Thrift Store Basket Makeover: Easy Storage That Looks Expensive

Every thrift store has a shelf filled with handled baskets that most shoppers walk right past. I used to do the same until I realized those inexpensive baskets can become some of the prettiest storage pieces in a home. With one simple change, removing the handle. When you do this, they suddenly look like the woven baskets sold in decorating stores for ten times the price.

If you are in need of inexpensive organizers to stylishly stash your stuff, don’t settle for style-less plastic bins and boxes when you can readily transform thrift store baskets found for a fifty-cents at thrift shops.

Organizing our homes is never once and done. It is a continual process to keep the contents of closets, cabinets, cupboards, shelfs, and drawers more organized.

I organize all the time and always seek better arrangements to improve upon past organizing efforts, especially if they are not working.

White farmhouse furniture below a wall mounted TV

This is the case with the white sideboard in my living room.

White buffet turned changed to into Tv wall mount furniture that will hold the TV components

I purged the contents of what I wanted in the cabinet and set things up in stacks. It looks organized in the photo, but in real life it is hard to find a CD title and when I would pull out one, the whole stack slides out of the cabinet and onto the floor.

Recently I was out and about and came upon a new to me thrift store. You know I love thrifting and thought to myself, “Should I stop? YEA or NAY?” It was getting late and I didn’t want to get stuck in rush-hour traffic, but my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to go in to check it out. I was glad I did!

The little shop was filled from top to bottom and was the most organized little thrift store I had ever entered. The prices were just right and the owner of the shop could not have been cuter. You could tell she was proud of her shop and went to great lengths to make it very pleasant.

A variety of baskets found at the thrift store. — Thrift store baskets that will be transformed into stylish storage.

I came out with a few white pitchers, a large ribbed glass Pyrex bowl and baskets – 6 of them for a whopping $3. That’s an amount of cha-ching at the register that I don’t mind. :-)

Why Woven Baskets Make Storage Look Like Decor

Rectangular storage baskets can be easily found new at stores like Target, HomeGoods and more, but their price tags can run anywhere from $9 – $19 depending on their size. Handled thrift store baskets cost 50 cents to a dollar a piece.

You may be thinking 80’s country decor when you see handled baskets like these, but after removing the handle from baskets they will provide less visual clutter, add, warmth and texture to a room and look much nicer than plastic bins.

When you remove the handles on the baskets….voila! Stylish storage.

Now when I go to grab something from my cabinet, I can simply slide a basket in and out to easily find the item I want without anything small falling out of the cabinet.

But I didn’t stop there…

Storage baskets with laminated DIY labels arranged on the shelves inside a storage cabinet. — Font used on Label: Vidaloka

I added decorative labels to each basket using my Label Making and Attaching Method that I have written about a few times before here on the blog.

Wicker baskets found at the thrift store inside a cabinet. Each basket was made into decorative storage with pretty labels.

Labels are the best way to make sure things can be easily found and then are placed back where they belong when done. That is half the battle of keeping things organized. More on how to make and attach the labels can be found further down in this post.

What Type of Baskets Should You Look For at a Thrift Store?

Thrift shops and yard sales always have plenty of baskets in all sizes and shapes. Before heading out to find some to transform, first measure your cabinet shelves and drawers sizes – height, width and length before shopping to make sure baskets you find will fit. I have bought a few that were too high to fit into a drawer I wanted a few for.

When searching for baskets, here are a few things I look for:

square and rectangular in shape that I will be able to fit a few together in a drawer or a shelf without any losing any shelf of space.
tightly woven wicker, seagrass or rattan
baskets that nest as you get 3 of the same style
baskets with solid bottoms
baskets that don’t have any broken reeds
that the handle isn’t structural or a seamless part with the body of the basket.

Where I Use My Transformed Thrift Store Baskets Around My Home

I use the transformed baskets on pantry shelves, in linen closets, under console tables, in my craft room as well as the mudroom. I use smaller ones in kitchen and bathroom drawers

stack of three rectangular baskets with DIY made lids that allows the baskets to be stacked for organized storage.

I have even made Lids for the Baskets so they become stackable storage or to create a unique side table.

How-to-make-a-basket-into-a-cooler-for-party-drinks

And once made a Stylish Open Basket Cooler for cold beverages with a large basket that originally had a handle.

How to Clean Thrift Store Baskets Before Using Them

If you find a basket at the thrift store that is exactly the size you need, but it looks dirty, you should still buy it as long as it has no stains as baskets are easy to clean.

Fill a sink with hot sudsy water and let the basket soak for about 5-10 minutes. Next use a scrubbing pad to go over the surface of the basket. Rinse and then place the basket outside in the sun until it dries.

How to Make a Decorative Storage Basket From a Thrift Store Basket

Time needed: 10 minutes

How to remove the handle from a wicker basket to transform it into a stylish storage basket.

Place Basket on Work Table
Wear work gloves to protect your hands. Once basket is on a work surface, use sharp shears or a box knife to cut the handle off on each side of the basket.
Remove Handle Base
Once the handle is cut off, there will still be vertical reeds sticking out the top. These can easily be removed with a pair of point-nose pliers and a tug.
Check That All Shim Reeds Are Removed
Look at the basket to see if there are any shim reeds running vertically in the weave. These usually are short pieces that will come out easily. Depending on the basket, some may even run vertically. You will be able to spot them if you look closely at the pattern of the basket’s weave.
Fill With Your Stuff
If using a few baskets inside one cabinet, play around to see the best fit. I tend to move mine all around and even try facing the sides of the baskets out if they fit in better.
Use All Sizes of Baskets
With most baskets, you will not see any damage after removing the handle. I have removed quite a few handles over the years. If your basket weave is more open where you removed the handle, add a label over it to hide it.

How to Make Pretty Labels For Your Thrift Store Storage Baskets

I also make DIY custom labels for every basket I use to organize my home. Here is where you can get the step-by-step directions: Complete Laminated DIY Label Tutorial.

Supplies needed to make your own labels using Oducu blog's many free printable labels.

To learn how to add your own words to your labels using pretty fonts this Free Printable Labels for Organizing Your Stuff post will show you.

For even more free labels to download, check out my: Free Printable Label Library and Member’s Free Printable Library for many more decorative labels to help you organize your stuff.

How to Use Low Sided Thrift Store Baskets to Organize Small Items

Closet organizing ideas that are affordable and easy to do

In my recent thrift store finds, I also brought home 3 low sided baskets. I use these in my china closet…

How to line a drawer with paper or fabric

and in Kitchen Drawers to Organize everything from teabags.

Computer paper storage idea in a craft room

To paper in my studioffice.

For more ideas on how I use these baskets around my house head over to this post:

18 Ways to Organize Your Home Using Baskets

FAQ’s: Transforming Thrift Store Baskets

Can you remove handles from every basket?

I have never come across a handle on a basket that couldn’t be removed easily. Most handles are attached with long reeds that can be pulled out with pliers or the handles are woven on. If this is the case, you can snip into the weave with scissors or a knife and unwind the woven section to remove the handle.

Can wicker baskets be painted?

Yes, wicker can be painted successfully with spray paint. Don’t use brush-on paint as the paint wouldn’t get into the weave. Here you will find my How to Spray Paint Anything Tips

What is the best glue for loose wicker?

Any clear brand name glue should work well to tighten loose reeds of wicker. I like to use the clear formula of Gorilla Glue.

How do you remove musty smells from old baskets?

The best way to remove the thrift store smell from baskets is to clean them with hot sudsy water and a scrub brush. Rinse well and let dry outside in the sun.

How to I add Labels to baskets?

To read all about the labels I make and how to attach them to baskets, see this post: The DIY Decorative Labels I Use to Organize My Entire Home

Enjoy Finding Thrift Store Baskets to Makeover

Looking for ordinary thrift store finds and imagining what they could become is one of my favorite items to search for when on the thrill of the hunt. These handled baskets may have started out looking dated, but with one simple tweak they became storage that looks right at home in today’s decorating styles.

It’s proof that creating a beautiful, organized home doesn’t always mean buying something new, it often starts by seeing old things in a new way.