Every apartment has items that seem to have a place, but actually don’t. Keys, chargers, jewelry, remote controls, hair ties, receipts, sunglasses - the list goes on and on. They get tossed anywhere, but no matter how much you tidy up, two days later everything is back where it started because these items have nowhere else to go.
We’re convinced the solution is to put these items in a container you won’t be embarrassed to leave out in the open. That’s exactly what decorative boxes are for.
Put anything you want to keep out of sight in a lidded box. Place anything bulky in a woven basket. And keep only one category of items in each container so you never have to rummage through it.
But, of course, we’re talking about small decorative items for shelves and surfaces, not large storage furniture. We’ll discuss one large storage basket, though, because you can’t do without it in the living room. So let’s take a closer look.
Boxes or Baskets: What Each One Is Actually For
A box closes with a lid. It hides its contents and protects them from dust, and, in Dubai, that’s more important than almost anywhere else. Put all small, valuable, or visually cluttered items in a box:
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jewelry and watches
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cords and chargers
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keys
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medications
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office supplies
A basket is an open container. Everything is easy to reach, and it holds more. That’s why a woven basket is suitable for bulky items you use often: blankets, magazines, toys, and towels.
If you’re not sure where to put an item, ask yourself: Do I want to see it? If not, it belongs in a box; if so, and it’s large, then choose a basket. Here’s a rule that keeps clutter from coming back: one container, one category. As soon as a box becomes a “catch-all,” it becomes just another box you have to empty.
And about size: a container should be slightly smaller than the surface it sits on, not the same size. Otherwise, the surface looks cluttered. Of all these items, of course, a jewelry box pays for itself the fastest. A single box replaces a ring tray, a tangled chain, and a lost earring all at once.
The Bedroom: Jewelry, Cables, and the Nightstand
Let’s start with the room where clutter is the most personal. The nightstand tends to accumulate the most stuff: a phone, a charger, a book, glasses, hand cream, hair ties, and so on. One small lidded box can hold almost all of this, leaving the nightstand tidy in photos and in real life. There’s a simple trick for chargers: keep the charger in the box and let only the cable stick out. In the morning, the nightstand is empty again.
Now, about jewelry. A shallow box with a lid is better than an open dish for two reasons: chains don’t get tangled inside, and earrings don’t scatter all over the nightstand. If you have items that scratch easily, choose a box with a soft bottom.
Our Beaded Jewelry Box is perfect for this. It’s a round bamboo box with a 10-cm diameter, featuring seashells and beads on the lid. This jewelry box fits on any nightstand and holds the rings and earrings you wear every day.
Your dressing area also needs to stay organized. A medium-sized basket on a shelf is ideal for folded knitwear or spare bedding, since closets in local apartments aren’t very deep. The Sophia Organic Basket, which is 22 cm tall, fits well.
Keep no more than two containers on your nightstand - one closed and one open. Leave the rest of the surface clear. And one more thing. A box in the shell-decor style or with beads reads as decor. So don’t be afraid to leave it out in the open.
Living Room and Entryway: Keys, Remotes, and Everything Else
In the living room and entryway, clutter is visible not only to you but also to guests, so this is where storage containers really come into their own:
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Living Room. A box with a lid on the coffee table or console table for remotes and chargers. A large storage basket next to the sofa for blankets and pillows. And a small tray to gather up whatever’s left out in the open. The bonus of remote boxes is that they finally stop getting lost among the sofa pillows.
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Entryway. The most useful container in a Dubai apartment is a shoe basket by the door. Above it, add a small box for keys and sunglasses. Choose a shoe basket that’s low and wide so pairs stand upright rather than piling up, and one that’s easy to shake out to remove sand after a day at the beach. It’s also helpful to hang bags and hats nearby on decorative hooks so they don’t end up on a chair.
But place the storage container exactly where items are usually tossed, not where they’re “supposed” to be. Otherwise, no one will use them. If keys always end up on the shelf by the mirror, that’s exactly where the box should go.
Any storage baskets in the living room should have a flat bottom and reinforced edges. They’re moved around every day, and soft weaving sags within a few months. A good example of a sturdy design is the Bahama Basket Large, but you can also choose a smaller option. If you’re selecting baskets in Dubai for the living room, start with a model like this and add smaller items later.
Materials: What Lasts and What Looks Good
A brief overview of each material:
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Rattan and natural wicker. The most durable; they hold their shape under weight, suit heavy items, and age beautifully.
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Water hyacinth and seagrass. Softer and lighter; good for textiles and lightweight items, but the edges fray more quickly.
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Boxes with seashells and beads. More for decoration. They’re best on a shelf where people can admire them rather than open them every five minutes. On the other hand, they go with almost any interior, which is why people often choose them as gifts.
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Wood. It offers the best protection for jewelry and anything else that scratches easily. If you have a lot of jewelry, a wooden jewelry box on the dresser plus a small box on the nightstand for the pieces you wear every day will cover everything.
Before buying, check these four things; they’re important for any material:
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a flat bottom that stands without wobbling
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a reinforced top edge
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a lid that closes effortlessly (for boxes; baskets can be open-top)
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handles woven into the body, not glued on
If a woven basket wobbles on an uneven surface, it will wear out in one corner much faster than you’d think. Also, keep in mind that even a sturdy wicker basket left on an open balcony will dry out and crack in just one season. Natural fiber belongs indoors or on a covered patio.
How to Style Them So They Look Deliberate
Do you know where the line is between “storage” and decor? There are a few rules that make containers look intentionally placed rather than forgotten:
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Repeat a single material throughout the room
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Vary the heights; don’t line up three identical items in a row
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On open shelves, group items in odd numbers
A favorite layering technique: place a box on a tray with one small item next to it. Three random items instantly become a single composition.
To keep a shelf from looking like a warehouse rack, add a short stack of books, a small vase, or a candleholder nearby. Boxes in the shell decor style look especially good next to ceramics and dried flowers.
But the most common mistake is filling every surface. Our counter-rule is simple: leave at least one-third of any shelf empty. This also applies to baskets; after all, one storage basket under a console table looks neat, but three turn the entryway into a storage closet.
And one final observation: decorative boxes are most useful where there’s the least built-in storage. In a Dubai apartment, this is almost always the bathroom and the entryway. In the bathroom, a lidded box protects cotton pads and hair ties from moisture and dust, while in the entryway, it collects small items that would otherwise pile up by the door.
Care: Dust, Humidity, and Keeping the Weave Tight
Care is simple but requires regular attention:
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Once a week, go over the surface with a dry brush or a vacuum set to the lowest setting, because dust gets trapped in the weave here faster than it settles on smooth surfaces.
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Wipe with a barely damp cloth and never soak it; water permanently weakens the weave.
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For items with seashells and beads, brush off dust without cleaning products; otherwise, the finish will dull.
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Don’t place natural fiber items in direct sunlight by a window; over a season, they’ll dry out and become brittle.
If you live in an apartment by the sea, don’t forget about humidity. Don’t put a damp towel or anything wet in a woven basket. If the basket does get damp, air it out immediately: mold can eat into the fibers in days. Once every couple of months, it’s a good idea to take textile baskets out onto a covered balcony and let them air out for an hour.
And if the edge of a wicker basket has frayed, don’t rush to replace it. You can trim the fibers and carefully tuck them back in.
Where to Buy and What to Start With
Before ordering, check the interior dimensions. See if the lid simply rests on top or fits snugly. Check the weave’s density to ensure it can support the weight you plan to put inside, and see if the model comes in multiple sizes for a set.
Start with three items, not a whole set:
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a box with a lid for the bedroom
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a basket for the living room
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a small box for the entryway
Our Home and Soul store offers a variety of options. If you need a nightstand jewelry box, start with the smallest models in the Decoration Boxes section. For baskets, check out the Baskets section, which features all our baskets in Dubai, from small to large.
We deliver throughout the UAE, and many items in Dubai are delivered via express delivery within 4 hours if ordered by 5:30 p.m. If you’re unsure between two box sizes, stop by our showroom: it’s easier to see firsthand what will fit inside.
Clutter isn’t about neatness; it’s about storage. That’s why the first things you should buy are decorative boxes and storage baskets - items you won’t be embarrassed to leave out in the open.
