Words Hoard & Heath
Photography Jessica Lewis and Arina Krasnikova
A checked blanket rests on a green printed one, both folded above the basket’s rim. In Jessica Lewis’s photograph, their patterns make a display of the pile. Taking the lower blanket out would mean lifting the checked one first. That small rearrangement belongs in the storage decision.
Start with the blanket
Choose the blanket you reach for most often before choosing its container. Fold it as you normally would, then try it in a basket or on a shelf you already have. The object to measure is that folded bundle, including its thickness. A broad opening is little help if the inside narrows before the blanket reaches the bottom.
A long, flat fold may suit a shallow shelf; another fold makes a shorter, deeper bundle. Try both with the same blanket. Leave room to get your hands around it, especially if you want to lift it out without bringing the basket along. The useful capacity is the space you can reach.
In Arina Krasnikova’s stack of striped textiles, each folded edge is visible, though the lower layers still sit beneath the others. Put the frequently used blanket on top, or give it its own space. Keeping everything together becomes less useful when taking one thing out unsettles the rest.
Beside the seat
The basket stands beside a timber rocking chair, with a striped floor cushion in front. Keeping a blanket near the seat gives it a clear place to return to. The remaining question is whether the basket fits the movements around it.
Try the position from the chair, then stand up and walk past it. A rocking chair needs its movement checked too. Include whatever normally occupies the floor: a footstool, a lamp base or the end of a rug can make a seemingly empty gap awkward to use.
The hearth needs a separate check. London Fire Brigade advises keeping blankets away from heaters, and fabric well clear of open fires and log burners. A photograph cannot establish a safe clearance. Follow the appliance’s instructions when choosing a place for the basket.
Leave room to put it back
An open basket leaves the blanket accessible. A box with a lid may suit a room where you prefer textiles out of sight, but try it with the lid raised. If it doubles as a table, anything on top has to move first. Decide whether you are happy to clear that surface whenever you want the throw.
Keep the everyday blanket near its seat and find another place for the extras if the basket is crowded. Then put it away with your usual quick fold. If it fits only after you press the pile down, try storing one fewer blanket there.
