Home Organization for the New Year- Basements

Jamie Vagnier

I will admit basements tend to be the catch all for everything that does not have a “home” in our house. “Hey mom, where does this go?” … Put it in the basement!!  “Hey honey, where is the____?” … Check in the basement!!

So if you are ready to put some organization to your chaos in the dreaded basement here are a few tips:

First of all a basement does not have to be finished to be functional. The shelves above are adjustable which is great, they are also metal which can be wiped off easily. Next it’s all about the BINS…Let’s be honest: the most fun part of an organizing project is picking cute bins, right?!?

It’s so tempting to start a project by heading to the store and buying all of the organizing tools, gadgets, containers, and more. But when I start with buying organizing pieces, I often end up with many pieces I don’t need. Then, I find myself running back to the store again and again because inevitably I discover that there’s a piece I could use but don’t have.

I’ve learned that it is important for me to go through all of my items first, discarding anything we no longer use or need, and sorting the remaining items into categories. (I will share my 3 category technique for sorting through cluttered areas in a later blog.)

Once I have everything organized I can determine the best containers for them. I see what I have to store in each category, then I can make a plan for what size and shape bins I need and go out and buy them (or even better, use what I already own)! 

The other important thing about the bins is that I find they work best when they are clear so you can see the contents.This makes rummaging through a bin to find your favorite blue scarf so much easier. We can also take this one step further as you can see in the picture above, I love to label. I generally just put something like ‘fall decorations’, which makes it easier to grab when it comes to changing over seasonal decorations!

As you can see the basement does not have to be a place of chaos. With a little time and money well spent you can feel a sense of accomplishment as well as make it easier on you and your family when trying to locate that one thing you are looking for. 

See you next week when we tackle bedroom closets!