It’s easy to get a cluttered basement. People often treat the basement like a no man’s land. It’s rare for guests to go down there unless the basement is furnished with entertainment areas or bars, so it can make a convenient place to throw things when you don’t have room for them upstairs. Soon, an organized basement seems like something from a distant dream.
However, with a little time in the basement and a clear organizational system, you can get your basement organized and usable once more. Cleaning the basement makes a great New Year’s resolution. It’s a good home project for that time between Christmas and New Year’s when many people have time off of school or work. Plus, it’s an easy way to ignore the cold temperatures outside. Below are some ideas for finally getting that organized basement.
Built-in shelving looks like a cohesive part of a basement’s design and color scheme. Image: Peregrine Design/Build
Built-in shelving systems for an organized basement
One great way to finally get an organized basement is to make use of some shelving along the walls. The cubby system in the photo above is a great example. It shows how you can incorporate a fun, colorful paint design into the back of the shelving.
You can go about this idea in a couple of ways. You could get a carpenter to build a shelving system like this or build one yourself if you’re handy. Or, an easier way to get a shelving unit is to go for a pre-fab system that gives the look of a built-in unit. You could place something like this against the walls.
Basements with open floor plans can benefit from organized and clearly defined areas. Image: Kaja Gam Interior Architecture and Design
Visually separated areas
When organizing your basement, you may also want to think about how different areas work together towards the overall functionality of the space. An example is the space in the photo above, where there is an area for doing laundry next to a table space. Even without using dividers, there’s an internal logic to the space. You can tell where laundry is supposed to be done by the placement of the washer and dryer, and the table visually separates the space next to the washing area.
You might get a similar design by making one corner of the basement clearly a child’s play area with a colorful rug surrounded by toy bins. Or you could mark another corner as a workout area, where all the workout equipment sits. Basements often don’t have partitions, so this is a good way to give organization to an open plan basement design.
Thinking from a minimalist’s frame of mind, you might be able to clear out what you don’t need more easily. Image: It’s Organized
Basement minimalism
Minimalism doesn’t just have to be for the upstairs. This photo above shows a minimalistic basement style. Cupboards in the background keep everything neatly put away. And it’s easy to organize sparse items along the wall in an orderly way. A white color scheme keeps the space looking bright and open, as well as imparting a stark minimalism.
By thinking of your basement in terms of minimalism and minimalist lifestyles, you might be able to prioritize what to keep and what to throw away more easily. A good rule of thumb is that if you either forgot you owned something or haven’t used it in a year, it’s ripe for throwing out or donating. You can find additional decluttering tips here.
Basement workrooms can get a new lease on life with wall organizational systems. Image: transFORM
Organized workstations
The basement workroom is one of the trickiest areas to organize. Tools jumble up, cords tangle and we somehow tend to end up with duplicate tools.
Although the photo above is a garage space, it also applies well to basement workrooms. An organizational unit like this works well for holding small tools where you can easily grab them, keeping things in neat drawers and hanging large tools from the wall for better organization. With a system like this, you’ll get an organized basement in no time. You can either have the organizational system put in by a professional contractor or buy the components of systems like this.
Plastic bins are a customizable way to organize many different items. Image: Board and Vellum Architecture and Design
Plastic bin system
A popular way to get an organized basement is to go for a bin system. The photo above shows a very comprehensive one. This is actually for a LEGO room. It’s a good way to contain all the small pieces if you have hobbies like LEGO building or model building.
You can also use this system to contain small children’s toys, clothing, holiday decorating items and all the other things that tend to end up strewn about a basement. A great aspect of a bin system is that you can customize the size of the bins you need based on what you are storing.
Achieving an organized basement may feel like a daunting task — especially if it’s been a while since you last cleaned — but with these organizational tips, you can have a livable basement once again. Did we miss any of your favorite organizational systems? Let us know below!
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