Plastic Basket and Google

[Griffin NoName]

Am trying to reclaim kitchen storage areas. Cannot reach much above head or below mid-thighs, which leaves serious lack of sanity.

My latest brainwave is to have lightweight plastic baskets with lightweight things in cupboards above me head.

Advantages are:  basket has gaps through which I can see what is in them and into which I can hook a finger to pull the basket down.

This project has come to the usual crashing halt due to not finding the right sized baskets. My cupboards are - naturally - not standard sizes.

There is an added complication in that baskets mostly have sloping sides resulting in a smaller base than the actual size at the top which is the size given. I have calculated that I need a basket 33cm x 24cm.

There are alternative solutions - clear acrylic boxes with glued on hook to pull down - and various others, but they all start getting too heavy or not see through enough, so I have to had to rule them out.

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Googling "basket" is a bad google. Googling << "basket" - Shopping>> is better but misses some online outlets. Googling "plastic" or "plastic basket" is hopeless as it misses all baskets made of other types of plasticish materials that are used. Using "minus" to get rid of seagrass, wicker,  picnic, laundry, log, willow, flower......... well, need I go on..... it's a nightmare.

I have exhausted google to the point where I now know every single "plastic basket" available in the UK - there are about 6 basically - although they have different manufacturer names attached so it looks more like 10.   Edit after searching for about another 9 hours I have found a tenth UK basaket - it is a Golf Ball Basket.

The Asian hardware shops around London all have hundreds of minutely differentiated sized plastic baskets, all probably made in China, but I am too tired to go around shoppping.

So. The challenge is to create a Google like this:

FIND  all "basket" where the word "plastic" or a "similar material" is within 2 words before "basket" and ("33" and "24") or ("33" and "25") or ("33 and "26") or ("32" and "25") or ("32" and "26")

Why can't I do this?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I do not know why google is giving you problems; it does that once in awhile (I've often considered if there wasn't a "google genie" who's job was specifically designed to prohibit you from finding what it is you REALLY wanted.....    )

Let's see: lightweight, mesh (or similar) sides.  Straight sides, not sloped.  Handle optional.

Milk crates?   These have straight sides, and come in several sizes AFAIK.   They are usually made of sturdy plastic.

Office supply outlets carry them.

How about file folder containers?   These sometimes come in clear or translucent.  Additional holes can easily be cut, for finger-pulls, and contents viewing.   They always have straight sides, too, and come in plastic...

Tool boxes?  Sometimes these come in translucent plastic material.

Are you handy?  Do you have a friend(s) who is(are)?

A lightweight frame of sturdy wood, say oak (inexpensive, but very strong) covered with sturdy screen-wire (actually it's fiberglas) might work.  The bottom could have simple thin wooden slats, for strength.  Glue the whole together.... staple on the screening.  Make it in whatever size(s) you need.   Attach a rope-loop for a low handle.

[Griffin NoName]

Oh Joy, Oh Rapture, I have found one close enough to my size in Histon (BeagleLandwards) and they have a variety of marvellous things, including a "Quickie Professional Corn Whisk Broom" which sounds great fun.

[anthrobabe]

The Container Store ships-- and have some free shipping right now.

Container Store web page

[Griffin NoName]

The Container Store ships-- and have some free shipping right now.

Container Store web page

They do indeed have exactly the item(s) I need - I only described the first of many in my big plan above - none of which I can find on UK websites. And what's more they even have a choice of them, so I can hardly believe my eyes.

BUT   Their Help - Shipping Page = We    only ship within US.


Repeat Pain - UK never has stuff I need and US always does

I fail to understand how the UK can have got into such a mess when it is so pathetic in terms of the extent of it's consumerism compared to the US.   

[anthrochild87]

darling- i have a place where i can do some shipping...

want me to see how much it would be to have it shipped from where i live to you?

i mean- probably will horrible- but if we get if shipped to me for free- i could then ship it to you in the UK???

[Griffin NoName]

hmmmm I've sort of had a slight change of plan having played around with the wrong size baskets I already have.

Bobthepossiblyfaithfulornot was right about straight sides. Must have. But it has to be light weight enough to fall on my head including contents without hurting. The bog standard plastic baskets I have fulfil that requirement (!! I checked !!).

I've discovered a new phrase "tote box" and that is bringing up some new UK web sites. However, so far all are still either too wide or too narrow or too tall or no holes or grips.

I've had a look through the anthrogal's site - there's some near misses, nearer than the UK ones, but possibly not enough to justify shipping - like shipping would cost about five times the product cost !  If I lived in the US I'd probably buy everything on the site though

What I want to know is : why do plastic baskets always have sloping sides?

Plastic crates have straight sides but the plastic is much heavier.

[anthrochild87]

i have no clue- i think it may just to make people mad- like i have been trying to find storage for my new place- and almost everwhere i go does not have a Large shelved shower caddy!

i hate it.. and it makes me mad

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Sloping sides make for an easy molding process.

Straight sides requires multiple-piece unfolding molds (complex).

Sloping sides require only 2 halves:  upper and lower.

It's economics.   Simple is cheaper.

[anthrobabe]

Oh I hate that-
only ship in the USA--- sigh

sorry dear

[anthrochild87]

we needs to move to the UK and open one up!!!!!

wouldn't that be fun 

[Griffin NoName]

mmmm www.thingsucantbuy.co.uk 

Thanks BobUQSF - mouldy process.

[pieces o nine]

Grif: sloping sides also stack easier, despite the fact that a buyer would prefer said items to stack *on top of* not *inside* one another, in actual use.

The inside of any US discount chain store features racks of "stacking" plastic shoeboxes, totes, laundry baskets, file bins, flatware trays, dish drainers, cd/dvd totes, etc etc etc (not to mention stacking plastic lawn chairs and tables), all stacked higher than human eye can see and human arm can reach. How else could they dazle the masses with such cheap plenitude if not for the miracle of sloping sides to facilitate mass stacking?

[Griffin NoName]

I am so naive

[anthrochild87]

you are not naive- 

however....

i am naive!