Home & Decor

Moth-Proof Baskets and Storage Bins

Wednesday April 29, 2015

Until a week ago, I had no idea that moths could feed on wicker or fabric storage bins.

Storage boxes and bins are one of our primary storage solutions for living in an apartment with a toddler. Diapers were lined up in easy-to-access wicker trays; cloth diapers had their own wicker tray. Wipes were in thick knit box. Huge wipe container was shielded in a larger thick knit box. Our clothing drawers were militantly organized, space optimized, through the use of fabric dividers. Beans ceiling-height shelves stored fabric cube boxes, which are so ubiquitous in kids’ rooms these days that I think they might actually be a prerequisite to a finished nursery.

And then I found out moths were eating all of them. They were eating the baskets. Gross doesn’t begin to describe it.

You all have now been warned. This is apparently a possibility.

Not one to fish moth larvae and eggs out from between the folds of a wicker basket —  even I have my limits — our entire apartment’s storage system went straight to the trash. I’m not sure I’m ever buying wicker again (I HAVE SEEN THINGS). My dreams of living in a Nancy Meyer home have been dashed to fluttering and writhing ruins.

At first, I lamented that we’d have to use plastic (shudder) bins in place of my pretty, cozy knit and wicker baskets. But, plastic has gotten pretty. And the wood and lacquered boxes are downright beautiful. See you later, dust-capturing moth-laden baskets!

Here is my list of contenders:

 

1. CB2’s Lacquer Lid boxes. Comes in two sizes. I really hoped to find a lacquered box with a lid.

2. The Land of Nod’s Strapping Basket. This basket is made out of resin strips and comes in three sizes. It’s the only one that approximates the texture of a wicker basket, so it might make the cut to balance out all of the other modern storage bins.

3. Container Store’s White Taper Bins. These come in two sizes, are made out of polypropylene, and are the cheapest option.

4. Crate and Barrel’s Yellow Bin with Lid. How pretty is this. It’s iron with a powdercoat finish. This can totally hold baby medical supplies, right?

5. West Elm’s Lacquer Office Storage Bin. At 11.5″ by 11.5″, these can replace all those 12″ fabric storage cubes. And I love how glossy and modern they are in comparison. Baby is going totally fancy. (They’re pricey, but…I won’t have to throw them out in one year because they’re infested with moths? I call it even.)

6. The Container Store’s Life Bin. These come in three sizes and are made out of polyethylene. These are bins that initially gave me hope, and they’re the second cheapest option.

7. Ikea’s Knagglig Box. This is a poor replacement of the awesome Prant box, now discontinued. But, this is your Ikea option now. It is made out of solid pine and comes in 2 sizes. They’re much cheaper than the other wooden box options, with a cute nod at apple crates. I could see this overflowing with cute stuffed animals.

8. CB2’s white wastecan. Ok, it’s technically a trash can, but the dimensions aren’t overly reminiscent of a trash can.

9. Crate and Barrel’s Ashwood Bin. Be still my heart. These come in two sizes. And I need them to be about $10 cheaper.

 

I should add that the only bins I didn’t have to toss were these awesome lacquered organizing boxes from the Container Store. I love them even more now. They also come in 5 sizes, perfect for toiletries and make-up.

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