Homemade fabric bins and baskets are perfect for solving all of your storage needs!
I am deep into my year of using up as much of my stash and scraps as I can. It’s like… anti-nesting, I guess? I’m trying very hard to avoid the fabric and hardware stores, and instead make what I want to make with what I have on hand.
And what I’ve been wanting to make lately is STORAGE SOLUTIONS!
You can DIY quite a lot of storage solutions using stash or scrap fabric as a base. You can make drawstring bags and floppy baskets, sure, but also boxes, bins, cubbies, and all sorts of other handy ways to organize and neatly store your stuff.
Here are some of my favorites!
Fabric Baskets and Trays
fabric baskets. Sew up a single basket in a colorway that matches your decor (leftover fabric from hemming curtains is PERFECT for this, I’ve learned!), or a nesting set that can help you keep a range of items sorted.
rectangle basket. Here’s the perfect basket to fit that one narrow but deep space on your shelf or counter. Don’t be afraid to skip the boning if you don’t have it–yes, the basket will be a little floppier, but later you won’t have to figure out how to use up scrap boning!
quilted fabric baskets. Really desperate to get rid of your stash? These baskets have cute flaps that both show off a contrasting fabric AND require just that much more fabric to create the look.
fabric tray. The technique here is similar to the one for quilted fabric baskets, above, but the result is a tray that will be super useful to corral crossword puzzles on the kitchen table or jewelry on the bedroom dresser.
fabric Easter basket. I sew these Easter baskets for all the little kids in my life using an old cutter quilt, but they’re also handy as non-Easter baskets! They’re so adorable that they’re great when you want a more decorative look, like on a coffee table or the kitchen counter.
bucket. These two-toned round buckets are another pretty way to handle storage while keeping what you need at hand. You can also applique embellishments onto these buckets!
basket with handles. This basket is a smaller tote that’s great to hold kid stuff, made from sturdy upcycled felt to give it a lot of structure for its size.
pixie basket. At 2″x3″x4.5″, this teeny basket is the perfect size to hold craft or writing supplies while you work on a project. No more leaving pins and paperclips lying around the table for the cat to bat into outer space!
woven fabric basket. This no-sew basket is a good way to use up fabric strips, especially leftover jelly roll cuts. Skip the interfacing and use glue to form the strips.
basket with handles. If you plan for a basket to be on display, upgrading the handles is one sure way to make it look fancier. If you don’t have stash leather on hand, upcycle or thrift a leather belt.
large fabric basket with rope handles. This is an upsized version of a simple fabric basket, with handles made from rope to match the scale.
drawstring bucket tote. This bucket is large enough to work for floor storage, but also includes a drawstring top enclosure and handles for easy transportation.
hanging storage baskets. When you run out of shelf space, use the walls! This tutorial does call for a new piece of Plexiglass to insert into the bottom of these baskets, so substitute anything equally sturdy that you already have on hand. I think a double thickness of corrugated cardboard, plywood, or mat board would all work well.
snap-on hanging basket. The snap on the hanging strap of this basket makes it easy to take on and off, so stuff can stay in its cozy little basket while you move it around!
hexagon fabric tray. This little tray just requires a couple more folds than the square fabric tray, above. But somehow two more folds results in a huge boost of cuteness!
Fabric Bins and Boxes
fabric-covered box. Have you ever come across a box that would be the PERFECT size to store something in your home, if only it didn’t have Amazon branding all over it? Here’s a no-sew way to cover that ugly cardboard in pretty fabric to make it look like the well-designed fabric storage box of your dreams.
sewn fabric storage cubes. The secret to making these fabric storage cubes super sturdy is plastic cross-stitching canvas instead of interfacing!
fabric storage cubes with cardboard. You don’t need interfacing for these cubes, either! Instead, the tutorial asks you to insert cardboard into the lining. When you want to wash the fabric cube, just remove the cardboard
fabric bin. If you’ve got a lot of stash batting and interfacing on hand, this tutorial uses both to create a storage bin that can hold its own in modular cube shelving.
collapsible bin. The handy zipper in this fabric bin means you can easily collapse it for storage or travel.
Do you have a favorite DIY fabric storage solution? Tell us about it in the Comments!
