4. Utensil Caddy - You've probably seen these at picnics. They're a caddy or basket with dividers and a handle so you can tote it around. A picnic caddy might be used to separate knives, forks, napkins, etc. The utensil caddy might be made of rattan or willow or something else even such as plastic. Use them in your kitchen to separate whatever you'd like (anything from straws and coffee filters to plastic forks and knives). These baskets work in bathroom too for separating and toting toiletries.

5. Hanging Wall Pocket Baskets - These baskets, often wire or rattan, have a flat back so basket hangs flat against wall and a pocket opening. Stuff it with oven mitts in kitchen. Or fill a "pot-bellied" wall pocket basket with a decorative flower arrangement and hang it in foyer.

6. Wicker Hamper - The best thing about a wicker hamper is it's lightweight and durable. Fill it with guest pillows in storage or your child's large collection of stuffed animals. You'll find many sizes ranging from mini hampers to full-size hampers. Rattan is common in hampers. But look for rag basket/hampers too for ones that are more unique and stylish.

7. Wine Caddy - Store your bubbly in a vertical, cylindrical shaped wine caddy or tote it in one that has a top handle. A wicker wine caddy is an inexpensive way to jazz up a gift bottle of wine (and it's classier than a paper gift bag.). Just line caddy with some colorful tissue paper that starts at inside basket base and fluffs up all way around wine bottle where you can see it. Then tie some curly, sparkling streams of ribbon to handle. When your gift recipients are done with wine, they can use wine caddy basket to store tall utensils.

So where do you get all these nifty baskets? From everywhere. Here are six places where you can purchase baskets (or perhaps even get them for free):

...from online stores that solely specialize in baskets ...from flea markets ...from yard sales ...from home decor bricks-and-mortar stores ...from home decor online retailers ...from friends who are discarding empty gift baskets (Ask them ahead of time to save them for you year-round.)

And don't forget, even plainest, ugliest basket (in your opinion) can be painted or adorned and decorated in many other ways. Don't discard these functional, handmade works of art.