5 Basement Cleanout Tips for a Successful Clean

The average single-family home is 2,261 square feet. This may seem like a lot of space, but it’s always surprising how fast it can get filled up with stuff. 

If you own a basement, you know that all too often it becomes the dumping ground for miscellaneous things. Before you know it, you can hardly walk through the sea of boxes and bins cluttered haphazardly on the floor. 

If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it may be time for a basement clean-out. 

We’ll walk you through the five steps you can do to get your basement cleaned up!

Figure Out What You Have 

The first step to cleaning out a basement is figuring out what exactly you have stored down there. Before you do a deep clean, tagging your items will make the cleaning process more organized. 

You’ll need sticker dots or post-its in four different colors for this task. Assign each color to one of the following categories: donation, sell, trash, keep. 

As you make your way through your basement, put a color sticker on each item. This will help speed up the sorting and organizing process in step two. 

Toss The Trash 

Now that you have gone through your items, it’s time to take care of any trash that you may have. Basements are notorious for being the dumping ground of unwanted items. Getting rid of basement junk will help this space feel less cluttered. 

Are you finding that you have labeled many of your items as trash? If so, consider hiring a trash removal company to get rid of it for you. Visit a company site like www.stressfreejunkhauling.com to have them help with the process. 

Work In Sections 

Once the trash is gone, you can see how much room you have to work with. You will now have to sort the remaining items from the sell, keep, and donate categories into piles. This is the part that usually looks worse before it looks better. 

Start by bagging and boxing any items that you have in the donate. Once you have finished that, neatly label and box the items you are planning to sell. 

Designate Specific Spaces 

At this point, the only things you have left are the things you will keep. Look around your basement and decide how you want to use it. 

If your washer and dryer are in the basement, section off a space for laundry. Make a spot for any tools you may have. 

Organize What’s Left 

All that’s left is to put your items in their rightful spots. When you organize a basement, get creative with your storage. When you have specific areas for your stuff, you will have a cleaner basement. 

Use old cabinets to store paint and other tools. Plastic storage shelves will keep bins of clothes and decorations neat and tidy. 

A Basement Clean-Out Means A More Usable Space!

Although a basement clean-out takes time, the end results are more than worth it. You’ll be left with a decluttered room that you can use in a way that best fits you and your family. 

Do you have other home projects that you are looking to tackle? Take a look at our other home improvement articles for inspiration today!