If your basement is currently used for storage, here are some great basement organization tips that will help you reclaim the space and take your lower level from a mere storage area to a great living space. Spring is here and springtime is the perfect time to finally get your basement organized. If you are looking for extra storage to get the excess out of your home, purchase a quality storage shed from Classic Buildings.

5 Simple Steps to Basement Organization

In many homes, the basement is an overlooked living area that could become a great space for your family to hang out together, have friends over, or even be made into an awesome home gym. The possibilities are endless. But too often the basement is simply used as a dumping ground for all the things that you are not sure what to do with and that you don’t need upstairs. Follow these 5 simple steps to clear up the clutter and give you the space you need to start living again in your basement.

Step 1: Purchase an Alternate Place for Storage

Use an outdoor shed for storage, not your basement

No matter how much you try to downsize and throw out or donate the things that you no longer need, there will always be articles in your basement that you do need to keep. The fact is that maybe you don’t actually need to keep those things in your basement. Possessions that you aren’t using on a daily or weekly basis don’t need to be taking up precious space in your basement. The best solution is to re-locate these items in an outdoor shed. This is a great option for storing items such as Christmas decorations and seasonal sporting equipment.

If you are thinking that you don’t have the funds just now to purchase a new shed, the good news is that Classic Buildings has an amazing rent-to-own option that you can use. You don’t even need a down payment! Simply make your first two low monthly payments and your new quality-made storage shed will be safely delivered to your backyard.

A shed can give you extra storage and look great as well

Step 2: Get Ready to Get Rid of the Excess

Arm yourself for the purging process. Take trash bags down to your basement. You could purchase different colors of bags – for example black for the items that you are throwing away and white for the things that you are donating. You can even make it more fun and buy a rainbow of colors for further sorting. Cardboard boxes also work well for heavier donation items.

Tip: Don’t keep things that you think you might sell. If you haven’t gotten around to selling them at this point, you probably won’t do it anytime soon. Donate them instead.

Colored trash bags can make sorting easy and fun – Image Source: Indiamart

Step 3: Sort, Decide and Minimize

Sort your things into piles: You may feel a bit overwhelmed as to where to start the minimizing process. A good plan is to put your various items into separate piles. For example, make a pile for children’s toys, a pile for clothing, a pile for papers, a pile for mementos, etc. For items that you aren’t sure what category they fall under, make a miscellaneous pile as well.

Minimize one pile at a time according to your goal: Take a look at each separate pile and start deciding what stays and what goes. Keep in mind your goal for your basement. If you are going to use your space as a family room, then decide which items fit with that goal and will actually be used in that space. Toss, donate or move the excess to your shed.

Tip: Sorting papers can be really challenging. Take a small stack of paper at a time and start sorting it into piles putting like with like. Use a sticky note or piece of scrap paper as a label for the category of paper that you have such as children’s school work, warranties & manuals, magazines, important documents, etc.

Get your papers organized and out of your basement

Step 4: Provide Appropriate Storage Spaces for Items that Will Stay

The items that make the cut probably still need a place to be stored so that you still have plenty of room to live in your space. For example, if your goal is to have a great extra space for your children to play, then adding some shelving or cupboards where their toys can be stored is a must. Installing shelving underneath your stairs is a great way to use unused space for storage while still preserving precious floor space. The following video will give you 50 different ideas for storage underneath your stairs from Ikea.

Use the space under your stairs for extra storage

Step 5: Maintain Your Space

Now that you have the basement organization that you always hoped for, make a commitment to maintain it. Take a look around and feel good at the great progress and difference that you have made. Savor that feeling and maybe even take some pictures to show how amazing your basement looks now. A good idea to keep the clutter out of your basement is to make a new rule: Anytime you bring something new into your basement, take something old out; either throw it out, donate it or move it to your new outdoor storage shed.

Move what you don’t need in your basement to your new storage shed

Here Are More Organization Posts You May Be Interest In:

Garage Storage Tips You Need To Implement
12 of the Best Home Organization Blogs
Top 10 Basement Storage Ideas

Classic Buildings: The Best Solution for Better Basement Organization

If you need the best solution for storing all of those extra items that you want out of your basement but you still need, contact Classic Buildings today or visit the location nearest to you. Our quality sheds can give you that extra space that you need and they are built using the same process for building a home. Choose from either a metal or shingle roof; they’re the same price!

Remember, before buying a shed you should be aware of the shed permit requirements of your municipality. Sometimes permit requirements to depend on the size of your shed.

Classic Buildings has locations throughout the Midwest, including various Missouri cities (St. Louis, Arnold, Columbia, St. Charles, Rolla, Linn, Springfield, Jefferson City, Kansas City, and Washington Missouri). We are located in Swansea, Illinois and Kansas and deliver throughout the Midwest, and, in some cases, nationwide! We will deliver your shed right to you and we offer free delivery up to 30 miles from any one of our showrooms.

If you would like to take a look at Classic Buildings’ storage sheds, check out our brochure, or visit one of our locations to see our sheds firsthand!

“I appreciate being treated as if I were your only customer, allowing as much time as needed to reach a decision.”

– Russell J. Murray

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