Attempting Organization...

I have one week left until I go back to school. Sure, I need to grade papers and plan for when I do actually go back to school sometime during that week... But more importantly, I need to organize. I need everything to be functional before I can successfully make everything pretty.

But where to start? I've got a big house and lots of very unorganized, scary messy spaces. If I try to tackle it all at once, I'll go crazy. One space at a time.

There is a little hallway off of the upstairs landing which leads to the upstairs bathroom and the smallest bedroom. In this little hallway, there are lots and lots of shelves. Plenty of storage space - which is wonderful! Unfortunately, the space isn't being used efficiently and the array of stuff sitting on the shelves looks bad. I'll show you pictures some time.

The key to organization is containment. I've got to contain all of the little random bits of stuff and I've got to contain them in a way which will enable me to easily find said random bits. So I'm leaning towards something like this:
But with labels:Attractive labels. Perhaps using ribbon... And I like the idea of dry erase labels because they create flexibility.But I don't like those plastic baskets. They might be the cheapest option, but this is open shelving we're talking about. I'd like the space to look nice.

I have a plan of action to 1) organize the shelves and 2) make them look pretty. I'm just not sure if the plan involves crates or baskets... I found both at wholesale prices - I'm not spending 30 bucks on a single basket at Target, especially when I'm going to need a lot of baskets. I'm going for the good stuff in the $5-10 range.

But the question remains... Crates or baskets?

Pros of Crates:
-wooden/rustic looking (could also be a con...)
-sturdy
-space efficient (sides go straight up)
Cons of Crates:
-slats may allow objects to escape
-slats may = visible ugly objects
-may be heavier than baskets

Some crate options found at wholesale price here and here:

1)
2)
3)
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5)
6)
I also have to remind myself that the crates can either remain unfinished or they can be painted or stained to suit my purposes.

Pros of Baskets:
-contain smaller objects
-light
-aesthetically pleasing
Cons of Baskets:
-often wider at the top and narrower at the base - waste of space
-in my experience, wicker often breaks

Some basket options found here:

A)B)C)D)E)F)G)H)I)K)I still have to take measurements and figure out what sizes would work best for the different shelving areas. I could probably sew cloth liners for either the baskets or the crates to spiffy them up. And don't forget the ribbons. So many ideas. So, what do you think? Baskets or crates? Or both?