Laundry Hamper Styles

Hampers are large containers meant for the storage and transport of dirty laundry.  They conveniently keep your bedroom or bathroom tidier.  While designed for this use, there are many styles of hamper that are attractive home accessories as well. 

Materials

A popular style of hamper is the woven hamper.  Resembling a large basket, these are often made of wicker or rattan.  Many of these types of hampers come with a canvas or canvas-like liner bag.  The liner bag's purpose is two-fold: it prevents clothes from getting snagged on the woven material, and it makes it easier to lift the laundry to the washing machine.

Other hampers look more like a wooden box or a chest with a lid.  These are available in a wide variety of woods.  Normally a bit more expensive than other styles, these hampers, however, look great in contemporary, traditional, or rustic environments.

The most inexpensive hampers are usually plastic.  These are available for only a few dollars at most large home or "everything" retailers, as well as through many online stores.  You can choose between hampers with or without lids, and from a variety of designs, including the plastic "wicker-look" hampers which emulate the weaved appearance of more expensive real wicker.

Size and shape

The size and shape of your hamper depends largely on the needs it will be filling.  Many stand a little over two feet tall, though there are others that are larger or smaller.  For most home use, this standard size should be plenty.  Larger hampers are good for businesses where laundry comes at a much quicker rate.  For smaller jobs, there are shorter hampers, shaped more like a cube.  These often come in wicker and have handles on the sides for easy carrying.

Rectangular is the most common shape for a hamper, though round is also quite popular.  This really just depends on the space in which you are using it and your personal preference.  For those short on space, there are corner hampers which, as the name suggests, fit nicely into a corner.

Other options

Some hampers come with canvas dividers, which can make laundry day a whole lot easier.  These are great for pre-sorting into white, colors, and darks.  Instead of wading through the whole pile, you can simply grab the group that you are ready to wash.

More elaborate clothes hampers come with convenient drying racks for those materials too delicate for the dryer.

More information on hampers