A Tisket, A Tasket…Reuse Your Berry Baskets

When you buy fresh berries from the supermarket or farmers market, they’re often packed in small, plastic baskets. And once the berries are gobbled up, your first reaction might be to toss the empty containers in the trash or recycling bin. Well hold on to those berry baskets because there’s plenty of ways to use ‘em around the house and garden. Here’s a few for starters:

• Organize pouches of pet food. Small pouches of cat and dog food or treats can easily fit neatly inside a berry basket.
• Screwdriver or paintbrush organizer. Just place the basket upside down on your tool bench, push the tool handles through the grid, and you’re good to go.
• Dishwasher basket. Perfect for containing those little things that tend to slide around, such as small lids.
• Bubble blower. Kids love this. Mix up a large bucket of liquid dish soap and water, then dip the basket in. Wave it around in the air—it makes an amazing amount of bubbles
• Easter basket. Decorate with ribbons or other crafty items. Add a handle, too, then fill with treats.
• Bulb protector. Keep rodents away by planting bulbs inside mesh berry baskets that have been set into the ground.
• Seedling protector. Place baskets upside down over new growth to keep wascally wabbits from dining on your tender sprouts.

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