A Fruit Basket Isn't Just For Food. It's The Perfect Decluttering Storage Solution

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A kitchen fruit basket or bowl can be both decorative and practical, offering a spot to organize all the produce in your home on a budget. It's especially useful for fruit that may need a little extra time to ripen, such as bananas, peaches, or tomatoes. Counter-ripening may also give them a flavor boost. It's a simple tip to declutter your kitchen without going overboard. It also serves as a visual reminder to eat your fruit, helping you get your daily dose of nutrients and fiber. Plus, it keeps spoiled food out of the trash can. However, these containers are handy for far more than produce. TikToker Sam Funnell of DoveCottage uses a simple woven fruit basket to declutter her kitchen countertops.

Enter the junk basket. Instead of leaving essentials scattered across the marble surface, she uses an affordable wicker fruit basket from a big-box store to corral her phone, watch, sunglasses, and lipstick. The result is a clean, clutter-free countertop that instantly makes her kitchen look organized. Whether you already have a fruit basket, go thrifting for one, or pick one up new, it can be a simple solution for everyday clutter. Place it on your kitchen counter or near your front door to hold essentials like keys, mini beauty products, small change, or your wallet. Alternatively, you could put one near your desk to hold stationery, credit cards, mail, or other personal items that can pile up.

There are almost as many kinds of fruit baskets as there are fruit, giving you multiple ways to use them as a decluttering tool. It's a simple way to make your kitchen look organized without spending a fortune. For instance, this Hitomen Handmade Rattan Fruit Serving Bowl is beautiful, durable, and eco-friendly. It could add texture and a rustic, organic touch to any kitchen. Use it to organize supplies for your morning brew: Fill it with an assortment of herbal teas, a sugar bowl, and a few teaspoons. Alternatively, turn the Gibson Home Harvest Season Fruit Basket with Banana Hanger into a dishwashing station. Place a pile of dishcloths and a bottle of dishwashing liquid in the bowl and hang your sponge, dish brush, and reusable straw cleaners from the hook.

Meanwhile, the wire Libken Fruit Basket with a bamboo lid is stackable, saving you kitchen counter space while holding more stuff. The basket would also make a beautiful and practical storage solution for a craft room. Use it to store chunky supplies — colorful yarn in one bowl, scrap fabric in another. The open-sided design allows you to quickly see what you have. These, and fruit baskets in other styles, can also be used in the bathroom to store toiletries or as a kids' treasure bowl. In short, the wide variety of fruit basket materials and designs means it won't be difficult to find one that matches your personal style and kitchen aesthetic. And, bonus, this decluttering solution won't put much of a dent in your household budget. Put your mind to it, and you'll find many ways to employ these versatile containers on your kitchen counter or around the home.