Why A Laundry Hamper Might Be Your Kitchen's Missing Piece

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Whether you're tired of looking at an unsightly plastic garbage can — or that oversized chrome trash bin you thought would look "contemporary" is actually giving you a tension headache — a regular old laundry hamper might be the unsung hero your kitchen's interior design scheme needs. Innovative home cooks have taken to social media to share videos of how they convert their laundry hampers into kitchen garbage cans, a low-cost DIY hack we can get behind.

To do it, simply slide a low-cost, unglamorous, utilitarian plastic or metal trash can into the wicker shell of a tall hamper (go ahead and discard that inner canvas liner bag, or repurpose it for another project). That's it. Now, aesthetically-minded home cooks have a lidded sheath for concealing "blah" cans from view in the middle of the kitchen floor. In its place, a pop of natural material warms up the entire room. Foodies can scrape their plates as normal, and it'll all be obscured beneath the hamper's lid. Plus, on a utilitarian note, it's easy to slide that inner garbage can out of the hamper for tidy, hassle-free emptying.

Pro tip: To keep that hamper sheath odor-free, opt for a slightly oversized model that allots just enough space to pop a box of baking soda into the bottom of the hamper beside your trash can. The baking soda will absorb any unpleasant aromas wafting from your trash, keeping this cute hack as practical as it is eye-pleasing.

An Instagram post by @my.thrifted.abode with nearly 40K likes shares a video of the poster sliding a regular plastic bin into a rattan hamper with a leather strap on the lid. As the post's caption reads, "Let me tell you my wicker hamper turned pretty kitchen trashcan has brought me so much joy this year! Anybody else hate an unsightly trashcan?" Excited commenters chime in, "So creative! Love the trashcan basket!," "The hamper idea is so perfect," and "The trash can idea is soo good."

Now for the fun part: Brainstorming your choice of material. A rattan, wicker, or water hyacinth hamper would be well at home in a rustic, cottagecore, or transitional kitchenscape. For midcentury modern kitchens, opt for a more streamlined hamper material, such as galvanized metal or slatted bamboo. Many bamboo hampers (like this one by SONGMICS brand, currently $39.99 on Amazon) are available in darker stains, providing a touch of moody sophistication while still maintaining a natural, earthy feel. Other bamboo and rattan models offer aeration holes, which can be helpful for preventing funky trash. This TIOPGHAD model ($45.99 on Amazon) conveniently fits a standard 13-gallon trash bag. Alternatively, got a retro, vintage metal hamper sitting around, waiting for a purpose? Give these antiques a place of honor in the kitchen; that metal bodice is easy to wipe down for a quick clean, too.