of those spring cleaning purges. But these baskets are proving their usefulness again and are one of those simple little items that can be put to good use
These days, the modern equivalent of the old style wire basket looks far cleaner and sanitized than the raw wire baskets that were once used. You are more likely to find a basket that has been powder coated or plastic coated to protect the metal from rusting. These treatments are also applied to the wire to avoid the chance of the wire scratching the skin or snagging on clothing. While it gives the basket a more modern look, it takes away some of the old-style appeal that people are looking for when they choose to use a wire basket for storage.
The vintage wire baskets that are making a comeback cover a lot of different sizes and shapes. The point about using wire is that it is a versatile material that can be bent and shaped into a vast number of different looks. So much so that the old wire egg baskets that were commonly used by households who kept chickens and gathered eggs could be found in the shape of a chicken.
Using these old wire baskets as holders for display items is becoming an interesting trend. They wire nature of the basket provides you with a virtually unimpeded view of whatever is being held. For example, placing a wire fruit basket in the center of the dining table with an assortment of fruit held within will allow the entire fruit display to be visible from any angle.
The insubstantial nature of wire baskets makes them ideal for use on shelves or underneath low tables. Being able to see inside the basket without having to pull it down from the shelf is definitely an aspect that can be considered to be a time-saving benefit. You can instantly determine the contents without having to even touch the basket.
Another nice storage solution that a wire basket can be used for is in the laundry. Laundry hampers hold dirty clothes before they are put in the wash, we all know how it works. But hampers that are enclosed, whether they are fabric hampers or solid containers, trap in the odors and moisture that may have been trapped in the clothes. Leaving them in an enclosed container for any length of time is going to result in a very smelly laundry in no time flat. A wire laundry hamper allows the air to get into the clothes acting as a type of air freshener keeping the onset of stinky clothes to an absolute minimum. If laundry day isn’t for a couple of days, the wire laundry basket will reduce the chances that dirty clothes become reeking dirty clothes.
Light gauge wire was often used for decorative baskets or for collapsible baskets, both of which allowed the manufacturers to turn the basket into an unusual shape that is a departure from what might be considered the classical basket shape. The typical example I can think of in this case is the aforementioned chicken egg baskets that have been fashioned into the shape of a chicken or a duck. There are many other examples but they all demonstrate how flexible the material is.
In many cases we are going to want the added convenience of being able to pick up or wire basket and carry it to a new place, or out with us when we move around. This makes a wire basket that has handles a very useful type of basket. The more stable it is the better we are going to appreciate it and it is possible to buy wire baskets that have been designed the same way a picnic basket is created. Carrying them around is no great hardship at all and this is the exact reason why these types of baskets are being used by a growing number of people.
To that end, there is a wide variety of wire baskets being sold, both vintage wire baskets and more recently created baskets. You only need to take a look on eBay to see that there are thousands of baskets being offered at any given time. The solution to many storage problems could be as simple as outlaying a couple of bucks for a wire basket that can be stashed under a low slung coffee table.