Having a big house is a great luxury, one that comes with as many flaws as it has perks. If you’re lucky enough to have a huge practical basement perfect for storage or whatever else you want, you must know that it will be as functional as the amount of work you put into it. Here are some tips for cleaning and organizing the basement that will surely come in handy if you want to get this done as quickly as possible.
Hire professionals
One of the first mistakes many make is thinking that they can do this on their own. It takes a village, as they say. If you don’t have any family or friends who can help, don’t do this completely alone. That’s what professional companies are for. If you decide to hire a professional maid service, you’ll get so much more than just a quick fix to your problem. You’ll also learn plenty of tricks that’ll help you with maintenance and everything basement related. Make sure to ask a lot of questions and to save your cleaner’s contact for later.
Are you doing this for the first time?
If you’re a newbie when it comes to cleaning and organizing the basement, that’s okay. You don’t need to be an expert to do this. Many have done it before you. Just try to learn from their mistakes and not to make too many of your own.
Have a thought-out plan
Although it might not sound necessary, having a well thought out plan is a significant step. Doing this before you clean and organize your basement will help you get a clear image of how you want everything to turn out. Later on, making some adjustments is fine, but it’s still constructive to have a solid base to work on.
First timer tips for cleaning and organizing the basement
If you’ve never cleaned and organized your basement before this experience, there’s a lot that’ll seem challenging or overwhelming. The first thing that you need to remember is that you shouldn’t strive toward perfection. If you’re a perfectionist, this might be tougher on you than on others. Make yourself understand that you should put practicality above aesthetics. Your basement is not supposed to be pretty. It’s supposed to work.
Something else that could ruin this experience is making any big irreversible mistakes. Try to avoid storing anything that can cause mold or make the whole structure of your basement worse.
Deep cleaning
If the space you’re cleaning and organizing hasn’t been dealt with for a while, you can expect to have a lot more work than you would have otherwise. This shouldn’t scare you. You won’t have to do this that often; think of it as a spring-cleaning sort of thing.
However, every now and again, you’ll need to set some time aside and clean and organize your basement thoroughly. It’s one of those rooms that get messy quickly. For this, you might want to learn how to deep clean and turn this space upside down. Again, you can always hire someone to do this for you.
Decluttering and organizing are as important as cleaning
Although you might think of cleaning your basement as more critical than organizing it, they really go hand in hand. An area can’t stay clean for too long if it hasn’t been decluttered and organized. You should start by taking a look at all that you’re keeping down there. Once you’ve deconstructed it in your head, firstly throw away everything you no longer need. Now you can get to organizing and cleaning the rest of your basement. If you own too many items, placing them in a storage unit might be necessary for the time being.
Decorate
Even though your basement should be cleaned and organized before anything else, you could also decorate. If you feel better in a space that looks prettier and aesthetically pleasing, go for it. Just be aware that this is still a basement, and some decorating ideas applicable in your home might not be here. For example, avoid placing any plants that need sun exposure there. Find practicality in decorating techniques if you can.
Take inventory for the next time
Try to remember all the steps you’ve taken because you’ll get to have it all laid out in front of you once you decide to do it again. Taking inventory of all the items will be of great help. You could also label them while organizing if it’s not too much trouble.
Maintenance is important
You’ll also need to maintain your basement after you have cleaned and organized it. Revise a tactic that’ll help you realize how often you should clean it. Be realistic with your schedule and make plans only if you know you’ll follow through with them. Set yourself up for success.
Are you moving into a new home?
If you’re leaving the state and settling down elsewhere, you’ll need to do this all over again. No matter where you’re going or how different your new home will be, the cleaning schedule that worked the first time should do the trick the second time around.
Make a functional space in your basement
Depending on the condition of your basement, maybe you can think about turning it into something else. Here are some ideas:
- Storage space
- Game room
- Guest bedroom
- Laundry room
Making any of these rooms work will take a lot of work. Cleaning and organizing the basement is the first step that’ll help you get there. The rest is up to you.
