Both completed and unfinished basements are famous for becoming a dumping ground for unused household items like Christmas decorations, those old sentimental items, and stuff passed down from your parents. It’s not a problem to store a few extra items in the basement. But if boxes begin to vanish into the shadows of other packages, you may face a clutter problem. Thankfully, clearing out the depths of your home doesn’t have to take weeks. Another One Sweeps the Dust will teach you how to clean up for good by providing intelligent storage solutions.
How to Clean and Organize Your Basement
The essential step in this task is to empty your basement so that you can check it for problems like mildew, water damage, or pests. Hire a professional home inspection if you are unsure of what to look for. Be sure to fix any problems before returning your stuff to the room.
The one thing you surely don’t want to find in your basement is any form of pooling water or dampness. It’s essential to recognize the evident indicators that your basement requires waterproofing before you start working on it.
Finished Basement
Step #1: Throw Away Items You Aren’t Using
Remove all the unnecessary objects to get started cleaning up your basement. Organize your stuff in three piles. Store the stuff you have decided to keep in their permanent storage space if one already exists. If not, choose a suitable storage location for them before proceeding with the basement cleanup.
Donate, recycle, or dispose of anything you’ve decided to get rid of as soon as possible, as it may attract pests if left in the basement. Putting labels on plastic bins will make it simple to locate stored objects by category or season.
Step #2: Determine the Space’s Function
Consider if you want a media room, a playroom for kids, or a guest bedroom in your completed basement. Do not let an unfinished basement or limited square footage lead to clutter by failing to assign each room a defined function.
Step #3: Put Functional Storage Spaces
Once you know what you’ll be using the room for, you can start shopping for storage-friendly pieces of furniture. Since the renovated room will be utilized for living, it is crucial to maintain it tidy and attractive.
It is a good idea to invest in a storage ottoman to keep linens and an entertainment system with drawers and shelves if you want to use your basement as a living space. Guest bedrooms should include closet space for guests’ clothes and a bed with built-in storage space for extra linens and pillows. Your basement’s function as a playroom necessitates the installation of storage units like bookcases, bins, and a toy box to ensure that toys and games have a permanent home. Shelving is a great way to organize the basement and use all the little nooks and crannies that always crop up there.
Step #4: Maximize All Areas
Putting things beneath the stairs is a great way to use dead space in your basement. Open shelving or cubbies might help you make the best use of this space if it’s convenient. If your basement has built-in wall storage, you may improve the room’s beauty and make it look more organized by installing a sliding barn door so you can hide the shelves.
Unfinished Basement
Step #1: Use Vertical Stacking System
Whether your basement is completed or unfinished, maximizing vertical space is necessary for efficient storage. This may be accomplished in various methods, including peg boards, heavy-duty hooks, and wall-mounted shelving systems. Keeping items off the floor helps conserve area and may protect them from water damage in the event of a basement flood.
Step #2: Keep Things In Airtight Containers
Since moisture can be a problem in many basements, cardboard boxes should be avoided in favor of airtight plastic containers. They will be easier to identify and move and appear more organized on the shelf. Airtight containers can protect your things from pests, floods, and dust.
Step #3: Modify and Reuse Old Cupboards
Putting old kitchen cabinets to good use in the unfinished space of your home is a terrific idea, especially if you have just finished a kitchen remodel or have availability to these kinds of cabinets. Some can be hung over the dryer and washer to hold laundry materials, while others can be used to hide boxes or other goods.
Step #4: Segment and Categorize Everything
Make the basement into smaller zones that you can work on independently. To further organize the contents of each area, keep utilizing the Three-Box Method. Once you’ve figured out what you’ll be saving, you may decide if things will go in boxes, on walls, or elsewhere.
Maintaining a well-organized basement requires a commitment to labeling containers and putting objects back in their appropriate locations.
Additional Basement Organizing Tips
1. Put the things you use least often at the rear and the things you use most often upfront.
If you need to scour the entire basement to find anything, you are not maximizing the most out of your area. Things you rarely use should be stashed far away in the basement. However, if you’re utilizing the basement to store products you often use, like cleaning tools, toilet paper, or pantry snacks, place them at the front of the area and arrange goods in a way that makes it simple to grab and leave.
2. Utilize a dehumidifier to combat the dampness of the area.
Your basement could be more damper than you know, and that moisture will produce mold and mildew problems in no time. Therefore, if you wish to prevent clutter at bay and preserve those treasured objects functional moving ahead, use dehumidifiers that can assist keep things in damp basements secure
3. Declutter from time to time for easier cleaning and organizing tasks.
To avoid having many boxes with stuff you don’t need anymore, declutter your basement every season or as frequently as possible. Having a clutter-free area will make things easier for the household members.
We hope you had fun learning how to organize and clean your basement the right way. Share this article with your loved ones. Who knows, maybe they need this too.