Not every home has a basement since sometimes basements can be unpopular depending on where you live. But like the garage, those that have full-sized cellars also might end up loading them up with garbage. As a matter of fact, for many people, especially in the United Kingdom, garbage collecting is a persistent problem. One might even claim that there is a philosophy at work that could be articulated as, “If it stays in one place long enough, the junk will multiply accordingly.” 

As a consequence, people with basements are seeing an almost relentless rise of junk and clutter. In reality, on the other hand, one of the facts of the existence of junk is that people are excessively collecting stuff.

 If cleaning up your basement literally involves getting rid of an accumulated assortment of clothing, shoes, and other personal items, you might have a lot of work ahead of you. That being said, it might not be so hard as you might think. These 3 cleaning steps for clearing up your basement might do the trick. 

Tagging

When you continue the purge of your basement, take the chance to tag the things you will not throw away. This move is vital to your success, so it is one you should pay proper attention to. There is no need to feel like you must set a timetable for this step. Function at your own speed and pace, so if you get irritated or emotional by looking at those nostalgic goods, take breaks if necessary. In order to tag your things, you could use colored stickers or post-it notes. 

Choose four colors and add a category to them. For instance, trash, recycle, sell and preserve. Put a sticker on an object you are not already tossing out when you go through your things so that the process can go smoother when it comes time to organizing. If you have trouble choosing what to do about something, ask yourself the following questions:

  • When was the last time that you have used it? It could be time to get rid of the item if you can not recall using the object in the past year.
  • Were you shocked that you saw this in your basement? It might not have been as relevant as you thought if you were surprised to see something in a position like that.
  • What are your motives for hanging on to a specific object? It is time to chuck it if the motives for having an item are not healthy.
  • Have you replaced this object already? Get rid of it if you have updated or replaced the item in question.
  • Is anyone else going to make use of this? Perhaps the object is what you think someone else wants, but you do not need it. If there are no takers, try recycling the object or tossing it away.
  • Do you have the room for it, really? Perhaps you do not even need the item if you cannot think of an obvious spot for it.

As you tag your things, keep track. When it is time to clean out the cellar, this will help you decide about what your choices are. If you have a lot of items labeled as garbage and they range from magazine piles to large couches, it would be wise to rent out a dumpster roll-off for a fast way to throw your waste. 

If you found that you have tagged a lot of heavy things to hold and believe they are going to get in the way while you work, it is suggested to rent a storage unit in order to store these items before you have the room to return them to your basement.

Cleansing

The beginning of this step is very straightforward. Once you have determined what has to be thrown out, throw it out. The broken chair you have been struggling to restore for three years now just needs to go. 

A box that is full of knick-knacks that no longer suits your decorative taste should be thrown away. The process of tagging stuff as garbage has already begun, so the point of this phase is getting certain things out of your basement for disposal. You will get it shipped straight to your driveway if you rent a dumpster so that you can chuck garbage in it while you pick. It is also an appropriate time to look at any things you might have been on the fence about. Once the process is complete and your basement is clean of rubbish and clutter, make sure there are no pests drumming through it. In case they are, and you have noticed any at your property, you could contact the best pest control in London you can find. There is no need to worry though since it is common for many households to have such a problem in this UK capital. Also, it would be wise not to forget to take a minute and look back on things you were confused about and rethink after you have cleaned out everything labeled as garbage. Do not make these sacrifices, though, because someone thinks you have to.

No one can tell you what to get rid of and what is important to keep, not decluttering gurus, best friends, or anyone else.

Sorting

It is time to start sorting things out now in your basement now that the garbage is out of the way and all potential pests are gone since you have a little more space to deal with. Sorting into three piles that complement the stickers is the best way to do this step. 

Donate, keep and sell. In a perfect situation, you should only go through and arrange all items in one sitting. That is really difficult to do, in fact. So, follow these ideas for decluttering a dusty basement while you focus on going through your remaining things:

Start out small

Split the project into smaller pieces if you are feeling frustrated. Take tape, twine, or any other divider for any painters and section of the basement. 

If the room is very cluttered, consider splitting it into portions of 5 by 5. As wide as 10 by10 fits well for less cluttered places. Select them one at a time until places are labeled.

Have breaks

There is no need for this phase to be rushed. Basement cleaning can be exhausting financially, psychologically, and emotionally. Take breaks if you need any time to recharge.

Seek assistance

Although the final decision on what to do with any object is eventually yours, it is easy for friends or family to lend a helping hand in sorting without having a problem of misplacing items since they have already been tagged.

The tough part is over. You have cleared all your things out of the cellar, making some uncomfortable choices in the way. Now, a world of potential awaits. A clean basement, though, is not a complete job. You have kept the clutter about and have your basement prepared for whatever you needed it. Now all that is left for you is to decorate it and use it the way you like.Â