Give Your Thrift Store Baskets A Little Upgrade With An Old Bed Sheet

Do you like using natural materials in your space such as rattan and wicker to give it a grounded, textured feel? Are you looking for ways to use baskets in your home for stylish storage but are finding that many baskets available at thrift stores look a little lackluster? Believe it or not, there is actually one item you may already have which can help you elevate the look of thrifted baskets and customize them to match your existing color scheme — old bed sheets.

It's true, you can create custom fabric liners for your baskets by repurposing an old bed sheet. This DIY is not only budget-friendly — by reusing materials you already have around the house and might throw away anyway — but it is also relatively straightforward. You simply need a clean, old bed sheet, some elastic, and a sewing machine. Or, if you don't have a sewing machine or you don't have much sewing experience, you could also use an easy no-sew option which involves some hemming tape and hot glue, instead. 

Before you dive into the main steps of this project, take your time picking out some old bed sheets that will work for your purpose. Think about which baskets you want to line and where they will be placed, as this can help you choose fabric that will match the aesthetic of that room. For example, if the baskets will go in your living room, try looking for bed sheets that tie into the colors of your couch or soft furnishings. Alternatively, you could go for a fun, patterned sheet for baskets in a kid's bedroom.

To do this with a sewing machine, first measure the inside of your basket. Cut out pieces to fit the bottom and sides of the basket, adding a seam allowance of about 3 inches on top of the sides so that they can fold over the edge of the basket. Sew all five pieces together to form a box-like shape that fits inside the basket. Finally, fold the top over the exterior edge of the basket, and hem it for a finished look.  This method can be personalized by adding decorative lace or charming buttons around the hem for added detail.

For a round basket, use elastic to make a fitted liner instead. Take a rectangular piece of bed sheet and cut out squares of the same size from each corner. Then sew each side of these cut outs together, creating four rounded corners. Finally, sew a hem along the top edge of the whole piece, leaving an open space to thread some elastic through. You can also glue some ribbon around the elasticated section to give it a cleaner, more visually-interesting finish.

If you don't want to sew, cut a strip of bed sheet long enough to circle the top of the basket. Then, use hem tape — such as this YONGJIN double-sided fabric tape — to fold a hem along the fabric's edge. After, use hot glue to stick the fabric around the edge of the basket to secure it to both the inside and outside. The hot glue can also be used to add faux flowers or leaves to help you style baskets in every part of your home for any season.