Adding a pantry-like corner to my compact kitchen with shelves and baskets has been a game-changer in functionality. However, the potential ‘forever chemicals’ that my plastic baskets could be leaching onto my pantry items has been worrying me for a while.
I am replacing mine with beautiful handwoven water hyacinth seagrass baskets with labels from Wayfair. They look lovely, add a further country cottage touch to my kitchen, and crucially, are non-toxic, as they’re made with natural materials and no plastic.
For years now, I have been on a drive to remove all potentially harmful materials from my kitchen, and after switching to one of the best non-toxic air fryers, I have been slowly replacing my food containers and anything with microplastics in my kitchen storage.
These Natural Baskets with Reusable Labels Are Perfect for Pantries
This set of four is a great value Wayfair pick as it works out at $15 an item. A water-resistant marker to write on the reusable labels is included. The product is set over a wire frame so that it’s durable as well as stylish.
My current pantry baskets have been exceptionally useful, but they are made from cheap plastic and certainly not BPA-free. This harmful toxin is not one you should have near any food items, as the risk of leaching into ingredients or onto food packets is real and worrying.
That's why I've been gradually making simple kitchen switches to remove these materials.
BPAs have been linked to increased health risks in humans, whilst microplastics continue to seep into our waterways and harm wildlife and the planet.
One study. published in Nature Medicine found micro and nanoplastic concentrations in the human body, including in the brain, kidney, and liver. The extent of the damage it can cause is unclear, but some studies have linked it to inflammation and risks to heart health.
The natural materials of the Wayfair set, which measures 12"(L) x 13"(W) x 5"(H), are made from seagrass and water hyacinth, both being natural and fast-growing resources. One is courser and the other softer. Choosing to shop for items like this is a great way to be more sustainable at home.
It’s worth noting that professional organizers have previously told us that adding beautiful natural baskets and storage solutions around your home, especially in busy spaces such as pantries, acts as a protective factor now as ‘biophilic decluttering’.
This simply means that when you combine natural materials, such as hyacinth or seagrass, with a storage solution, it will make it easier to keep things organized because they look so nice, and that in itself is a motivating factor for decluttering and maintaining your tidiness.
What Shoppers Say
Rated 4.9/5 on average, customers praise the basket's quality and how nice it looks. Many have chosen this set for organizing their pantries as I have, but they’re also pictured in shopper submissions in cabinets, shelving in other rooms, and used across living spaces.
One happy verified shopper that rated it five stars said they ‘finally have a pantry that doesn’t look like a tornado ran through it.’
Another five-star rating from an anonymous shopper said these are ‘the perfect baskets for my walk-in pantry. [I] love that I can label them!’
Indeed, having reusable labels that wipe clean with ease will mean that any time you reorganize a basket or overhaul your pantry from one season to the next, you can rename your basket easily.
Using labels is a top home organizing tip, as it means everyone in your household can follow your system, and that will allow everyone to help put things back in the correct place, easily find what they need, and move forward maintaining it with ease.
What to Shop
I’ve been on a mission to replace toxic items across my kitchen for some time now. Here’s my favorite, and they’ve so far stood the test of time for durability and convenience.
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
Switch from a plastic and clunky dish rack to a non-toxic 'stone' ultra-fast drying mat made of diatomaceous earth, a naturally occurring material. Measuring 13'' H X 15.75'' W X 11.81'' D, these are compact and useful. Sand for a refresh.
Made from a fast-growing natural resource, this minimalist fruit and vegetable storage tower will do a safer job of storing your fresh produce. The lower section has a rolling lid for keeping root vegetables in the dark and prolonging their shelf life.
I use this dishwasher and oven-safe silicone set on rotation for freezing food portions in the brick-stacking method to save space and time when defrosting and reheating (lids not safe for oven use). This includes 2-cup, 1-cup, half-cup, and 2 tbps portions.
Dishwasher safe and reusable hundreds of times, you can say goodbye to plastic baggies for your lunch or snacks. The stand-up design makes it easier to load or keep in the fridge. They're easy to wash and reduce the need for one-use products at lunch.
What stylish pantry is complete without matching jars for dry produce, cereals, and more? These 105-ounce glass and wood storage canisters are non-toxic, and the lids are air-tight.
Made of sturdy bamboo, this compact organizer uses a clever vertical stacking design to store your cutlery and free up space in kitchen drawers. It’s tripled my drawer space.
Next, clear out unsafe materials hiding in your everyday kitchen essentials by delving into the best non-toxic coffee makers and cookware.
