Banish The Basket

Many design and organization blogs i have read as of lately, along with several magazines seem to tout the basket as the best all purpose organizational devices. While they do have there positive aspects, i feel that the negatives far out weigh the positives. So here are some of the views of both sides, along with some alternatives to the basket.

Pros

• Baskets can be great storage devices for those with little to no closet space. Since they are spacious and deep they are perfect for holding clothing that has not previously had a home.
• Designers seem to be a huge fan of baskets, and for good reason. Baskets come in infinite colors and materials and can match just about any decor.

Cons

• Help maintain a state of disorganization. Just as most kitchens have a junk drawer, most houses have a junk basket that never has its contents emptied and put into the proper location. This helps to make some one OKAY with the clutter that is in the basket and more willing to spread it into the rest of there home and life.
• Baskets also maintain the the pack rat mentality. most people use baskets for things that are a little more challenging to organize such as electronics and craft items. which usually means people have a large amount of extra space in those baskets that they feel compelled to fill.
• Baskets tend to have an unequal balance of form and function. while the look of baskets is usually very glamorous they are one size fits all storage solutions. most people's organizational needs are not so cookie cutter and need specialized solutions
  

Rather than large baskets you should focus on storage that is customized to the size and type of what you need to store. If you feel a large basket is the only sure fire way to keep your items organized i would recommend using a clear plastic bin that you sub-divide to keep the insides organized. The clear plastic will remind you to keep the contents organized, and they come in many shapes and sizes so they better fit the size of the what you are storing.