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Basement Organization and Storage Ideas

In this step-by-step tutorial, I’m showing you how to organize your basement after moving into a new home.

  1. Plan out what space you will dedicate to storing your extras.

  2. Buying shelving units.

  3. Find storage containers on clearance.

  4. Categorize your items based on how frequently you use them.

  5. Place your frequently used containers at your lifting level.

  6. Teach your family where everywhere is now located.

  7. Label the boxes with a list of items inside (optional).

  8. Vow to put your items back in their new home to stay organized.

  9. Free Printable “Items to Put in Storage”

  10. Video Tutorial

the before

  1. Plan out what space you will use to store your extras.

Our basement became a catchall after moving to our new home. Everything that we didn’t need right away got pushed into a corner of the basement.

With Mother’s Day coming up and knowing that my parents and my in-laws would be coming over for dinner, it was time to get this crap organized.

2. Buy shelving units.

I found these metal shelving units at Sam’s Club for $80. The pricing may depend on your location.

Muscle Rack 5-Level Heavy-Duty Steel Shelving Model # ZRHP4824SVL5P
I liked that these shelves were adjustable to the height that I needed and they can hold up to 2,500lbs!

3. Find storage containers on clearance.

You can use what you already have or find clear plastic storage containers on clearance at Target or Walmart.

I bought the larger boxes with the gray lids for $11 each at Target.

Large Clear Latching Storage Bin - Made By Design

I bought the smaller plastic boxes also at Target and they were on clearance for $7 each.

4. Categorize your items based on how frequently you use them.

The categories I made:

camping equipment

painting supplies

drop cloths for painting

Christmas decorations and ornaments

Christmas wrapping paper and gift bags

garden supplies

fall decorations

kitchen appliances

glass jars

tablecloths

party supplies

batteries + random house items

light bulbs

wrapping paper and gift bags

5. Place your frequently used containers at your lifting level.

The things we used most frequently are:

party supplies

tablecloths

batteries

light bulbs

wrapping paper

Everything else, like guitar cases and camping equipment I put above my comfortable lifting level. My most used items, I put at my hip level.

6. Teach your family where everywhere is now located.

7. Label the boxes with a list of items inside (optional).

8. Vow to put your items back in their new home to stay organized.


FREE PRINTABLE

no email required

video tutorial

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See this gallery in the original post