It’s time to sort through all the things in the basement.The basement, attic, and garage are often the most disorganized rooms in the house, because that’s where we dump everything we don’t want in the living area. . . . Organizing these rooms can save time, reduce frustration, and make household tasks easier.
—DONNA SMALLIN
By now you should be a pro at simplifying your storage areas, right? However, you’re in for your biggest challenge if you have been collecting things in your basement. This one space itself could range from anything as simple as a washer and dryer to multiple walled-in rooms.
The basement is like a garage in that each section can be approached in the same way: clear the center and deal with items along each wall. Basements hold the promise of more room. And it can be fun to find useful things you’ve forgotten about. If it has been awhile since you’ve sorted the basement, you may find plenty of things ready to pass on and create new space. It could actually be a joy to go into your basement once you have simplified the space.
What would you like to see happen in this space? Do you have ambitions to have the family spend time together playing Ping-Pong, but the table is layered high with out-of-season clothes? Do you still want to have a craft room, but the space has long become a catchall for piles of ironing instead? It’s time to reclaim that dream of family times together or space for yourself.
Create a Plan
More than a good plan for the basement, you need a motivating deadline to sort through everything. One good deadline is that winter is coming and you want to clean it out before it is chilly down there. Or with a finished basement, it’s time to clear it up so the kids can play indoors during the cold months. Another reason may be preparing a place for company to stay on the sleeper sofa.
To organize the basement, we will begin with this four-step overview:
1. Divide the organizing by section or walls.
2. Plan to sort through everything.
3. Cut contents down by one-third or one-half in each section.
4. Plan something new for the clear space.
It’s so much easier to clear the basement now than later when you have to put your house up for sale (which you likely will someday). Do it now with as little pressure as possible. You make better decisions that way.
Simplify Your Basement
Motivation:
It’s time to sort through all the things in the basement.
I need space to pursue my projects and hobby.
Our cluttered basement is a source of tension.
Supplies:
Signs labeled “Keep,” “Donate,” and “Sell”
Notepad and pen for to-do steps
Large trash bags
Storage boxes with lids
Time Estimate:
2–4 hours per area.
Reward:
An organized basement that is useful and well organized.
When it comes to your basement, the problem might not be that it’s unorganized but that there’s just too much stuff! In this chapter, we’ll look at ways to cut back and simplify the contents of this space.
Approach It by Sections
Working one section at a time creates order and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Deliver the sorted piles—keep, donate, and sell—out of the area at the end of your sorting. Sweep and vacuum to complete your work for the day.
Below are ten areas you may or may not have in your basement. They may even be in other parts of your home, so read and apply them wherever they are, or skip them if you don’t have them. Start with the area that will provide the most relief and biggest results.
Wherever you work, bring in bright lighting such as a floor lamp to see the condition of each item. The extra light will keep you focused while you transform this space into a haven of organization.
Stairway
The stairway should be free of clutter. Temporarily placed things to be taken up or down the stairs are often overlooked by the people walking by. Start at the top step and work downward until each stair is empty. Be aware of walking up and down your stairs with “visual tune out” from now on. Pick things up and keep the steps clear.
Next, vacuum or sweep the steps so you won’t be tracking basement dirt into your home. And if there are shelves on the stairwell wall, check each canned good, tool, or hanging item to see if you can toss or donate it. A basement stairwell should be relatively empty with good lighting. Along the stairwell walls, you can hang pictures that you want to keep but don’t know where else to hang.
SPACE-SAVING TIP #43
Make an inventory list for your storage boxes in each room by numbering the box and listing its contents on an inventory sheet.
Family Area
The main area at the bottom of the stairs often is a family area for entertainment with a Ping-Pong, foosball, or pool table. This space can be well decorated or filled with your older family room furniture.
Whatever is in this family area, clean it in this fashion. The center floor area and surfaces are cleared of accumulated clutter by delivering laundry upstairs or washing it, putting decorations away, and delivering tools and sports equipment to the garage or workshop. Then work clockwise around the walls, holding each item and asking:
1. “Does this belong here or somewhere else?” Move it now.
2. “Is this part of my past that I can let go of now?” Put it in a donation box or trash bag.
3. “Is it ready to use, or do I need to fix it?” Write it on a list to repair later, or keep it where it is if it’s in good, working order.
You may find things propped against the wall “temporarily” or stored in boxes. Now is the time to deal with them if you want to simplify the basement. When sorting through things, make this your motto: “Use it or lose it.” This is the moment to make those decisions.
Storage Area
This could be a walled-off area or one wall of your basement. If it is a cement floor area, raise the stored boxes onto pallets to keep them away from moisture. Cardboard boxes tend to wilt in a damp basement, so upgrade to plastic containers with lids.
Empty one box at a time on a table with good lighting. Place each item into one of three piles—a “keep” pile, donation box, or a trash bag. Pull out every item to refresh your memory, even if you put it on your inventory list, and repack it. Try to whittle down the contents by one-third to one-half of what they were. Combine the remaining items in another box or find a smaller container. Label it before going on.
SPACE-SAVING TIP #44
In the basement, you may tend to use the space under well-lit areas while clutter collects in dark corners. Bring in light wherever you can to keep clutter out of dark places.
If you find items that are moldy or bug infested, toss them out. Check book pages to see that even prized books are in good shape—and consider moving them upstairs if they are.
If you can install shelving for your boxes, you will be able to pull your storage bins in and out more easily. Create a uniform look by using the same kind of containers.
If you are storing items for less than six months, you can use cardboard boxes. Beyond that time, you will want to invest in airtight boxes to protect the contents. Rotate new belongings while letting go of the old, whether crafts, tools, projects, sports equipment, or trophies.
Laundry Area
The laundry area of your basement needs good lighting so you can sort the items on the shelves along with any piled-up clothes. Bring in a lamp for now and get an electrician to rig one up overhead if need be. If your laundry space is well lit, you’ll be more inclined to keep the area clean.
If you have clothes piled up, begin a load of wash as you work. Plan on thirty minutes for the wash cycle, thirty minutes to dry, and thirty minutes to fold and put it away. If you keep putting in a load and moving one out, how much time will it take you to catch up? Put a clock in the laundry area to manage your time and complete the job while you work.
As you sort your clothes piles, be sure to keep the donation box and trash bag nearby in case you find items that are no longer a part of your wardrobe. Fluff items in the dryer that need ironing and put them back in closets as well. Mending is best done upstairs. Work until the area is clean by using up all the sample detergents until your supply is a simple set. Also, see chapter 8 on simplifying your laundry space.
SPACE-SAVING TIP #45
Ask yourself, “Does this item give me more pleasure than the time and space it takes to store it?” If yes, then keep it. But if no, let it go.
Workshop
Like the “guy” wall in the garage, it’s nice to have in your basement a workbench with drawers and shelves for tools and projects. The space it takes should reflect the amount of time you spend there. Little time, little space. But if this is where you like to spend your time, by all means set up this area well with everything you need.
On the other hand, if repairing or creating things in the workshop is not your favorite pastime, sort tools that could be passed on to a son-in-law or neighbor or charity to be put to use. Tools are valuable, and so is your time. Other people can use what you do not.
Desk Area
A basement can be an ideal, quiet spot to study, pay bills, or do computer work. With a desk lamp, you can stay focused in a small area.
If you set up an office in your basement, it is important that you enjoy sitting in the space or you will avoid it no matter how well it is set up. Lay out the desk space as described in chapter 10 on the home office. Now keep it clean each day. Every office needs to stay clean and organized no matter what level of the house it is in.
Children’s Play Area
The children’s play area requires a yearly sort (at least) because of the ages and stages kids go through with their toys. The biggest toys should be lined up on the bottom shelves or in a cabinet, and medium-size toys placed in baskets on open shelves. Your child should decide with you what stays and what goes.
If there are too many toys for your space, pack some away and rotate them in and out of a closet shelf every school vacation. Or allow your children to have a garage sale and earn some money for things they can part with. That’s especially motivational once they are in grade school.
When your children are in junior high and high school, their toys become less important and they would rather have a couch, chairs, and TV to hang out in the play area. Let them fix up the area, perhaps with posters, paint, and a new rug. Making this area their own space is a good incentive for them to clear out childhood items.
But what about the toys you’re not willing to part with? Instead of saving the toys for the memory of them, take a picture of your child with their favorite toys at the time they played with them. Do this yearly around their birthdays as they grow up, and watch the progression.
Exercise Area
Some basements are set up for the owner to get in shape with home exercise equipment. This equipment takes up a lot of space, but it is invaluable if you use it regularly.
If you use your exercise bike or treadmill every day, you may also want to keep a TV, DVD, or CD player nearby. If you lift weights or do floor exercises, floor mats and space to move around are important. A calendar nearby is good to track your fitness goals and chart your progress to keep you motivated.
When it comes to exercise equipment, either use it daily or sell it if you aren’t motivated to use it. Think over the last six months of use and decide what you plan to do the next six months. Is exercise going to be part of your daily life? If so, keep the equipment and enjoy it. If not, sell your equipment or donate it to someone who will put it to good use.
Hobby Area
A hobby area should consist of a good worktable in a well-lit area with storage shelves and cabinets nearby. This table could be a large plywood sheet over two saw-horses for wreath making and seasonal crafts. Or it could be a sewing room with a machine and dressmaker’s table.
Continually sort your project materials and keep the area neat so others will respect your time working and see your finished handiwork. Remember to not buy more materials than you use. And finish those projects you started, or donate the materials to someone who would enjoy finishing them.
Furnace Area
In older homes, a furnace heating and cooling system can be a catchall for clutter, but it is important to keep clear. Pull out, clean, sweep, and give away any items that have accumulated. Make sure everything looks in working order, and change the furnace filter. Mark the replacement date.
Add a sticker with service numbers in case the furnace goes out on a wintry night. The furnace is never as important as it is when it’s not working and you’re cold. But preventive maintenance is still your best defense.
Lighten Up and Let Go
Your basement can expand your living space or be a catchall that requires a major overhaul. The best way to claim space is to get rid of unused items in the basement. That way, you are putting clutter back to use at someone else’s house while you free up space at your own.
Basement Checklist
____ 1. Are the steps empty and clean for safety?
____ 2. Do we use the space we have set up?
____ 3. Have I sorted through my stored items in the past year, and are they well organized?
____ 4. Is the laundry caught up and the area clean?
____ 5. Is the workshop set up for the amount of work done?
____ 6. Do my children use the toys and play here?
____ 7. Do I like to exercise regularly with my setup?
____ 8. Is my hobby area well lit and used regularly?
____ 9. Is the furnace in working order, with a service phone number clearly written on it?
____ 10. Is the basement organized and used well?
Tips from “The Decorating Coach,” Susan Wells
Rejuvenate the basement by using fixtures and quality accents that equal the decor upstairs. Control costs by gradually collecting interesting pieces from secondhand stores and flea markets.
Small windows do not have to mean small curtains. A full-length drapery will match the scale of the room and fool the eye into thinking that there is a larger window underneath. Install a decorative rod at the top of the wall and mount a drape that reaches all the way to the floor.
Unite a multipurpose room with a common theme throughout. Close off unsightly areas with a curtain installed from the ceiling. Transform an otherwise dark basement with plenty of lighting and bright accents, and it may become your favorite hideaway.
Manage It Simply
Letting go of things in the basement can be hard, but there are many benefits. Simplify your life by letting go of unused items in the largest area of your home—your basement. Build success by doing one section at a time. Toss your trash today, and deliver your excess within twenty-four hours.
• Marian was embarrassed when the sump pump overflowed in her basement while she was on vacation. Her son and his friends had to wade through the fully loaded basement and puddled water to fix it. She was mortified at her neglected housekeeping compared to the rest of her home.
That began our twice-a-month organizing sessions to get her basement in shape. She also worked in between our sessions, tracking down appropriate places for valuables such as collectible dolls, expensive furniture, and even heirloom linens that her four children were not interested in. Over many months she emptied almost three-fourths of her basement to charity, antique collectors, and the trash. Never again would it be like that now that she took control.
• My parents filled their evenings with a hobby of pouring, painting, and firing ceramic gifts for family and business acquaintances. Everyone looked forward to their new Christmas creations, but once my parents retired, the kiln and two hundred molds were passed on to a year-round camp that gratefully received them. My parents were overjoyed to give their hobby materials to a worthy cause.
• One family thought they didn’t need anything in the basement except storage. But when their son got married, they made a guest room for the newlyweds’ visits and his-and-hers office space. Storage days were over. It was time to reclaim the area for guests and two home offices, which doubled the size of their living space.
Review: The CALM Basement Approach
Create a Plan
Find your personal motivation.
Clear the stairwell of accumulated items.
Plan new decorations or an activity for the cleared space.
Approach It by Sections
Divide the basement organizing by section or walls.
Plan to go through everything.
Cut contents down by one-third to one-half in each section.
Lighten Up and Let Go
Charities will accept goods from your past hobbies.
Consignment stores are good to sell your old furniture.
Antique dealers are just a phone call away.
Manage It Simply
Daily—Clean up after laundry, exercise, or games.
Quarterly—Sort through children’s toys.
Yearly—Sort through your storage boxes.
Often you can donate and sell items to use toward the purchase of a new couch, exercise equipment, or updated decorations. The sky is the limit in your dreams for your basement space. Move this space beyond your past life, and simplify the contents for your present and future needs.
The top of your home—and the bottom—are danger zones, because if you have an attic or a basement, it’s likely to be a haven for clutter.
—MERVYN KAUFMAN