We want things to be as painless as possible for you, so weve put together the best tips and tricks for decluttering and organizing your messy basement the first time you do. Clearly labeling containers and keeping all of your items in their designated zones will help keep your basement organized over time. Bonus: If the container is clear you can easily find what you are looking for! Even if your basement is only half-finished and youre working with a smaller space, make sure to designate it for a specific use so it doesnt become a catch-all for things that need a home. By adding cabinets, youll also create a space where you can place items out of sight. For each decluttering project, youll make three piles: keep, toss/donate and store. Holiday/Gifts: Any decorations you have for holidays should be stored in the same place but ideally kept in different storage bins or totes. (IKEA doesnt sell this model anymore; link to the similar TORNVIKEN.) Here are a few tips for organizing your space and storing your belongings in a way that will maximize space. Knowing how to fit one into your space, however, may not be so simple. Im glad people appreciate practical content as much as picture-perfect content. I use the braces to hang long stuff like my level and yardstick. and supplies for activities. You can find these at most home improvement stores, and theyre relatively inexpensive. Shelves extra shelves from closets and other projects. Phew, and thats the end of this three-hour tour! This is because you can move a lot of items from your kitchen. Now its all systems go! Thats happened to several Chicagoans I know this spring, including Kim and Scott over at Yellow Brick Home. , , Online, Online, , , . You can choose any curtain you want or even use blankets or sheets. If youre also looking to transform your unfinished basement, adding a bar will not only bring fun but will also help with storage. But since you cant leave it unattended, you still have to find some storage ideas that work for the space. Please join me! You dont want to rummage through boxes and boxes just to look for your kids DIY tree ornaments. This is a great way to use the space in your basement and to keep your laundry organized. One busted pipe can wipe out stored items like photos, important papers, and documents, as well as clothing. Today, Im going to show you how to organize an unfinished basement even if it does seem scary, at least at first. Pick or build shelving that is uniform to create a more orderly look and maximize the storage capacity of your available wall space. If your kitchen pantry is running out of space in your kitchen, consider storing shelf-stable food items, cleaning products, and paper products in your unfinished basement. Building a storage space in your basement is an easy way to increase the storage capacity of your home. Getting Ready For Hunting Season: What To Do With Unwanted Taxidermy, Electricity Blackout 101: How to Prepare For A Long-Term Power Outage, How to Organize Everything In Your Bedroom Closet, Plastic tubs (small and clear for on-shelf, large colored boxes with lids for floor storage). If youre storing off-season gear, keep it in a sealed, airtight container to protect it from moisture. Step ladder on a hook. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home. 2022 RBDS Rubbish Boys Disposal Service Inc. So, I put the next shelf unit next to the paint and put the holiday buckets o stuff there. Here are 10 important things to know before renting a storage unit. Im Karen. Not sure if its going back; I kind of like not having a door there. Not much to say here that wasnt already covered in Basement Laundry Room Before and After. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. (I dont allow him in the basement.). In my basement, it was the work table I wanted the paint and related supplies near that work table. If you dont have a laundry room in your house, you can create one in your unfinished basement. Also, a label-maker is a wonderful thing. This should keep all laundry related items together and give you ample space to sort and fold. When designing a finished basement, create areas for built-in shelving, closets and cabinets to store board games, craft supplies and hidden storage. My bike, Jarrods surplus bike, and the commercial-grade phone line hub installed by a previous owner for unknown reasons. What do you have down there? This is also where you should keep any lawn care equipment. No matter what you use your snowblower for, chances are its something you dont do very often during the year. Required fields are marked *. If any issues are spotted, make sure they are taken care of before putting your belongings back. And, if theyre a mess, theyre even more scary! So, one rainy day, I decided to tackle organizing the basement. Have you tried the snap-off style utility knives? Invest in a work bench from your local hardware store so you have space to start projects, and use a pegboard or a tool box to keep all your tools organized. How Do We Store All Our Stuff Without a Storage Unit? They are in the basement. Choose furniture and shelving that provide hidden storage options such as storage ottomans, shelving with baskets and media centers with drawers or cabinets. Instead of letting small items clutter your surfaces, opt for an IKEA pegboard as this comes with add ons such as pots and shelves to make everything more organized. Can you group and store like things together? This was my first one and I acquired the others later. Whether youre organizing your entryway, mudroom or bedroom closet, shoe storage furniture will create space for your shoes without taking up floor space or cluttering a room. Use clear containers for finding things easily, if you dont have cardboard boxes to use. Thats why an organized basement doesnt just look great, it feels great! Weve outlined seven simple ways you can add storage to your home just by imagining that space is possible. I knew I needed room for the following stuff: I bought some shelving units to organize the stuff, put the shelves together, and got to work. You may also want to have a flat, clear space for folding clothes and a rack for clothing that needs to be air-dried. Otherwise, our paint job has held up great for five years. According to Dionne Myhre of Home Made Our Way, you should start this project by removing everything from your basement and inspecting the space for mold, leaks or any evidence of pests. I do a lot of work. The pegboard keeps tools and supplies visible and accessible. Bonus: moving the paint to the basementmade sense because its closer to where I actually use the paint (either inside or, for spray paint, in our garage)! Now that youve read about our basement flood and the makeunder that predated it, its time for a full tour of this clean and organized workhorse. Using vertical solutions creates more space, while the colors also make it a more inspiring space for storing your crafts. 10 Important Things To Know Before Renting A Storage Unit, How To Properly Store Your Clothes In A Storage Unit, 9 Different Types of Over-the-toilet Storage. Using zones, I worked my way around the room, deciding what would go where based on where I might use the materials and, honestly, how much things weighed (more on that in a sec). Organizing your basement begins with getting rid of anything that you dont use. Dogs Don't Eat Pizza is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking toAmazon.com. Dogs Don't Eat Pizza also participates in other affiliate programs. This will make it easy for you to find what you need when you need it, and it will also help keep your space tidy. Change). Using smart storage solutions with clearly labeled containers is essential for staying organized and will make it easier to put items back where they belong consistently. Share in the comments below. If your basement is divided into rooms, declutter one room at a time. If you find that even with these storage solutions in place you have too much clutter, check out how to clear out a cluttered basement and call 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. You can also use your unfinished basement for storage by using decorative baskets, boxes, and bins. Follow our ridiculously thorough guide on how to declutter your home room-by-room, and clear the clutter for good. But basements even when unfinished make good storage areas. Jarrods bike is on a stand that holds it steady when hes loading up his panniers (or paninis as I call them). An easy way to do this is with wall-mounted floating shelves, baskets, and counter surfaces. Here are 9 over-the-toiled storage ideas to help you get started! These containers will also protect your gear from heat, humidity, moisture, and pests. Even if your basement is finished, you should still be using containers to sort and store items to keep clutter at bay. Just make sure theyre not too close to your gear, so they dont get in the way or accidentally knock something over. Dont worry, I will not pursue this plan if it does not also allow for plenty of project space as well: the unfinished half is just as important to me as the finished half. Also, note that overhead storage is more suited towards lighter items, so use it to get those awkwardly shaped or longer things out of the way. You can see in these photos the one area of painted brick thats flaked away because of efflorescence. . If I needed to lug any of these thingsupstairs, itd be the shortest trip with this heavy stuff! Hi! The shelves are perfect for organizing space and staying organized. Packaging is more than the type of box used to ship a product. A little organization goes a long way. Nettie Owens | Sappari Solutions. If youve recently remodeled your kitchen or have access to old cabinets, repurposing them for your unfinished basement is a great way to add storage. First, these things are HEAVY. This is his base camp. Stand back and admire your newly organized space. Pro Tip: If you dont have bins or drawers for nails, brads, fasteners, screws, nuts, bolts and other hardware, try using mason jars with lids. Holiday decor Plastic tubs, organized by holiday, plus our artificial Christmas tree. It can be tricky to know how to organize your unfinished basement. There is no one in your life who would not appreciate grabbing a stud with these ingenious hooks. It can be hard to know where to start when trying to organize your unfinished basement with all the mess lying around. Your basement can hold a lot things, but one thing you dont want in it is any kind of standing water or moisture. A great basement food storage idea is to designate a shelving unit for extra canned goods or dry items, and this is also a great place to store emergency items like bottled water. How Do I Build a Storage Room in My Basement? Youve probably already discovered that closet space is limited and you quickly have to get creative about where to put your clothes. Labeling the outside of each container will make it easier to identify your products without the original packaging. Tiny houses are often built with less than ideal storage solutions, resulting in clutter and general discomfort. Keep reading for safe storage ideas that will help you make the most of your basement, while clearing up some space in the rest of your home! New blog post is up: The sunroom renovation reveal! I plan to self-soothe with the before-and-after image sliders until we know who the next president is. (LogOut/ Just looking at this collection of planting containers makes me happy. You can find baskets at most home improvement stores or online retailers. It me. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Your email address will not be published. Yes, those are roller skates on the shelf above; its the traditional gift for a mans 40th birthday. This type of storage is perfect for small items like tools, cleaning supplies, and gardening supplies. Finding a great locker storage is not an easy task. Storage auction presents a great opportunity for investors who wish to rent extra space, furnished students who need to store their belongings, and the general consumer, who just wants to make a little extra cash from all of their junk. However, its important to know the tips and tricks of storage auctions. Join me for DIY, home decorating, repurposing and upcycling, and organizing projects and tips as I transform a 1929 Tudor bungalow into our home. Just to show you the mess that was, heres video evidence of the before: I know what youre thinking: Yikes. Cuz thats what I was thinking. In this article from the DIY networks list of home improvement projects. I need to get on the workbench train! I mounted a power strip on the side for easy access to plugging stuff in, and my Ryobi battery charger on the front. This is a great way to use the space in your basement and to keep your clothes organized. Hes not wrong. Anything you decide to get rid of should be immediately removed from the basement, and either donated, recycled or thrown away. I put the heaviest stuff on the bottom shelf; here, thats tile and grout. What Can I Do with the Small Space Under Stairs? We just kept putting stuff down there until we ran out of space. Setting up shelving units in your unfinished basement wont just maximize your vertical space, it will also protect your gear from flooding and other types of damage. Lets have a look at some of the unfinished basement storage ideas below: The first unfinished basement organizing idea is to label everything. Pantry Overstock: If you keep a surplus of food, toilet paper, paper towels, bottled water, canned goods or any other pantry items in the basement, organize like items together. I didnt photograph it because, well, it isnt much to look at in the red storage bag. Move around the room until youve got zones for each grouping of stuff. Potting shelves = proof positive Im turning into my mother (as Ive mentioned before). ), I bought an IKEA STENSTORP island off Craigslist nearly 10 years ago for our previous apartments kitchen. Here are some steps to DIY your own fabric storage boxes on a budget. A work of genius. If you arent sure exactly what to look for, hire a home inspector. LoadUp offers nationwide junk removal services in 50 states across the country. During demo, we left some studs in place as well as the middle walls because they hold electrical conduit and they help demarcate zones. This works a-ok for us, but when we host guests it feels a little too close for comfort. I shared some fun news in my IG stories today: our sunroom window project won a Driehaus Award from the Chicago Bungalow Association! 10 Unique DIY Shelves for Your Small Space. If you have old cabinets from a kitchen renovation, they can also be repurposed and installed in the basement. I splurged on some matching clear storage boxes from The Container Store. Got piles of junk? Use pegboards and hooks to create a visual area to store small tools you may grab often. Why did I put this stuff by the stairs? It can be used to protect the contents but it can also be used to give consumers a peek at the product before making a purchase. So, thats where I started. To make your unfinished basement presentable, you can cover the unsightly walls with curtains. Even if you dont live in Chicagoland, the CBA is an awesome resource for information and inspiration. Ive referenced their Bungalow Maintenance Guide continually as I work to preserve and improve our home. The first step to optimize your basement storage is evaluating the environment. It may seem daunting, but once you get rid of excess clutter and implement a strong organizational system, you wont have to worry about learning when it comes to how to organize a basement properly. (Yes, I have a lot of workbenches. The red thing to the left of the pole there is the tree. Five stars; two thumbs up. Kristin Vander Wiede | Livable Solutions Professional Organizing. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Here are some common basement organization ideas by zone to get you started: Tools & Hardware: Keep tools organized in drawers, carts, and bins. This blog serves to help our customers, Loaders and partners navigate the waste removal industry. Overwhelmed by your options? That rolling cart works as a folding station and a holding area for stuff Im washing at the sink. Room-by-Room Storage: Box up everything from your store pile. LoadUp can haul away all your clutter for eco-friendly disposal right from your basement, so you dont have to struggle to carry everything upstairs yourself! By providing our service through local contractors, were able to enrich the economy of the communities we serve. Getting It Done and Letting It Go - It's All Good. This blog is all about DIY, home decorating, repurposing and upcycling, and organization. Sign up for coupons and our quarterly newsletter: Privacy Policy | Disclaimer 2022 BudgetDumpster.com All Rights Reserved, 9 Easy Basement Organization Ideas to Use This Weekend, Livable Solutions Professional Organizing, designate a zone specifically for laundry purposes, How to Build a Mudroom You and Your Family Will Love, Try These Attic Storage Ideas for an Organization Overhaul, The Simple, Yet Effective, Spring Cleaning Checklist, Create a Three-Season Room With a DIY Screened-In Porch. But an unfinished basement can be unsightly and hard to keep organized. But when stacks of boxes start disappearing behind other stacks of boxes, you may have a clutter problem. This means labeling all of your boxes, your shelves, and everything in between. Disorganization in the closet is a sad reality for many people. As I mentioned in myHouse Goals for 2019 and Beyond post, I hope to finish half of the basement with a guest bedroom and bathroom. They will be easier to label and move around plus theyll look neater on your shelves. Since your finished basement will be used as additional living space, you not only want to keep things organized, but also looking nice. Blog Home Decluttering 101 Messy Basement Organization Ideas. Lets be honest: unfinished basements tend to be, well, scary. Mission: Providing exceptional service with honesty and transparency. I mounted a piece of scrap wood above the window to store his cross-country skis. On the weekends, I usually work on the house and Jarrod goes on outdoor adventures in and around Chicago: biking, kayaking, birding, skiing, etc. This will help keep your items dust-free, and itll make it easy for you to see whats inside each container. Magazines Dear Husband saves every copy of Rolling Stone magazine he gets and has done so as long as Ive known him. Since moisture can be an issue in many basements, skip the cardboard boxes and go with airtight plastic containers. What area of your home needs organizing? Our knowledge includes decluttering, moving advice, property clean outs, recycling tips, eco-friendly living and local hauling resources. I plan to post photos of our finished sunroom by the end of the week. Clothing piles, stacks of books and papers, everything you dont need is crammed into tiny spaces. Read More. However, there are some tips which will guide you into packing and storing your clothes properly. Not sure how to make the most of your basement? If your basement is completely finished and has no moisture issues, you can treat it like any other room in the house. Then we spend more time getting frustrated searching for something for 45 minutes that could have easily been found by implementing a few organizational tactics. Our sewer backup definitely did not abide by the posted Do Not Pee Pee in Here sign. But first: cleaning and painting and moulding. Dionne Myhre | Home Made Our Way. With an unfinished basement, if you use cardboard boxes, theyll warp, bend, and even break down over time. Assorted less-used cleaning tools (link to similar rack) our most frequently used cleaning gear is in the mudroom. Items that dont qualify for donation will either be recycled or disposed of in the most eco-friendly way possible. If youre storing your items in containers, make sure you label them as well. June 1, 2015 By Karen Cooper Leave a Comment. I am SO into this. Check out our eight basement organization and storage ideas that will help you declutter your basement! (Not sure if thats a good thing, but there it is.). This way you know that youre not missing any boxes when it comes time to transition your wardrobe to the next season or decorate your home for the upcoming holiday. We postponed our windows + sunroom renovation until Chicago entered Phase 3 of ILs COVID-19 reopening plan. If you have a lot of clothes that you need to store, you can build a closet in your unfinished basement. I made platforms for either side of the saw, and I built the bench so the saw section is portable. Is your kitchen pantry overflowing? Basements, whether finished or unfinished, tend to become a catch-all for things we dont know what to do with, no longer use or plan on throwing out at a later date. If you are in the process of designing your girls room and do not have a lot of storage space available, consider these 13 storage ideas that will help maximize the space in her room. Organizing your unfinished basement can improve the aesthetic of your room and make it easy to find everything you need. According to Kristin Vander Wiede of Livable Solutions Professional Organizing, you should clean your basement out every fall and spring to avoid too much clutter being built back up over time. You can either create the laundry room yourself or have a professional do it for you. You can either build the closet yourself or have a professional do it for you. I replace my utility knife blade religiously. Theres the work table.Always good to start with what you know you need. Hi! Keep clothes that your children will grow into (not the ones they have already grown out of!) My miter saw is on a workbench I built using this Midwest Manufacturing Workmaster Workbench from Menards. You don't need to add permanent walls or floors to make the most of your unfinished storage space. Shelves will keep you from stacking bins one on top of another and creating a situation that is hard to maintain. But if you think about Studgrabbers in terms of how much joy they bring into your life, its a bargain! Stackable storage bins are great for this purpose, and theyll help you keep your basement organized. Text a pic to (678) 884-4738, and well get back to you with a custom, no-obligation junk removal quote. I want to know the end goal before I proceed with having drain tile and a sump pump installed (like so). Measure your space to determine what size of shelving it can accommodate while considering the amount of gear your system needs to accommodate. Solution: I made a sharps disposal bin from an old Rubbermaid container. A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. And thats probably why the basement ended up a mess. How to make Fabric Storage Boxes? Due to this, there are some dos and donts. Your email address will not be published. You attached the pegboard to the cart and now when you roll the cart around THE PEGBOARD COMES WITH IT?!?! We can help you haul away any unwanted items quickly and safely with our No Contact Junk Removal service. I put the cart on these tri-wheel rolling dolly things and mounted a peg board to the back. Thanks to @chicagobungalow for championing vintage homes! Before beginning your basement organization project, declutter and purge all the items you no longer need or want. A portable storage trolley is a great way to regularly store items that you need to access. If the thought of decluttering and organizing frightens you, have no fear. Often what is in our basements we have already started to distance ourselves from. I have recently acquired a couple (why a couple, Ian? If you have bulky items that cannot fit in your boxes, opt for baskets to store them instead. I knew that Id want the paint and other DIY materials near the work table, where I might use it. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home. Back to the tour: I cannot stress enough the importance of corralling your stuff. If you have a lot of gear to store, consider using a shelving unit to keep everything organized and within reach. Pegboard is perfect for storing tools, gadgets, craft supplies, and even canned goods. I put the paint and related stuff (wood filler, spackling) next to the work table. Rude! The problem: finding more space to do so. #chicagobungalow, This week Im getting my neglected blog caught up on the sunroom renovation progress Ive already shared here. Here are 28 organized closet ideas that will help you get started on your way to having your own model-like closet space! They protect your items by keeping the moisture out! 7 Easy Ways to Add Storage to Your Home Just By Imagination. Kristin Vander Wiede | Livable Solutions Professional Organizing. Read more>. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Our Clean, Organized, and Practical UnfinishedBasement. Ill include links to things I bought as an FYI, but please know that I dont think getting organized requires an expensive storage system or a full suite of matching bins. If you have any empty wall space in your basement, installing shelves is a great way to maximize storage capacity. I stick BBQ skewers into partially-used caulk tubes. Once the purpose of your space is decided, pick furniture that allows for extra storage. For larger items, like furniture, try using plastic sheeting to keep them clean and dry. Youd still have a sharps disposal problem, but its very convenient to always have a fresh blade right there waiting for you. Any items that are in good working condition will be donated to a local or national charity. Attractive, modern and practical, shoe storage furniture can be a stylish addition to your home. Then the next two shelves up have paint, and the top shelf has a container of extra parts, plus more paint and other stuff. All of the photos in this post are functional, not pretty just like the space itself. Keeping things off the ground not only helps with saving space, but can also save your items from water damage if the basement ever floods. Also, ensure you categorize your items and assign them to a certain location within your storage system. You can store your soap and other cleaning supplies inside cabinets if you have ones to reuse, or you can add wall shelving.