Corral the Clutter: 6 Steps to Organize Your Unfinished Basement 

Surely no room in a home fills its owner with more trepidation, if not outright loathing and despair, than the basement. You know why. 

If your basement is like most, it’s chaotic and messy. It’s filled with boxes and untold boxes of “stuff,” stuff you parked there because you couldn’t part with it, didn’t really have time to deal with it, and now has accumulated to the point where the room is utterly, completely, dysfunctional. 

And who could forget the phrase that echoes in households across the continent each December: “Does anybody recall where we put those Christmas decorations last year?!” 

If you are uncertain how to organize your basement, never fear. The new year is for starting over. For getting things shipshape. And we’re here to help you get your basement organized. 

6 Steps for Basement Organization and Storage 

Step 1: Get Ready, Get Set… 

Take out a sheet of paper and a pencil and sketch out how you’d like your organized basement to look. Rough out space taken up by the furnace and laundry machines and work bench, and then measure what’s left over.  

Block off an area that’s more easily accessible for items that you use more frequently – Christmas and special occasion decorations, for instance – and an area that’s less easy to access for items are destined for more permanent storage. Designate sections for off-season sports equipment and clothing. 

Step 2: Set Aside Time

Once you have a plan in mind, carve out a weekend for setting it in motion. Because time is always the nagging issue, isn’t it? It too often seems that there isn’t time to wade into the overwhelming mess and sort it all out. Trouble is, the longer you wait, the more intimidating the job becomes. 

So, take out your calendar and block off a full day, if not two. Doing so will feel good. Because you’ve taken a step toward removing the splinter that’s been spoiling your chill vibe. 

With thew date set, start to prepare. Acquire the shelves and accessories – see below – that you’ll need to make your plan a reality. And when the big day arrives, walk into the basement and take a deep breath. Game on. 

Step 3: Let it Go 

Your basement reorganization will go far better if you reduce the number of boxes and space-eating odds and ends. 

That means – you can do it! – throwing things out. 

Yes, it’s hard to part ways with the keepsakes and the miscellaneous things we collect. 

Take emotion out of the equation by using a rule of thumb. Pick an arbitrary time period – say, two years? – and if you haven’t used an item during that period then it’s a candidate for removal. Perhaps it becomes a donation to the thrift store. Perhaps it gets thrown out. Every item you remove makes the overall job easier. 

Step 4: Stairway to Heaven 

Sometimes ready-made storage solutions are hiding in plain sight. The location under your basement stairs, for example, offers plenty of often-underutilized space, which can be enhanced further by outfitting it with custom shelving. Once you’ve got the storage shelves in place, add doors to finish the space off and – presto! – you have a clean, useful storage solution.

Step 5: Bin There. Done That. 

Once the shelving and extra storage space is set, acquire stackable plastic bins with lids and gather those you may already have. Ideally, they should all be the same size and they should fit on your shelves.  

Designate a theme for each bin. Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Winter clothes 
• Halloween costumes and decorations 
• Christmas decorations 
• Old books 
• Extra bedding 
• Keepsakes and mementos  

Remember to clearly label each lid and the front of the bin itself so you know what’s inside six months down the road. 

Step 6: Hooked on Storage

Your basement drywall is a one trick pony. It looks nice when painted but offers no function or strength. And it certainly doesn’t lend a hand in the battle against basement clutter. What if I told you there’s a wall solution that does? 

Get items off the floor once and for all by turning your unused wall space into a basement storage solution with a product like Trusscore SlatWall. SlatWall is a smart-looking, easy-to-install wall storage system that serves as a blank canvas for hooks, baskets and shelves to be instantly snapped into place and rearranged to suit changing storage needs. 

Key to your basement storage aspirations, Trusscore SlatWall is strong and durable, supporting up to 75 pounds per square foot. Plus, it’s made of PVC so the product is easy to clean, mold-resistant, and won’t be damaged by moisture or chemicals. 

Trusscore SlatWall is also unique in that it integrates seamlessly with Trusscore Wall&CeilingBoard to create a clean looking, highly functional basement wall system that is four times faster to install than drywall. 

Both products are available in a clean, white finish that helps reflect available light and brighten dark basement spaces.