How to Declutter a Basement and Keep It That Way
The full title of this post is not just how to declutter a basement, but more importantly how to keep it that way! Since the hardest part after the decluttering and organizing process is keeping the space clutter-free so you don’t have to go through major time consuming purging again.
Before doing the basement, I cleaned out my attic. It was a big job, but my family got on board and we made it into a fun chore. Having that completed and keeping it that way truly puts a skip in my stride. Last year I concentrated on cleaning out my garage to continue the decluttering process in my home.
Clutter holds you back. It is freeing to have it gone FOREVER! I wanted to start the year clutter-free and took on the last hidden zone of my home… the basement so that my house would be clutter free top to bottom complete with Labels on every Storage Bin and Box.
Everyone has different levels of clutter, but getting rid of it and keeping a space uncluttered is the same no matter how big or small the job is for you.
For most of us, time and indecision is what keeps us from living free of clutter. Keeping our homes uncluttered is about changing our habits and finding out why we buy things in the first place that we don’t really need and keep things that we don’t need any more to live a happy and contented life.
When you what to start the decluttering process, do you hear yourself saying?:
- It’s too overwhelming
- It’s not mine
- I don’t have time
- I can’t get rid of it, it cost too much
- I might need it someday
These are the questions that hold us back and keep clutter piling up instead of learning to let things go so that you can move on and live life without clutter holding you back.
My basement used to be set up as a place for my daughters to hang out with their friends. There were two sofas set up in an “L” in front of the TV and IKEA wall unit to hold movies and games. Since they are grown and no longer living at home, it has become a place to dump stuff.
I have moved sections of the wall unit to my bedroom. The sofas went with my daughters to each of their apartments, leaving the basement as nothing more than a storage facility. I wanted it to be a clutter-free and organized storage space.
Today I am happy to report that I have finished purging and organizing the space. Cleaning out the clutter is a huge undertaking no matter what room you are working on, but basements, attics, and garages seem to be the places that clutter seems to multiply when you’re not paying attention.
And that is the key. The key to staying organized and keep it cleaned out and decluttered for good. Paying attention to everything you buy, and then place in the space and more importantly paying attention to why you want to store items in the first place when you could just get rid of them.
I started early on a Saturday morning and left my calendar empty so that nothing could stop me from getting a full day of purging done. Schedule it into your calendar and work at it on a continuing basis until you are done. It took me about 3 weeks. Work on it every day – 20 minutes to a few hours.
Basement BEFORE
Below is the finished part of my basement:
My basement a.k.a… the dumping ground. I emptied every box into the middle of the room forcing me to have to go through everything and make a decision about it. I created piles: KEEP – DONATE – RECYCLE – TRASH. I used boxes and 30 gallon trash bags to place the items in.
I made some hard choices and edited until I was left with this…
Basement AFTER
A space to feel good in once again…bliss. Ed can now use the open space as his winter putting green. The TV is still hooked up, but other than this, the room has no function other than storage.
I didn’t get rid of everything, I still have some items neatly arranged in two corners that are items Ed, myself or our daughters want.
We keep some of our outdoor furniture here in the winter. These pieces will go outside once spring arrives.
The metal sideboard under the clock goes outside, one of my daughters wants the IKEA desk. For now, I placed a lightbox on the desk making it easy to use.
I don’t collect many things, but can’t seem to pass by a roll of pretty gift wrap. I have the rolls I use the most in my craft room. The overage, I placed in a wicker hamper I bought at a thrift store. Now it is under control and easy to get to and find what I need.
In the far corner is “stuff” my daughters still need to go through the next time they are home.
This corner holds larger items that we don’t use every day but want to keep. Golf clubs and furniture. Some of the items I want to paint and will post about soon. When my nephews come to visit they like to sleep in the basement so they can play video games all night.
I have two mattress and sleeping bags for them. I keep the extra chairs from my kitchen here, too. I change them seasonally. The yellow one goes up in the fall.
A few readers asked me about the dress forms. I love them and plan to use them again in some way, I just don’t know exactly how yet.
My basement also has an unfinished section. This is where I store smaller decorative items, paint, and other household maintenance supplies. I placed a 4-shelf metal shelving unit right inside the door.
I did this so I could not just open the door and place items on the floor and leave. To keep the area organized I have to take the time and pay attention to place items in their new designated place.
I also gathered all the containers I had and bought various sizes of clear storage bins at my local True Value Hardware to place like items in. I placed them on the floor to pick and choose which ones would be best for every item I had.
Everything went into containers. I wrote about how I labeled every bin, box, and bag in this post about labels and a free printable label to download.
Clear rectangular storage bins in different sizes are the best for two reasons. They stack and you can see at a glance what is inside. Labeling each will help me when I need to find or add something.
I have a box of extra labels and a marking pen at the ready to mark any new bin or when I change the contents of one. This will help me get it done right away.
I moved two closet organizers from an unused bedroom and placed them at the ends of the two metal shelving units to store glass and one of a kind items. It also serves as a place to keep my mailing supplies of boxes and bubble wrap.
On the top are empty containers and a basket at the ready if I need to add new items or reorganize an existing bin.
I stacked the large bins on the floor, with two extra at the ready. As much as I am going to try to not buy as much, I want to keep this space organized.
Having extra bins ready will make it easy and not have me placing items on the floor until I get a new box. No excuses. I have to pay attention to keep everything in its place.
To get to my decorative accessories stash, I simply have to move the stack of big bins. I placed all my fabric on its own shelving unit.
Wreaths, flowers, pillows all went into 30 gallon trash bags and were hung from a pot rack I hung from the ceiling. I labeled every bag so I know at a glance what is in each one. I keep tin cans I use to mix up chalk paint in the round laundry basket.
The trash can is behind it and two rolls of white fabric that I plan to use for slipcovers and window shades. I wrapped them in plastic to keep them clean.
On the far wall I have a 5-shelf metal shelving unit to keep craft supplies. I went through every basket and then added a label. The big piece of foam board along the wall, I use to protect the floor when I paint furniture. My outdoor chalkboard and table top are behind it.
How and Where to Get Rid of Your Stuff
Now you are probably asking yourself, “How did you get rid of all your stuff – where did the unwanted stuff go?” This is how I did it: Decluttering is not only a physical job, but a mental one. You have to ask yourself questions and make some tough decisions.
1. Ask yourself as you look at each item – Why am I keeping this? What does it bring to my life? If you can’t find a good reason, it should go into your donate or trash pile.
- Reasons not to hold onto things: Lessen your guilt about items your mother-in-law gave you, your child made or is a keepsake. Take a photo of these items and place in a photo album labeled “Keepsakes” so you can remember them. Then donate or sell the items.
2. Designate a space for everything – Various size rectangular clear bins are the best since you can see through them and they stack on top of each other.
3. Label everything – Labels only take a second to make and allow you to know exactly what is in each container, box or bag at a glance so you can put items away right away and not have to think about what to do with them. I made my own labels and have a free download for you to use, here.
4. Nothing loose on the floor – Having loose items is how clutter starts. Place everything in a labeled container or if it is a large item, designate one area or corner in the room for these items only.
5. Pay Attention: Keep at it – once and done is not how to deal with decluttering and organizing. You have to keep it up. When you bring something new into your home, remove something. I keep a big basket in my garage that I place things I no longer want in. When it is full, I put it all in a bag and drop it off at the thrift store.
6. Donate – Check on Google or ask your friends if they know of any places to donate items that are in good shape. I have two thrift stores in my area, Impact and ReStore, that will come to my house to pick up my items. They even take mattresses. I also get reminders in the mail telling me when Purple Heart, Veterans Groups and The Salvation Army will be in my area for donation pick-ups. All I have to do is call them to schedule a pick-up.
- Computer disposal: Best Buy, Goodwill, and some thrift stores will take them. Remember to remove the hard drive or make sure you wiped your data from it before donating.
- Thrift stores, group homes, churches, schools, and scout groups often are in need of items from household goods, clothes, to art supplies. Call them to find out.
7. Throw It Out – If you can’t donate or find a way to repurpose items, then they should be bagged and put out for trash pick-up.
- Check with your city or town to find out where and how to dispose of hazardous or large items in your area. This includes paint, batteries, and chemicals.
- Some large items are obsolete. We had a big entertainment center, a desk, and two broken pieces of furniture that even the thrift stores didn’t want. Ed took the time to break these apart so that we could dispose of them in our weekly trash pick-up.
- Books can be recycled.
- Shred papers with account numbers and names before throwing out.
- Dumpster in your driveway. Call your trash disposal company to find out the cost and sizes of dumpsters they provide.
- 1- 800 – Junk. We used them when we cleaned out my parents home. They took everything for a fee. If you want it gone, this is quick and easy.
8. Make Some $$$
- Craigslist, ebay, and yard sales are ways to make money for your collectibles and items that are in good shape. Having a yard sale takes time and effort and can be very successful. I never have had great success in the past and find it easier to just donate what I didn’t want.
The decluttering process took me about 3 weeks. I worked on it a little each day after my initial 10-hour day of dumping everything out onto the basement floor and then designating what pile every item should go in.
From now on, when I hear myself say, “I don’t know where to put this, I’ll just place it here”. I will be replacing that thinking with “I have set up a place for everything, put this in the right place now!”
It feels good that I can happily say, my home is clutter free from top to bottom. It feels fresh and vibrant.
My motto….Life is too short to be the caretaker of the wrong details. Those details are gone, my main goal now is to keep my home this way years from now.
