Look over at your front door. Do you see that stack of junk mail? You know — that stack of credit card offers and other random bits of mail that you know you need to get rid of carefully but you just don’t have the time? Before long, that pile begins to grow and grow until it’s a mountain of unavoidable mess on every surface of your room. Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I hide my paper shredder right by the front door in plain sight.
Purposely plan a hiding place
Our dining room is the first room of our home. The placement of the shredder in the dining room is not by happenstance. Rather, I chose its placement and incorporated it into the design of my dining room. If you notice closely, you’ll see that the dining room gallery wall not only wraps the bookcase, but it also wraps the chair and basket that hides my secret shredder.
Choose the right paper shredder
First, you need to find the dimensions of your shredder. We own a small, inexpensive paper shredder that measures approximately 12in x 7in x 15 in. Whatever basket I chose would need to fit this with a little extra room to lift the shredder for emptying.
Additionally, my shredder is black, so it doesn’t stand out like a silver one.
Where to buy appropriate baskets for hiding a shredder
Next, you’ll need to find a basket with a lid large enough to store your paper shredder. There are many places that sell baskets, but larger baskets that can hide a paper shredder are a little harder to find. Here are some places to looks first.
Ross Dress for Less
Both of the baskets I chose were from Ross. I purchased them from Ross. The first basket (now my laundry basket) was great. I found it in the organization aisle; it was not originally meant to be a laundry hamper.
It had a looser weave so I was able to snake the power cord through without a problem. However, the base of the basket was not wide enough for the paper shredder to sit at the bottom.
My current basket was once a laundry hamper. I removed the cloth lining so that it didn’t read so much as a hamper. I was going to paint it, but I changed my mind. It fits my little paper shredder fine. The power cord is snaked through one of the handles!
Ross has an unpredictable inventory, so you have to check routinely in person for baskets. Don’t be afraid to look in the laundry aisle for the right one!
World Market
World Market has a remarkable selection of baskets that could potentially house your paper shredder. Their baskets tend to have a tighter, more high quality weave. Therefore, you’ll need to cut a hole in the basket to snake the power cord through!
You can try cutting a hole using heavy duty scissors, but you may need to use a jigsaw to cut a small hole for the power cord. The Ombre Seagrass Amelia Tote Basket With Lid via World Market is a great option!
TACKUSSANU SENEGAL
Want to add color to your room? TACKUSSANU SENEGAL has beautiful hand woven and ethically sourced baskets that will hide your ugly shredder as well. This gorgeous basket comes in a set of two, so you can hide other objects as well!
Don’t like baskets? Try a cabinet!
Don’t like the basket route to hiding that ugly paper shredder? Simply purchase a standard entryway cabinet and use a router to cut an inconspicuous slot at the top for sliding in your junk mail! This West Elm cabinet is a modern and sleek vessel to hide your ugly paper shredder.
Worried about your small children getting to the shredder? If you decide to hide it in a cabinet, you can install a magnetic lock to keep your children from accessing the paper shredder. Just simply unlock the cabinet to turn it on and off!
Change your bad habits
Finally, the true key to being on top of the junk mail pile is to get rid of it immediately. Try to keep your paper shredder as close to the front door as possible. That way, whenever you check your mailbox, you do NOT give yourself the opportunity to sit it down on a surface! Take your junk mail immediately to the paper shredder!
Get your spouse in on the shredder secret
In our home, The Honey checks the mail first most of the time. I’m still working on getting him into the habit of shredding the junk ASAP. I’m assuring him that it’s okay to shred my mail! To do so, I specify what mail I don’t want (credit card offers and car warranty offers are definite shred immediately items)!
I think that our spouses do want to help, but we have to communicate clear expectations and not get too frustrated when they accidentally shred something extra.
Conclusion
In conclusion, get rid of junk mail clutter smartly and efficiently! Make it easier on yourself and just hide the shredder by the door. You’ll beautify your entryway along the way!
Sincerely,
Felicia.
P.S.: In case you missed it, I posted a fun reel on IG of my hidden paper shredder!
Bravo, Roommay! I was just in there, and I didn’t motice it. I love hiddeb things in plain sight i.e. hidden doors that lead to a home library – that’s my dream room. The bit about the kiddos was great, too. Kids stay on the hunt for finding things. Another great post, per usual. Keep em coming!
Thanks Sharda! I appreciate you for reading! Yep — childproofing is so important!