Project #2 Reorganizing the Storage Rooms of the Basement – Define the problem and Plan new solution

The next home improvement project on the agenda (after finishing the last project the renewal of the storage area) is reorganizing the other storage facilities in the basement. The starting point of this area looks like this:

Picture to the left: overview of storage area, looking towards storage room III; Picture to the right: looking the opposite direction towards the laundry room with a glimpse of storage room I to the right

Our storage facilities are presently, as shown below to the left, divided into three small rooms. By tearing down the dividing walls the room opens up and allows for more efficient solutions, as illustrated to the right.

Also, one of the doors to the laundry room can be eliminated giving us valuable storage space instead. There is even space enough for narrow shelves in the centre of the room, which we might put in there at a later point if needed. Ideally, however, we’re able to leave it clear and thereby have a more neat and spacious solution. As of now this little reorganization is a welcoming opportunity to sort through our belongings and make the systems better.

The things we store in the basement are typically Christmas decorations (used once a year), sleeping bags (used occasionally), clothes, shoes, sports gear etc that are either too big or too small or off season, tools (to be kept away from the children) and things we don’t know where else to put. The last category should not be allowed to grow into hideous proportions. The picture below reveals how one of our storage rooms has become filled up with stuff. Some of which is useful, but other things should be thrown out immediately.

Take a closer look at some of the things we’ve kept around and need to consider what to do with (this is storage room III): 1. There is a water meter on this wall which must be moved when the wall goes. An alternative is to keep a small section of the wall. 2. The old basement windows (a total of 3) sorely need to be replaced – as you can probably tell. 3. A box of inherited clothes (made by deceased relatives). They may never be used again, but I can’t bring myself to throw them away. 4. A box full of paintbrushes and other equipment. It is a keeper, but we definitely should find a better solution than this… 5. An old filing cabinet that holds a lot of nails, screws, small tools, tidbits of all kind. I’d like a newer one, but this one will do for now. 6. A chopping block, left by the previous owner! It is a goner and getting rid of it will free valuable floor space! 7. An electrical oven. I say use it or lose it! We might put it up in one of the children’s bedroom, otherwise – out it goes.

8. Skates and skiing boots. This illustrates how a cramped space makes it harder to put things back in their right spot after use (or perhaps we’re just reeeally messy people?).

9. Cardboard boxes. They come in handy when you need them, so they deserve their own designated spot.

We try to get rid of things we don’t actually use but it’s not always easy to throw things away. I keep a box at hand where I put things to give to charity or second hand stores. Whenever I’m tidying a room or area I throw away the stuff nobody is taking an interest in. This way we only keep the things we really want or need – the rest we eventually get rid of. It feels good to give it to charity because then somebody who actually needs it might get it, instead of it lying around making our home float over with things. This is a never ending process.

Look: In this old cupboard I discovered a load of old cassettes belonging to another time. Even the music is severely outdated. I wonder why they are still in our house? Every time they’ve resurfaced we’ve talked about making time to sort through them to see if there is something worth keeping. We actually still have a cassette player so it is possible to make a digital recording. Oh well, they’re going now! Even though flipping through them will make for some nostalgic moments, there’s plenty of better ways to use these drawers. I bet we’re not the only ones who still have cassettes, CD’s, VHS tapes, and the like stored away in some corner?

Making efficient storage rooms is generally a good investment. Well organized systems for storage are the seat of a well functioning home. Everything needs to have a designated spot, be it in a storage box in the basement or on a peg behind the bedroom door, or wherever is suitable. A lot of the belongings of a dynamic family are stored away when not in use – for instance clothes and shoes that are off season, too big or too small for the children in growth, or appliances we rarely use. It is unnecessary to keep the warm wool sweater in your closet all year long when you only use it for a few months of winter. In principal things should be kept as close as possible to where it is being used, in time and space. And you should develop routines for sorting and throwing out things you don’t need, at least once a year.

I can hardly wait to go at it with a sledge hammer and make us a new room. Stay tuned if you want to get a glimpse of sawdust flying through the air.