Taking control of the clutter in your basement can be equally frustrating and liberating. While you might be able to clean out your closet in a day, doing the same with your basement requires a few weekends to get the job done. Here’s how.
Weekend one
Your first step is to start removing items and sectioning into piles. The first should be items that can be trashed. Get rid of the broken toys, the unused holiday decorations and the empty paint cans. These should go straight to the dumpster. Next, remove everything that can be donated. Do you really need three artificial holiday trees? What about that extra set of golf clubs? Take these items directly to a donation center. The only things left should be the items you use frequently or need to keep. Take these items to your garage or backyard if weather allows.
Weekend two
This is your time to prep the basement for organization. Thoroughly sweep, vacuum or mop the floor, and remove any lingering garbage. Then, visualize the best use of your space. Can you add rafters to house bins of rarely-used items or build a bookshelf for the piles of books and movies you’ve accumulated? Purchase additional shelving or storage items to keep like items in place. Get your markers and labels out; you’re going to want every item to have a home from here on out.
Weekend three
Now it’s time to put everything in its rightful place. It might be helpful to go through another round of paring down your remaining items. Maybe your kids don’t need 15 action figures after all. Group like items together; kid’s activities in one area, holiday decorations in another. Give the space one last touch-up and you should be ready to enjoy it as a family.
Spreading out your basement clean-out is the best way to ensure the job is finished without stress or tears. Whether you use it for storage and laundry or fun and relaxation, your basement is valuable space that should be used to its fullest potential.
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