Why You Should Reconsider Using Wicker Baskets To Organize Your Pantry

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Neatly arranged in glass, stainless steel, and wicker baskets, your pantry is the picture of a sustainable home. The bags of bulk ingredients and organic snacks in the wicker baskets look wholesome and homey, but there are a few pretty gross reasons you should swap them out for another option. Baskets made of wicker can be a pest magnet for more than one reason. Crumbs and other food residue work their way into the weave, providing irresistible lures for bugs. What's more, the baskets' tight weave creates countless little crevices for bugs to seek shelter in.

It's not just the promise of snacks that invite bugs to the wicker party; the material in general is known as a preferred hiding spot for bugs like spiders, beetles, and wood-boring insects. If they just tucked into the nooks and crannies for a rest, it'd be one thing. However, for bugs like the bostrichid powderpost beetle, the spots quickly become nurseries for eggs and larvae. Don't wait to see if it happens to your own lovely natural pantry organization setup. Swap out your pantry's wicker baskets for material that bugs don't get excited about, and put them to use somewhere else in your home for stylish storage.

Pest-free pantry storage swaps

No matter how appealing your foodstuffs looked arranged in wicker on your pantry shelves, their makeup wasn't the most user-friendly. It's impossible to see the baskets' contents from outside, and even if you've come up with a clever labeling method, the bug magnet factor should put you off of wicker in the kitchen entirely. Opt for clear-sided bins made from food-grade plastic. Airtight lids will protect your future dinner ingredients. A popular plastic option that comes with labels is the 24-piece set of BPA-free Vtopmart Airtight Food Storage Bins with Lids. If your quest for an eco-friendly kitchen products entails keeping plastic out of the room, check out glass options with airtight wooden lids like the set of nine ComSaf Glass Storage Containers.

It's hard not to miss a basket in your pantry once it's gone. Corral those loose items in wire baskets with wide weaves (like this 2-Tier Stackable Wire Basket). The material is easy to clean, and the wide openings are convenient for seeing the basket's contents.

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