As a professional wardrobe technician, you spend a lot of time carrying around laundry baskets. Laundry baskets are an essential backstage tool for any wardrobe crew. Whether they are used for catching quick change discards, tracking costumes, or sorting laundry, laundry baskets are one item there never seems to be enough of. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, so it can be tough to decide which one is right for your needs.
If you aren’t using the correct basket, you might find out rather quickly. This is because it might cause injury to you or injury to your costume pieces. In this article, we will discuss the different laundry baskets on the market and help you choose the perfect one for your show.
What to Look for When Choosing a Laundry Basket
When choosing a laundry basket, there are a few things you need to consider:
- Size: The size of your laundry basket will depend on what you have to carry, and the space available to you. If you have a larger load to carry, you’ll need a larger basket.
- Material: Laundry baskets are made from a variety of materials, including plastic and fabric. Fabric baskets are lightweight and easy to move, while plastic baskets are durable and can withstand heavier loads.
- Features: Some laundry baskets come with features like handles, compartments, or the ability to break down, or stack. Depending on your needs, these features may prove to be useful/ necessary to your show.
How Many Laundry Baskets Do I Need For a Show?
It really depends on the size of the show! For a one-person show with no quick changes, you might be comfortable with just 1-2 laundry baskets.
For a mid-sized musical, you might be looking at having 10 to comfortably run the show.
Another way to think about the number of baskets you will need to start is 5 baskets for every 1 dresser you have.
On Broadway, at the beginning of the tech process, a show might start out with multiple stacks of the cheaper baskets. When you are teching through a new show, you don’t want your tracking abilities to be limited by something like your laundry basket stock.
It’s always best to overestimate the number of laundry baskets you will need for a show. If you end up buying way more than you need, you’ll simply have extras to pull from in case one of your baskets breaks. It can be tricky to plan out running a show with the exact number of baskets you’d need anyways. If you are a staff wardrobe supervisor at a regional theatre, it is also good practice to have multiple shapes/ kinds of laundry baskets available for your different needs/ different shows.
What Will I Use Landry Baskets for Backstage?
Laundry baskets have many uses backstage. Some of these uses include:
- Storing/Travelling presets
- Catching Discards during a change
- A place for actors to throw laundry in their dressing room
- Storage for awkward costume pieces
- Sorting show laundry
- Organizing Understudy costumes or shoes
Our Top Picks for the Best Laundry Baskets for Backstage
(Click on the pictures below to be redirected to a purchasing link for each basket)
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The Most Popular Basket on Broadway
Blue Rubbermaid Basket
*At the time of writing this article, we are even having a little trouble finding a store to link to that has this specific basket in stock currently at a decent price. We will update with any new findings in the future.
Classic Baskets
Sterilite Rectangular Laundry Basket
If you need a lot of baskets for your show and cannot get your hands on any of the Blue Rubbermaid laundry baskets, these are a good alternative. They take up a fairly small footprint in use, and they can be stacked easily under a rack. Like the Blue Rubbermaids, however, these do tend to crack easily with the intense use that may happen in a backstage environment. However, compared to alternatives, they will be cheaper to replace.
Sterilite Square Basket
Do not be fooled by the small footprint of this basket! They actually hold quite a bit for their small size. They also are much more sturdy than the first two options on our list. The sturdy handles are another great feature of this basket. These are also the perfect size to nestle between two folding chairs.
Rubbermaid Large Hip-Hugger Laundry Basket
Some people love this basket, some people hate it. The curved side does make it slightly awkward to nest between chairs or under a rack. Also, technically, one should be carrying their basket in front of them with two hands ergonomically. However, some people do love the extra support they can recieve for their travel load by propping it on their hip.
Ergonomic Baskets
United Solutions Hands-Free Laundry Tote
This is a newer basket type we recently found out about and really love. This basket it great for dressers who might have hand injuries that make it hard to carry other baskets. It is also great for theatres with awkward staircases, where the use of a railing might be needed.
Sterilite Ultra Laundry Basket with Handles
The cheaper laundry basket options are great for when you are simply traveling with a single outfit that may only have a few pieces involved. However, as a dresser, you might end up having to track something bulky, or multiple costumes at once.
When you travel large loads with smaller baskets that don’t have study handles, you could end up injuring yourself, as you don’t have anything substantial to hold on to while carrying the basket. Because of this, it’s always good to have some “heavy-duty” baskets handy.
Fabric Basket with Long Handles
These baskets might not be as “heavy duty” as some of the more rigid plastic choices. However, they are great options to try for anyone recovering from elbow/ wrist/ or hand injuries. The handles on these baskets allow the dresser to carry the load of the basket over their shoulder. They are also beneficial if space saving is a must because they can all be broken down and stored away.
Specialized Baskets
Camco Collapsible Utility Laundry Basket
This basket is another alternative when space is at a premium. A crushable basket can easily be crushed down and stored under racks or beside laundry machines.
Sterilite Divider Basket
A basket with a divider can be ideal for a situation when you are packing two different costumes into a single basket. It also can be used in a way where one side of the basket is discards, while the other side is a future preset.
Alternatives to a Laundry Basket
Rubbermaid Bin
If you are handling costumes with lots of beads, or a loose knit that might get caught in the holes of a traditional laundry basket, a great alternative is a small/medium rubbermaid tub. These can also double as storage for items too fragile to hang.
Hanging Hamper
If you find yourself tight in dressing room space, and you can’t find a great place for a basket, try using a hanging hamper. These can be hung in a number of places; from the back of the door to the end of a rack. They are a great alternative for collecting laundry bags when floor space in the dressing room is tight.
How to Dampen the Sound of Your Laundry Basket
Sometimes you might run into a problem during a quick change where it is reported that a change is making too much sound while discarding costume pieces into laundry baskets. A way to prevent this sound is by laying a towel at the bottom of the discard basket. This way, the discarded clothes are no longer hitting the bare plastic.
Towels or pillowcases are also helpful when you are trying to store delicate items together in the same basket for travel. Add a towel layer between the two items so nothing gets snagged or torn.
How To Pick The Right Laundry Basket
When tasked with trying to figure out the right basket for you, think of your needs as well as the needs of the show. Are the costumes generally fairly heavy? You might want to opt for a basket with a sturdy handle. Is your backstage crossover tight? Then it might be best for you to look into something less rigid that can navigate small spaces easily.
No matter what your needs are, there is a laundry basket out there that is perfect for you. With so many different options to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect basket to help you keep your laundry organized and easy to manage.
Do you have a favorite laundry basket that was left off this list? Let us know! Leave a comment below or contact us!
