While holiday decorations bring a lot of joy to us and our families, the challenge of storing these decorations when they’re not in use can be incredibly frustrating. (If you’ve ever dealt with tangled Christmas lights, fragile glass ornaments, or overflowing bins of seasonal decor, you’ll understand what we mean.)
Effective storage protects your items, keeping them dust-free and safe from damage. Plus, a truly organized storage system can save you time around the holidays—instead of spending hours trying to find all your seasonal decor in an attic or garage, if everything is consolidated, it’s just a matter of pulling out the right storage container at the right time.
But what kinds of containers are best to use? You might have been imagining traditional plastic storage bins, but wicker baskets are a vastly superior storage solution. They’re functional, stylish, eco-friendly, and durable.
Why Wicker Baskets Are Perfect for Holiday Decoration Storage
There are a number of reasons why wicker baskets are an ideal holiday storage solution.
The first is that unlike the plastic that most storage bins are made of, wicker is made of breathable natural rattan. This breathability can reduce the risk of mold and mildew growth on the items you store.
In addition, wicker baskets are incredibly versatile. The Basket Lady sells a wide range of baskets in different shapes and sizes to fit everything from ornaments and wreaths to stockings and larger items.
Wicker baskets’ versatility also extends to their aesthetic appeal—they’re stylish enough to double as decor in closets, living areas, or storage spaces.
Wicker baskets are also practical because they’re highly durable. They can hold collections of heavy ornaments, lights, and other seasonal decor without bending or breaking.
Finally, wicker baskets are sustainable. They’re a much more eco-friendly alternative to plastic bins, which are made from petroleum. Rattan (the stems of which are used to make wicker) is a fast-growing climbing palm that requires minimal fertilizer. At the end of its life cycle, wicker is also biodegradable, while a plastic bin will typically end up sitting in a landfill for centuries.
Organizing Holiday Decorations with Wicker Baskets
The first step in organizing your holiday decorations is to sort by holiday. Even if they’re in the same general category of decoration, you don’t want to store Easter and Christmas ornaments in the same basket, as you’ll be pulling them out to use their contents at completely different times.
Second, once everything is separated by holiday, you can sort decorations by category. If possible, separate lights, ornaments, garlands, and wreaths into their own dedicated baskets. This prevents tangling that can cause damage and makes it easy to locate what you need when you need it.
Labeling baskets is another essential organizational strategy. You can use tags or chalkboard labels—either way, it’ll save you time and frustration by allowing you to identify the contents at a glance without having to open each basket.
Last but not least, don’t forget to wrap fragile items with tissue paper or bubble wrap before storing them. You don’t want to go to all the trouble of organizing your decorations just to open up a basket and find that they’ve broken because they weren’t stored properly. We’d also recommend using lidded baskets for longer-term storage (anything more than a few months), as they prevent dust from accumulating on the items you’re storing.
How To Maintain Wicker Baskets Over Time
Keeping wicker baskets in top condition and maximizing their functional lifespan doesn’t require a ton of maintenance, but a bit of care can go a long way. Dust baskets frequently and occasionally wipe them gently with a damp cloth, but avoid getting them soaking wet, which can weaken the fibers. Proper storage is also important. You should store wicker baskets in a dry, ventilated area to prevent warping or mold growth.
A bit of mindful handling and storage will keep your wicker baskets functional and attractive season after season, for years to come.
The Best Place To Buy Wicker Baskets
Visit The Basket Lady to find wicker baskets based on type, room, or size, which makes it especially easy to find the right basket for your space and storage needs. Their baskets are sourced by a mother-daughter team with over three decades of experience in finding the world’s best wicker baskets. Handcrafted by gifted Indonesian artisans, The Basket Lady’s collection offers a range of options to help turn your home into an organized, stylish sanctuary.
