Chances are you have at least one laundry basket in your home, unless you enjoy carrying armfuls of clothes around. To choose the best basket for you, keep in mind where clothes are piling up, if laundry is done on a daily or weekly schedule, and if clothing is being carried up and down between floors or to a separate apartment laundry room or laundry mat.
Plastic laundry basket
This is probably what comes to mind when thinking of a laundry basket. Square or rectangle, 2-4 handles, cheap, sturdy, and available in many colors. These baskets are functional and easy to carry.
Collapsible and Foldable baskets
Collapsible baskets have a rubber middle allowing the collapsible laundry basket to be flattened for easier storage when not in use. These baskets are available in many colors, and are easy to carry around your home. Foldable baskets are similar to collapsible baskets, but are usually made of mesh fabric on a metal wire frame. These baskets are commonly tall rectangles and open like a popup tent. Their shape allows them to take up less floor space, making them ideal for closets or bathrooms. They often have fabric handles to make carrying easier.
Fabric hampers
Fabric hampers can add style to your space in a variety of patterns and colors. These hampers can stand independently, or can also be removable, allowing the stand to remain in place as laundry is transported. They can be left visible in the room to add to décor without necessarily looking like a laundry basket.
Laundry Sorter or Organizer
Some hampers have sections for sorting. Clothes could be organized into darks/lights, or a section could be assigned to each person in the house. When one is full, just those clothes can be taken to the washing machine, and gone are the days of digging through laundry only to find a partial load. These hamper baskets come in many colors and patterns, allowing you to choose which looks best in your space.
Laundry Bag
A simple mesh or cloth bag can be a great catch all for dirty clothes. Laundry bags can also be great for traveling. They don’t take up much space in a suitcase, and bringing one can help dirty clothes from piling up in your hotel room. The bag can also be easily carried, whether to a hotel laundry room or neighborhood laundry mat.
Laundry Cart
Essentially a laundry basket on wheels, laundry carts make transporting laundry on one floor a breeze. Smaller carts can be walked to the neighborhood laundry mat, while larger carts are often used in hotels or hospitals. Carts are sometimes available at laundry mats to help transfer clothes to the dryer.
The Bottom Line
Depending on your laundry needs there is a hamper for your home. Different baskets are better suited for different spaces and schedules. By picking the right hamper and system for your house laundry can become slightly less of a chore.