Wicker Basket Essentials
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A wicker basket is a decorative storage solution – stylish yet functional. They are also often combined with gifts such as spa items, sweets, new baby accessories etc, to make your gift look that much nicer and to give the recipient a decorative basket to re-use later on.
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There are heavy duty options if you need something strong and durable for a specific purpose such as storing logs by your wood burner as well as thinner more decorative items to look good around your house and to keep household items in an orderly manner.
Materials
Wicker baskets are eco friendly being made from natural resources than can be replenished such as willow, bamboo, rattan, sea grass and similar materials. These fibres are quite stiff but light making for strong but portable storage containers.
Types
The designs of wicker storage baskets are seemingly endless covering everything from wicker laundry baskets to picnic, bike and moses baskets. There are of course just general baskets that come in a variety of shapes and sizes ready for you to store any number and type of objects. Some have lids, others are left open. Some have handles or other embellishments, such as gingham liners. There is also variation in the finish available for baskets – some are just left in their natural state, others are stained, while they can also be glazed and painted, ensuring you will easily find something to fit in with your existing decor.
Having an idea of what you want before you start shopping can be a good idea before you trail through pages and pages of online offerings. Alternatively you may just want to browse until you see something that takes your fancy. Our ‘Categories’ section tries to break the wide range of baskets available down into manageable chunks for you to peruse.
Uses
The most common use for wicker baskets is for storage and organising clutter. They are perfect for every room in the house. Think about storing magazines in the lounge, linen under the bed, dirty boots in the hallway, the toilet paper in the bathroom, utensils in the kitchen and the list goes on.
Running a close second is their use as gift baskets. If you are trying to come up with a unique present for a loved one, why not buy a few different things that they like, such as chocolates, beauty products, or underwear, but go that extra mile and make the gift look fantastic by arranging the items nicely in a wicker basket, adding embellishments such as sweets, soaps, notepads or a zillion other things, scatter over some rose petals or other confetti type product and wrap it all together in a cellophane parcel with a big bow. These are perfect for Mothers Day, weddings, christenings, Christmas and birthdays. They make unique affordable gifts that much more special. The recipient will see how much thought and effort you have gone to and will be very touched.
Sets
Wicker baskets are often sold in sets and these are especially useful when your main purpose is storage. They will often come in different sizes, which may nest inside one another, and will certainly match with each other. If you cannot find a set in the design that you like, consider buying a few baskets when you buy the first as you never know whether you will be able to find the same shape and color later on.
Cleaning
To keep them looking good, wicker baskets do need cleaning – probably twice a year is sufficient. The intricate weave creates nooks and crannies that accumulate dust so a quick polish is not going to do the trick. They need to be washed, try hosing them down gently outside to get off all the dust and then sponge them down with gentle soapy water. You can then let them dry in the sun. You can then spray them with polish to bring back their shine. You can also recycle your wicker baskets if you ever get fed up with them by painting them in a new color or lining them with a new or change of material.
Cost
The majority of wicker baskets cost under £15 making them probably the most affordable, functional and stylish storage item you will come across.
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I agree with the author above talking about how inexpensive wicker baskets can be and how they add warmth and style to interiors. While the bulk of this article explains uses for the home, wicker baskets are also great merchandising displays for retail stores and hospitality applications. In the retail establishment, wicker baskets are useful for displaying small items in bulk on counter tops and display tables. Hotels and banquet facilities apply multiple wicker baskets for continental breakfast setups and receptions. http://www.wickerbaskets2go.com is one place where wicker baskets are sold with this application in mind.