How To Organize a Basement

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Has your basement become the catch-all place for stuff you don't know what to do with? Take a deep breath, go downstairs, and get the clutter under control once and for all.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Cartons
Plastic see-through bins
Labels
A marker
Hooks
Pegboards
Shelves (optional) (optional) (optional)
Milk crates (optional) (optional) (optional)
Storage bins (optional) (optional) (optional)

Step 1: Set up

Set up three boxes: "garbage," "donations," and "I'll think about it later."

Step 2: Sort

Sort through boxes, closets, and shelves and get rid of as much stuff as possible. Be ruthless! The worst that can happen is that you'll throw out something you'll have to buy again.

Step 3: Store

Take everything you are keeping and decide where best to store it. If you've done a good job throwing stuff out, you'll have extra space in your closets and on your shelves for items that have been languishing in boxes.

Step 4: Install shelves

If need be, install extra shelves to hold household goods like paper products and light bulbs. Use milk crates or storage bins to hold shelved items, and mark the contents on each one, like camping, holiday decorations, or games.

Tip: Invest in waterproof plastic bins; basements always run the risk of flooding.

Step 5: Hang

Hang hooks and pegboards for tools, extra pots and pans, toys, and so on. Group like items together.

Tip: A basement is not the place to store books, photos, good wood furniture, or fabrics that can be damaged by moisture.

Step 6: Discard

Throw out your garbage and donate the rest of the items you don't want to charity. Go through your "undecided" box one more time before stashing it in a closet or corner to revisit on another day.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• HomeFamily
• house
• home
• organize
• organizing
• storage
• storing
• store
• basement
• clean
• cleaning

[riddick0846]

i dont have a basement this information was completly useless. :-p

[fernando1990619b]

@burnout271990 good for you

[sydneyhope]

I would add one more box as you are sorting... for recyclables so important to recycle whatever garbage you can.... cans... plastic... paper... cardboard... I always bring this stuff down to my town collection garage as soon as I am done so I don't change my mind on anything. I also get rid of my donation box asap for the same reason. I put stuff on Craigslist if I think someone might be interested... even if I'm giving it away... curb alert!

[MrCougars26]

@riddick0846 then wth did you watch this video. stupid fucks these days

[sarahgeorgiou13]

wow this is convenient. i just desided to clean out my basement like 20 before i logged on tho youtube. THANKS :)

[RogTheLefty]

woot that was lame