Staying organized does not require purchasing special containers or tools to get the job done. Using a cardboard box or a laundry basket can help you accomplish your goal. I prefer the sturdy option of a laundry basket to a cardboard box that can be ripped, bent, and crushed. Besides the holder of our clothes, our laundry baskets have been used in the following ways:

TO ORGANIZE:

Hold items that need to be placed in another room. When I clean or pickup a room, I stay in that spot until the task is completed. If I find items that do not belong in that room, I put those objects into my laundry basket. I then transport my basket to other rooms to deposit the items in their designated spots.

Transport items from upstairs to downstairs and vice versa. During the Christmas season, I use the laundry basket to transport wrapped gifts from my upstairs’ bedroom to the downstairs’ living room. If I had to carry all the gifts down, I would need 3-4 trips for one laundry basket load.

Safeguard sorted items. Using laundry baskets to sort papers, toys, books, videos, etc. can save you time. If you get interrupted, you can pick up the basket and put it on a table, counter, bed, or dryer. Then little ones or other helpers can be deterred from assisting with your project or checking out the contents of the basket.

Riding in the laundry basket

TO PLAY:

Train a child to walk. Our children have used the laundry basket loaded with books to assist them in walking. The toys with wheels moved too quickly for them, but the heavy laundry basket was slower and easier to move when working on balance.

Create a great hiding place. Our kids enjoy playing Hide-and-Seek. At this time, all of our children are small enough to hide under the laundry basket at least once during the game. My oldest daughter could hide there each time. She loves curling up and watching through the holes.

Become a type of transportation. Getting pushed in the laundry basket or pushing another sibling in the laundry basket is a great form of entertainment. With a long hallway downstairs and some extra energy from Dad and Mom, the kids can get a great, fast ride. In the picture to the right, my son is pushing my youngest daughter down our hallway. The pillow behind her back helps to keep her upright and comfortable during the ride.

A crib for the baby dolls. Our little toy pack-n-play is too small to hold all the baby dolls in our house. Since all the dolls need to sleep at the same time, the laundry basket is deemed appropriate to accommodate them.

My multi-functional laundry baskets are part of our family. Those baskets hold clothes, gifts, toys, people, paper, and lots of other objects. Have you found your laundry basket to be multi-functional? If so, please comment on what other uses you have for your laundry baskets.