Your Basement Cleanout Guide

Basements become a place where people store things they don’t need or don’t use very often. It can be a great place to use as a game room, but if your basement is packed full of boxes and other things, it might be time to tackle cleaning out the basement. Just like any other space that allows you to store things out of sight and out of mind, you might have accumulated tons of things in your basement. If this is the case, use the guide and the tips below to create a plan to make cleaning out the basement easier.

Step #1 – Create a Plan

Having a plan with a deadline will help keep you on task when cleaning out the basement. You want to create a realistic plan that you can use to get the job done over a weekend or over several days.

Step #2 – Separate the Basement into Zones

Cleaning out the basement might be a big job. If so, you can split it into zones and make it a bit more manageable. Choose three to five zones, or more, and slit up the work to ensure you can take care of the entire project one small step at a time.

Step #3 – Create Piles for Items

As you go through your things, create piles for what you will keep, toss out, sell, and donate. This will make it much easier to figure out what you need/want and what you can let go of. Some of the things in good shape can be sold, which can help you cover the cost of other projects.

Step #4 – Toss Things Out

One of the best and easiest ways to get rid of the trash when cleaning out the basement is with a dumpster rental. You can toss out old furniture, damaged items, old construction materials, and more. Often, a dumpster rental comes in handy because you will have more trash than a curbside garbage pickup truck will take or items you cannot get picked up at the curb.

Step #5 – Organize What You Will Keep

Organize the items you have left and you can make your basement clean and tidy. You can use color-coded storage bins or even clear bins to make things easier. Just make sure you know where everything is to make it easier to get out when you need it.

Top 3 Tips for Cleaning Out the Basement

1. Recruit Help

Basement cleanout jobs are pretty big. While you might be able to handle it on your own, a little help never hurts. If you have children, you can recruit them to help. If not, you might need to ask friends or family to help with the job.

2. Have a Garage Sale Afterward

If you want to get rid of a ton of things you don’t need from the basement, plan to have a garage sale after cleaning it out. You will likely have lots of things you don’t need. A garage sale allows you to get rid of it all fast and make a little bit of cash in the process.

3. Choose the Right Storage Options

Some basements are nicer than others. If you use your basement for storage mainly and you know it could flood, make sure you choose the right storage options for your things. Maybe you plan to use your basement more often. In this case, you might need storage that puts things out of the way of a ping pong table or something else you want to use in the basement. Use this advice, along with the steps above to make cleaning out the basement easier.