How to Choose a Wicker Chest

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of using wicker chests and trunks as both convenient storage and a nice looking addition to any room in the house.  But depending on what you intend to use the chest for, there are different kinds that you can buy.  In this Hub, I'm going to go through a few different rooms in the house, and give some advice on the kinds of chest to get in each room.

Wicker chests add a certain look to a room that I like.  Not only that, but they're extremely convenient to use too.  The chests are lightweight, and so can be moved around easily, but at the same time they're very sturdy and can hold practically anything you need them to.

They look good anywhere, from the bathroom, the bedroom, to the living room.  In order to take advantage of their light weight I usually keep spare linens in them, but here is some more detail.

I insist that my bathroom be as clean and pleasant to be in as possible.  I start my day every morning by walking to this room, so I want to like walking into it.  For that reason, I got rid of the towel hamper that I had before, as it was plastic, cheap, and not adding anything to the room, and got a couple small wicker storage baskets set up in the room instead.  One of them has a stack of clean towels in it for immediate use, and the other is the dirty towel hamper for when someone is done using the shower.

This adds a great look to the bathroom, much better than any plastic hamper could.  Sometimes I jokingly refer to them as my inbox and outbox.  For added effect I took white cloth and use it as a kind of laundry bag inside the baskets.  It keeps everything in good condition.

What would be a good use for a wicker trunk in a bedroom?  Well, I use it to store extra blankets in the summer, to avoid having to put them in the attic.  I do this because I don't like the musty smell they have after a long time kept away, and I find that the trunk I use, with it's relatively good air flow, keeps them smelling much better, while keeping them hidden away inside the container itself.  It could easily be used for any kind of clothes however, and I've seen people keep book collections in similar trunks too.  They're all good ideas, and the versatile trunk will be up to any of those tasks.

The living room can be a tricky place to keep baskets if you have children, but a wicker basket storage chest would look great out there. So what's the solution here? The chest would work just as well to store blankets or extra linens, but if you want to keep it protected a little, and perhaps even make it a little more useful than it may be otherwise, think about getting a storage chest with a cushion on top that would make an excellent seat if necessary. These setups are quite useful if you end up with one too many guests at your home, and it's very nice to look at, and if a child drops something on it, the cushion will keep it a little safer. And even if it ends up taking some damage and getting a hole, it's not a large operation to care for and fix wicker trunks.

There is a perfect place in your home for any kind of wicker furniture you want, from the smallest wicker pieces to large wicker storage baskets. If you have any other suggestions, please leave a note in the comments!

There are a few places where wicker probably should not be used. Wicker can be damaged by exposure to the rain and sun, so I'd recommend not using it outside, unless it's for a short period of time. Or if you do, at least make sure you've protected it with some sort of coating or paint beforehand, if possible.

Another place is in your child's room. The chests will take some hits if you have them in the living room, but they'll take even more if in your child's bedroom. If it's an old chest you don't care about anymore than perhaps you can use it in there, but there are many more effective methods of kids toy storage available.