Make Thrifted Wicker Baskets Look Like Designer Countertop Storage With A Simple DIY

Countertops are tricky to decorate because anything we place on them for storage is constantly on display, so it has to be functional without looking outdated and cluttered. Wicker items are a great solution — they have that natural, slightly old-fashioned charm that makes the kitchen feel like a warm, welcoming space. But if you're looking for tiered wicker storage online, you better be ready to shell out around $100 for a new handmade one or over $700 for a vintage one. If that's not in your budget, it's time to hit the thrift store to get yourself two wicker baskets (one big and one small), one thicker candlestick holder, and grab your hot glue gun. It's DIY time.

First, you'll want to remove the handles with sharp scissors for thinner baskets or a box cutter for thicker ones. Usually, the handles are woven right into the body, so find those connecting strands, cut them, and pull out the handle. Next, you'll glue the candle holder onto the baskets. Cover the bottom of the holder with hot glue and place it in the middle of the bigger basket. Once that's firmly secured, cover the top of the stick with glue as well, and place the smaller basket right on top of it. And just like that, you've created a beautiful kitchen counter decoration that is actually useful. 

This tiered storage can be used as a clever hack to create more kitchen countertop space, but what you store in the baskets is totally up to you. They'd be great as traditional fruit baskets, of course, though they could also hold the veggies that you're frequently cooking with, such as onions, garlic, or potatoes. Perhaps it could become a spice rack or a convenient place to store napkins. For the coffee lovers in the house, the wicker storage could hold all daily coffee essentials, maybe even becoming a genius way to organize your Nespresso pod stash.

To care for the baskets, you'll want to dust them on a regular basis, using a gentle brush to reach all of the thin wooden strands. For a deeper clean, use a cloth with a homemade all-purpose cleaner, but keep the moisture to a minimum. One hack for easier cleaning is to line the baskets with plastic before DIY-ing them into the tiered stand. Choose any food-safe clear plastic and secure it to the interior of the baskets with hot glue. This way, you don't have to worry about moisture damaging the wood, and cleaning will overall be much easier.