I need help cleaning out my basement. Any tips on how to get started and motivated? My roommate seems to store everything down there and when I go to remove something he insists that he needs it. I am tired of the junk and unused things. I want to make the basement into a family room.
I came across a great book this year that changed my life by helping me declutter. It's called "It's Here Somewhere". I promise that after you read this book you will be motivated. It teaches you to ask yourself these questions about every item in your home: Do you want it? Like it? Need it? Use it? Have room for it? If you answer no to any of these questions get rid of it-you will be glad you did when your basement becomes the room you always dreamed about.
I just wanted to suggest something a bit radical. If the majority of the stuff in your basement belongs to your roommate and not you, then propose that your roommate rent some storage space. It's a real wake-up call when you start thinking about whether your stuff is worth paying to store every month.
We are currently contemplating down-sizing within the next 6 months, and moving about 7 hours away. We currently own a home and are probably going to rent an apartment for a while. Once you start thinking how much it will cost to move or store an item, your perspective on whether to keep something really changes.
Good Luck!! Tina in Oshawa, Ontario
Oh yes, one other suggestion is to check out the professional organizing sites for tips.
My simple advice to you is to form 7 piles: There is one rule of whether or not to keep something: Have you used it in the past year? If not, then you probably won't use it again, If you haven't used it in 2 years, then you REALLY need to think about getting rid of it!
-- Give Away & thrift store -- Maybe give away bin "I'll think about this overnight". -- Trash & stuff for the dump -- Things that you want to keep but need to go to other rooms in the home -- Things you want to keep in that room -- paperwork that needs shredded -- important paperwork you need to keep
OR to make it easier only 4 piles:
- Give Away & thrift store - Keep, but goes elsewhere in the house - Paperwork to shread - Garbage/Trash
Start by the door & first work your way around the outside of the room sorting stuff into piles. Don't stop sorting to take something to another area of the home, just throw it in the "goes elsewhere" pile & continue on.
Build shelves & buy bins to stack your stuff in. If your roommate insists on keeping stuff, then have him/her buy himself 4 or 5 large plastic tote-bins with lids that stack, & stack them with their stuff in them against the wall & hang a large Blue or green (or whatever color that matches your wall color) sheet against the wall in front of the plastic bins & shelves. You can hang the sheet on a shower curtain rod or even use a shower curtain if it's long enough. A "SPRING-Rod" is another choice. These are sold in the curtain & blind area of most stores.Use screw in hooks in the ceiling & string or yarn to lower the rod to the correct length. This "Curtain" will camouflage most of your ugly stuff... Just pick one wall to stack shelves behind the curtains. You'll need sturdy shelves, NOT the kind you hang from the wall, but the kind that stack from the ground, up. Made of real wood, not fiberboard. You can buy these fairly cheep at IKEA. (Look in the "Clearance" area in the back first, for scratched & dinged shelves for MUCH less!) Attach the shelves to the walls with wire & screws so they won't tip over! Most of these things I've listed can be purchased at a liquidation store. As for the plastic bins with lids, I looked everywhere several years ago, & the least expensive (even on sale at other stores) were at Walmart. You'll need the kind that have SNAPS that hold the lids on, or they won't seal correctly. Stick a ziplock bag with a piece of cotton or a folded paper towel in it with several drops of either Tea-Tree Oil or Eucalyptus Oil on it into the bin. This will keep your things fresh & help prevent mold & will keep the moths & bugs away. LABEL EACH BIN & BOX!!!
I used square plastic "dishwashing" bins & plastic "shoe" boxes with lids from the dollar store & lined them up on shelves with labels to sort & organize my craft & sewing stuff. No worries! Once you get started sorting, you'll not want to stop & will find so many things you forgot about it will be a sort of "treasure hunt"! Have fun & play some good "house cleaning music"!
* One more thing: When we moved, my mom talked us into getting rid of ALOT of stuff, many things I wish I still had. Save all tools, & if you're not sure about someting, then put it in the "Maybe" bin. You can always find a home for it later.
---> For those who are trying to organize their homes: READ THIS BOOK: "The New Messies Manual: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good Housekeeping" It has saved & changed my life! I just can't say enough about it! What a GREAT HELP in organizing your rooms & home! The book is funny and life changing. It not only gives you great techniques for organizing & cleaning, & things like, where do I begin when cleaning a room? I used to wonder "It's so messy, where do I even start!?"... Simple hints like getting rid of your wire hangers& buying all plastic, color coding your kids towels & dishes (to keep track of who left their towel on the floor, & older kids can wash their own snack & breakfast dishes). Organize your chores into daily, weekly, monthly & seasonal chores & keep them listed in a recipe card box. I read this book way back in the early 80's, but it's still helping me to today! Have your roommate read it!
I know if I were trying to clean out my basement, I would feel overwhelmed. I believe the Flylady method (just Google it) is the best for shaping up one's home in general. It is a zone cleaning type of system, and if you stick to the Program, it really works! And it is totally free----and fun! Your basement can be the "extra room" (Program terminology), your procrastination assignment, etc. You'll see what I mean if you go to their site. Best of luck!
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