As of: March 9, 2024, 4:00 p.m
By: David Holzner
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A cluttered basement can be chaotic.
You won't find anything again and unnecessary things take up space.
Five tips for successful decluttering.
Old boxes, broken cables and dusty pieces of furniture.
Anyone who has a cellar or a storage room is probably familiar with it: things that have no place in the apartment end up in the cellar.
At first you try to keep the junk room as tidy as possible.
But over time, chaos takes over.
You can't find anything anymore, there's hardly any space left and you're annoyed when you look at the room.
The perfect time to clear out the basement.
But easier said than done.
Many people find it difficult to pull themselves together.
It is difficult for them to undertake such an undertaking.
Five tips on how to effectively clear out your basement.
1. Tips for cleaning out the basement - don't put it off, get started
If the cellar is full, the only solution is to clear it out.
(Symbolic image) © viennaslide/IMAGO
Most people put off clearing out their own basement for a long time.
Motivation is therefore an important point.
Set a date for your project.
Keep this day free.
Maybe even have a friend help you – tidying up together is more fun.
After you're done working, you can invite your friends over for a good meal.
Document your work.
Take a photo of the untidy basement and another after the cleanout.
This will help you keep your success in mind and you will be more motivated next time.
Try to see decluttering as an opportunity to shed baggage.
Tidying up can clear your head and a tidy home makes you feel good.
Don't take on too much at once.
Big plans often fail very quickly when you are faced with a multitude of tasks.
Therefore, take your time.
freund.de
recommends keeping a whole weekend free because there may be difficulties in making decisions when clearing out.
You can find everything about household and garden tips in the living newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
2. Cluttered basement – get an overview
With the chaos of old objects it is difficult to find a beginning.
Before you start decluttering, take an inventory.
Get an overview.
Maybe even make a list or plan to approach the process in a structured way.
Ask yourself the following questions:
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What's in my basement?
What do I want to keep?
What can I throw away?
Can I give away, sell or donate some things?
What things do I need on hand?
Then determine the sequence of your clean-up operation.
If you need to move heavy items out of the basement, this should be done first.
Therefore, tackle bulky furniture or heavy boxes first.
3. Clean up the basement – clear out by sorting
After you've checked what should happen to what things in your basement, it's time to get down to business.
Sort the items into three categories:
An area for things you want to throw away
A section for things you want to give away, sell or donate
An area for things you want to keep and organize
Also consider the emotional component.
Many things no longer function or are broken, but they still have sentimental value.
If you're not sure whether you want to keep or throw away certain things, use the KonMari method.
The Japanese “tidying up expert” Marie Kondo recommends asking yourself whether an item makes you happy.
If you answer the question with yes, the item can stay.
4. Get rid of ballast – this is how you create order
Now it's time to put things in order.
Things that are supposed to be thrown away go to the basement.
Remember to separate waste correctly.
Many things can be thrown into the black residual waste bin, others have to be disposed of separately.
As
consumer center.de
reports, electronic waste can be disposed of in most discount stores.
If things are still good, you can pass them on to someone.
To do this, create advertisements on online marketplaces.
Who knows, maybe you can even make some money from old treasures.
Ask friends and relatives if they can use any of your things.
Items that are still in good condition can be donated to nonprofit organizations.
But be careful with donation boxes on the doorstep.
Sometimes you can even face a fine if you simply leave your household goods outside the door.
5. Systematic tidying – tips for a clean basement
Once you've cleared out your basement, start putting away the remaining items.
It's best to proceed systematically.
Things that you need more often should be made easily accessible.
It is best to place adhesive tape, screws or other tools on a basement shelf at reach height.
Household items that are used less frequently should be stored in appropriate storage boxes and boxes.
These boxes can then be stored on a shelf.
This saves you a lot of space.
It is best to pack clothing in airtight garment bags to avoid a musty smell.
However, you should never store certain things in the basement, such as fuel or gas containers.
The cellar is not often as empty as it is after clearing out.
Therefore, think about how you would like to use this space in the future.
Now would be the best time to carry out a renovation or renovation.