How I Decluttered Over a Decade's Worth of Stuff from My Basement
For a long time I’ve needed to declutter a shelving unit in my basement that stored 13 years’ worth of stuff, from glassware and casserole dishes to passed-down family items and seasonal decor. This shelving unit has become a hodgepodge of items that wouldn’t fit elsewhere, and I could easily go to it to grab what I needed.
But over time, this process of grabbing what I needed, placing items back, and adding new things has led it to become a cluttered mess. It was so overwhelming to try to find what I needed. I decided it was time to get this space organized. Here’s what I did.
I purchased a new shelving unit.
With the current shelving unit falling apart and my desire to downsize, I knew I needed to purchase a smaller, sturdier unit. I wanted something that would take up half the width of the old one, but have more shelves available.
I enlisted help.
It was high time to make it better. I knew I would need help sorting through over a decade’s worth of stuff, though. I sent a photo of the shelving unit to my friend Tara Bremer, a pro organizer and the owner of House Peace. She gave me a starting point and helped me think through the entire process.
Additionally, I sought help from my niece, who was home from college for the holiday break. She had helped me in the past with home projects and was, thankfully, willing to do some heavy lifting while also keeping me focused on paring down the cluttered shelf.
I culled any multiples.
Bremer’s advice was simple and easy for me to implement quickly. “My first step would be to completely clear the shelves and gather like with like, just in sections on the floor or on a folding table,” she says.
I got to work, and I quickly realized that I had multiple of several items. Bremer suggested that I consider downsizing these items, picking out what I want to keep and get rid of. I noticed I had six unique glass vases and 10 small glass votive holders that I only used once a year at my son’s school. I decided to keep two of the vases and set aside the votive holders to bring to my son’s school to store in their entertaining closet.
I made a donation pile.
It was easy for me to pinpoint what I had not used in several years and what I would not use in the years to come. I quickly amassed a huge pile of items to donate. I asked Bremer about the growing donation pile. “I suggest loading your donations in your car immediately when you’re organizing,” Bremer says. I had not thought about that. I quickly pivoted and began adding items to boxes into the back of my car. It made more sense to place them there if they were going to be donated anyway.
Bremer then recommended taking it a step further. “I’d even go as far as putting them in your passenger seat so that it becomes painful if you don’t get it done ASAP,” she says. I had too many items to place in the front seat, but my niece and I stayed the course and kept loading them into my car.
I threw away broken items.
I realized that there were many broken items (including a green glass vase that I found under the shelving unit itself). I quickly tossed the few broken items into the trash, swept up broken pieces of glass, and even vacuumed all the dust out of this space.
I restocked the new shelf.
After removing all the items I don’t use, I began restocking the new shelf with the items I was keeping. I placed items that I used regularly on eye level, and items that I used less on the higher shelves. I had so much room, and I was pleased with how easy it would be to grab what I needed without having to search or fight through a mess of other items.
Now, thanks to the shelf’s fresh appearance and easy accessibility, I’ve enjoyed quickly strolling down the basement steps, grabbing what I need, and heading back to my kitchen to finish my meal or plate a dish. It’s been so easy, and I’m motivated to tackle other areas that could use a little decluttering no matter how long they’ve been needing a freshening up. Ultimately, I’m also incredibly grateful for Bremer’s expert advice on this project and my niece’s assistance from start to finish.
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
