Why Your Kitchen Could Use A Laundry Hamper (It's Cuter Than It Sounds)

We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, not just cooking, but gathering with family for meals, so we want them to be aesthetically pleasing spaces. They should not only be places we enjoy living in, but also areas we are happy for other people to see when they visit. We paint them cozy colors or install new faucets to update their look. But one part of the space is usually outside that overall vision: the necessary receptacles for waste and recycling. A hack that turns laundry hampers into kitchen trash and recycling containers means they don't have to be unpleasant eyesores.

This repurposing trick employs a laundry room essential in the kitchen, much like using dryer sheets to clean burnt pans. The hamper you choose has to be sturdy enough to stand on its own, which can still work with flexible sides if it has some type of frame that holds it up firmly. You also want to use one with visual appeal that will blend in with the look of your kitchen. Examples include materials like woven wicker, bamboo, or wood-like finishes, which can also come in darker colors.

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You could also look for hampers with built-in dividers that create two or three sections meant for sorting laundry. The compartments can be used to divide recyclables, or to hold trash and recycling in one container. You can even use furniture-like laundry cabinets with tilt-out openings for trash.

After choosing the right laundry hamper, you have a couple of options for what to put inside it. One is to line it with a large garbage bag that fits over the top, just as you would with a trash can. Another is to buy a traditional plastic garbage container that will fit inside and still allow the lid to close. This might be the better choice if you are using it for waste, since even sturdier bags can rip, and liquid and other debris can seep through onto the hamper. Unlike the usual containers, some of these are made from materials that absorb liquid. Recyclables, like rinsed empty cans and bottles or paper items, would be more likely to be fine in just a bag-lined hamper.

If you use handled plastic shopping bags instead for trash or recycled items, put hooks inside the hamper to hold them. Since odor is a concern with garbage, especially with a woven material like wicker, try to find a plastic trash container to place inside that also has a lid. Failing that, you could put an odor absorber or a stick-on air freshener on one of the hamper's inside walls or under the top.

You could also repurpose a large, tall basket in the same way for trash or recyclables. Since these are often more decorative than hampers, you would have a greater chance of finding one that not only blends in, but also truly complements your kitchen's decor.