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Project Basement
The first floor of my house is partially unfinished. The front half of the first floor includes a beautiful foyer, half bath, and garage. The back half, however, is a concrete dungeon where tools, cleaning supplies, ancient paperwork, sports equipment, and holiday decorations are stored along with the furnace, hot water heater, and every terrifying bug native to this part of the country. A view of the back wall in the 10′ x 12′ space:
I’ve been in enough concrete basements to know that ours is far from being the most cluttered one. However, I know what is stored in many of those boxes, on those shelves, and crammed into this space, and it is time for a lot of it to go. For instance, two of those black Rubbermaid bins are holding my classroom supplies from when I was a teacher. And, I was a teacher long enough ago that I have legally gone out drinking with my former students. It’s time for these supplies to find a new home.
To motivate myself to go down into this dark and dreary space and get rid of the clutter, I’m declaring this week Project Basement. Each day, I’ll report here about my progress and how the space is being transformed. If all goes well, by Friday I will have a basement that is much less cramped and scary — and my hope is to spend less than $100 on this project. Feel welcome to unclutter your basement along with me, as I will be providing information on where to recycle, donate and/or dispose of many of the items I’m sure to uncover. If your basement is in tip-top condition, but you might have another area of your home in need of some love and attention, create your own week-long project and tell us about your progress in the comments or over on the Unclutterer Forum.
My first task today is to get into my basement and really learn what I have. Once I know what is in all of those boxes, I will be able to plan my week accordingly. Additionally, I’ll know whom I need to call about disposing some of the chemicals that are unnecessarily being stored in this space. What I’ll need:
- Pen and a pad of paper to record my findings.
- Gardening gloves to wear since I have an irrational fear of touching a bug or tearing through a spider web.
- Access to the internet and telephone to research recycling, donating, and/or disposing options after I’ve discovered what is in the space.
Costs involved in this first stage: $0
Wish me luck, and good luck to you if you choose to take on a similar project!
33 comments posted
Posted by amandalee - 03/01/2010
Erin, I love it that you’re sharing this process with us! I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Good luck!
Posted by Kari - 03/01/2010
Best of luck! I have a similar project I want to do–our one car garage. Unfortunately, here in Wisconsin, it is too cold to work on it right now; we’ll have to wait until late Spring.
Posted by Adventure-Some Matthew - 03/01/2010
I’ve definitely seen worse basements, so you don’t have too bad a starting point. I can’t wait to see how much progress you can make in a week, I’m sure it’ll look wonderful!
Thanks for sharing, and good luck!
Posted by opadit - 03/01/2010
I like this idea. The basement isn’t completely “horrorshow” yet, so you kind of get a chance to nip the clutter problem in the bud. This way, you don’t put it off to the point where it does get horrifying. By getting rid of the teaching supplies and other stuff you don’t need, you can also implement some type of better storage space for things that truly do belong in the basement.
Posted by Project: Basement | Send Me Your Stuff - 03/01/2010
[...] by this Unclutter post, I thought I would start a Project: Basement of my own. I am giving myself to the end of the month [...]
Posted by Christie - 03/01/2010
My husband and I finished the other house projects this weekend, and our garage has been the switch out room for a few months now. We have our foster/adopt home study visit on Wednesday, so in additional to putting everything back into place throughout the house, the garage (and our only storage area) is also in desperate need of organization. So we will be working at that for the next few days!
Good luck in your basement.
Posted by j-squared - 03/01/2010
additional tool suggestion: a large shoe/boot in the event that one of those bugs comes too close to your person and you don’t have time to humanely remove it from the premises. can’t wait to see how the project progresses. may the schwartz be with you!
Posted by Lori Paximadis - 03/01/2010
Good luck, Erin! I second @j-squared’s recommendation for a large, heavy boot. Back when I had a basement, nothing good ever crawled out from behind neglected boxes.
Posted by Cathy - 03/01/2010
Where did you get a picture of my garage?
Posted by TanyaZ - 03/01/2010
Good luck with the project! I realize now how great it is that I don’t have a basement – or an attic! It may be incovenient at times, but it forces you to purge. Looking at Erin’s storage of home improvement and automotive supplies reminded me that I need to finish organizing my own garage.
Posted by gypsy packer - 03/01/2010
I’ve seen Rubbermaid bins repurposed with a piece of plywood, to form a desk. Underpaid teachers, though, might appreciate the free or cheap school supplies.
Pegboard will mildew in a basement unless the basement is completely climate-controlled. This looks like one area where magnetic tool holders would work. Checking one of the how-to sites for a method of magnetizing sheets and strips of scrap metal might yield some good cheap hangers.
Posted by Jessiejack - 03/01/2010
Can’t wait to see your progress! Post pictures of the process too – that always encourages me. My declutter projects always get worse befor they get better
Posted by Beth - 03/01/2010
Advantage me – I have no basement so, other than my garage, I have no storage. Well, I do have an attic, which is basically empty (holds a couple of empty Rubbermaid bins) because [1] I hate going up there and [2] it gets incredibly hot in the summer so I am afraid of storing anything up there. So, I am forced to be sensible with keeping/storing items.
Disadvantage – I always wanted a wine cellar so I will have to tunnel under the house to get one!
I am due for a garage cleanout but, until it stops snowing here in the Philadelphia area, that will have to wait!
Posted by Beverly West - 03/01/2010
“. . . I have an irrational fear of touching a bug or tearing through a spider web.”
Dude. Bugs can live through severe radiation. So for all you know, a bug could be totally radiated and so of course you wouldn’t want to touch it. Totally rational.
Posted by WilliamB - 03/01/2010
Good luck with your project! It’s going to be great when you’re done. I always find these projects to be geekily satisfying. Can’t wait for the warm weather so we can attack the garage. We did a thorough job of it about five years ago but somehow it got untidy and disorganized again, can you imagine that?
I’m including a link to a pix from the blog The Nonconsumer Advocate. It’s the author’s mother’s laundry room. The mom made it bright and cheery and attractive – maybe painting your basement and installing good lighting will help you keep the room under control?
Scroll down to the photo:
http://thenonconsumeradvocate......ment-10412
Posted by Mike - 03/01/2010
Ah, another reason to love living in Phoenix. No basements. Forces us to keep only what we’re willing to use in the house, garage, and yard.
Seriously, though, good luck with that.
Posted by April - 03/01/2010
Glad to know I’m not the only one who has an irrational fear of bugs and touching spider webs!
Posted by Jen - 03/01/2010
Thank you Erin! Your project will be the motivation I need to tackle my basement. Ours is not too cluttered, cause I am a constant purger, but it is very disorganized, and there’s still quite a bit of stuff that can be let go.
Posted by PrarieGal - 03/01/2010
I have been working on a similar project. It just realized that the basement is where stuff you refuse to deal with goes. And it just occured to me that it’s ok to get rid of things that were wedding gifts if you’ve never used them and have been married 8 years.
Posted by Rebecca - 03/01/2010
Perfect timing-I am doing the same thing myself this week, and am looking forward to seeing your progress. My biggest challenge is where to donate/recycle what I don’t need- step one was e-mailing Amvets for a pick up.
Posted by Karen - 03/01/2010
Good Luck.
Now that my kids are all teenagers and most of the junk in the basement is theirs, I’m planning a “Clean Sweep” style clean up of my basement this for a weekend this spring, as in everything out, and very little allowed back in.
As for your fear of bugs, I sympathize totally. I used to have an irrational fear of bugs, until we moved to a house in the woods and I now have an irrational fear of mice. Keep those gloves on!
Posted by Another Deb - 03/01/2010
While you are immersed in this basement project, it is a good time to get the place checked for safety and workmanship. Have the furnace serviced, check ductwork integrity,insulation electrical service and fuse boxes, water proofing, etc. This might also be a good time to install intercoms, baby safety gates and CO detectors, if applicable.
Safety first!
Posted by Peejay - 03/01/2010
@beverly west
Dude. You made my stomach hurt from laughing. And totally rationalized my fear of bugs. Thanks.
Posted by MaryJo @ reSPACEd - 03/01/2010
Good for you for planning ahead head to not toss all those chemicals in the trash! Here in Portland, Ore., we have a government agency that manages a hazardous waste dump where you can toss all that nasty stuff for free. Maybe you can find something like that where you are.
Posted by McBeth - 03/02/2010
Ah-hah, I knew it! Just like Monica in friends had her locked closet filled with junk, Erin has an uncluttered junk filled basement! I feel so much better now!
That said, I physically shuddered at the line, ‘cleaning supplies, ancient paperwork, sports equipment, and holiday decorations are stored along with the furnace’…I’m so glad you’re tackling this as it sounds like a fire hazard waiting to happen.
Good luck with your clean up and thanks for sharing your dirty little secret with us all!
Posted by Pabbles - 03/02/2010
Funny, I started decluttering our – very horrifying – basement the day before yesterday. SInce we moved here 15 years ago, we put everything in there, with no system, and it’s so overcrowded I won’t manage to get rid of all that clutter in only one week. But I’m on a good way. Things I’d never would have thrown away before – they are gone now, because I’m convinced now, I’ll never use them again.
We have to empty my mothers apartment and now I’m pretty aware to the fact that nearly nothing you kept all your life, will be interesting for your children at all…
So I hope, in a few weeks, my basement will be de-horrified
I spent some money on transparent boxes (e.g. for holiday stuff, summer-stuff) and will need some more of them. But it’s worth it!
Thanks for all the advices I’ve found on your site and excuse my english – I’m from Germany.
Good luck with your project!
Posted by Pabbles - 03/02/2010
Postscriptum:
We have large spiders in our basement (sometimes they crawl up the stairs into our kitchen and livingroom…). It’s a kind of European tarantula, and I really hope, they move out of the basement, when they see me coming.
Posted by need4neat - 03/02/2010
I am so excited that you have picked this project this week… conveniently good timing on motivation for me!
Like PrairieGal said above, the basement is a place for things we didn’t want to or didn’t have time to deal with. So even though they may be stacked in rubbermaid bins neatly… why is that stuff there at all?? I’ll admit we even have a few boxes that are still unpacked from when we moved in last July
S What’s in there?! Obviously stuff we don’t use.
We’ve started renos on half the basement so we HAVE to purge and get organized. I’ll be right there with you this week (and looking for ideas! haha)…
Posted by Gloria - 03/02/2010
Hah, I just started mine about a week ago. My “junk” room is twice the size of yours and had gotten soooo cluttered as it became our dump room. I have gotten things off the floor, trash tossed and like things together. Next stage is to start going through boxes one by one and making more difficult decisions. My goal is to vacuum the heck everywhere and wash/paint the floor. It’s not the living room but i don’t want to shudder everytime i go in there
Good luck on yours!
Posted by Babs - 03/02/2010
I learned a saying in Girl Scouts…”kick before you pick”.
that warns the spiders to get out of the wood pile before you get your sticks. I always stomp and bang around a lot before I start sticking my hands in old boxes and stuff. Good Luck
Posted by Billy - 03/02/2010
I kinda can’t believe the author of unclutterer has such a cluttered space. Shocking. Please get to work!
Posted by Darius - 03/03/2010
I will be doing same with garage when snow melts for good!
Posted by CR Linda - 03/03/2010
Erin, I have been working on my basement for two weeks. My sections of the basement include the laundry room and the exercise/craft room. I have a sump pump and dehumidifier for water and climate control.
My goal is to have everything on rolling chrome wire shelving and to paint the walls and remove carpeting.
So far I have reviewed, purged and organized my pot pourri, photos, knitting, and am in the process of doing the same to my sewing and scrapbooking. Yesterday I finally handled my 37yr old wedding gown. It is now dismantled into pieces that can be used in sewing and crafts. It takes a lot less space and is no longer haunting my sentimental self.
Erin, I wish you much luck in your battle with webs and their creators, and applaud your efforts with all the detritus of home ownership. It takes a hardware store to keep the whole thing together.
This will be such a good thing when it is completed.
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