Few people give the rubbish bins around there home much thought. But as an item that exists in nearly every room, and has to be visible and accessible for practical purposes, the waste bin is as much a part of the home furnishing as everything els

But finding the right bin to match your décor isn’t difficult as there is a huge range of modern, designer, traditional and retro bins that can provide the aesthetic requirements for your rooms. However, when looking to buy rubbish bins it is  important to remember their practical application too.

First they need to be able to hold  all the waste that will get thrown into them. This means in rooms like the kitchen, the bins will need to be larger than rooms where little waste gets thrown out.

Secondly, bins need to be able to hold the waste without smells or spills – especially food waste. And finally, bins need to be practical and easy to use.

When you find a design of bin you like, the first thing to do is to ask what type of waste will be disposed in there. With bins for the kitchen this means everything from food waste to tin cans, so a good strong, large bin with a good lid is essential. For other rooms such as the living room and bedrooms, most waste is only paper or not food based so simpler bins without lids can be used.

Next establish how much waste will be thrown into each bin. The more waste the bigger the bin. Many people use recycling bins now so they can separate waste as soon as they dispose of it. Its important to be able to distinguish what goes into each bin so colour coded recycling bins are the best solution.

Finally you need to establish how the bin will be used. A bin in the kitchen, for example, needs to have a lid that can be opened without having to touch the bin. This is for hygiene reasons and prevents the need for you to have to  keep washing your hands when you are preparing food. Pedal and sensor bins are commonly used in these areas.

Sensor Bin - opens automatically

There has been a trend in the last decade of home improvement. Many people are choosing to invest time and money in their homes; and why wouldn’t we – we all like to live in a nice home.

Carpets, curtains, interior furnishings and wall paper are often changed to keep up with the latest designs and to ensure the household décor is complementary. And yet in all this refurbishment there is one item that is in every room that rarely gets an upgrade – the bin.

While many of us may change the wallpaper, three-piece suite and carpets – every few years or so – often the same tatty waste bin has been sitting on the corner through every generation of improvement.

Tucked under a coffee table or behind the toilet cistern the same problem occurs in nearly every room – the chic new furnishings are let down by the small embarrassment tucked in the corner.

And bins are in every room and yet we hide them away so they become a nuisance to use. These practical parts of our furnishings can and should be shown off as part of a regular furnishings.

Household bins may hold our rubbish but that doesn’t mean they have to look rubbish too. The bin has to sit in nearly every room so why not make sure it looks good too.

Designer bins are available now that can blend and match nearly any interior theme of a home. Often they are made from shiny alloys and have a modern trendy feel. They can also be really practical and have some great mechanisms for opening the lids.

Some sensor bins you don’t even have to touch, they have movement sensors on the lid so as soon as you come close they open up allowing you to drop any waste in them without having to handle the bin. These are great for kitchen or bathroom bins.

Other designer bins are available for nearly every room in the home, from living room bins to designer waste paper bins – and there are even bins for kids. So have a look in the corner of your rooms and ask yourself – am I ashamed of my bins?