Clearing out the basement. A dreaded job, really. Many basements have a neat row of boxes stored on shelves on one wall; the other wall often has a big area of clutter with tons of stuff piled high. No shelves, boxes, no sense of order. In short, chaos. We are all guilty of leaving things in our basements for years, untouched and unused.
To tackle this kind of job requires lots of lighting, strong arms and gentle care. The basement is often treated like a “free for all” clutter area. We bring into the basement a mix of valuable and not so valuable items. It’s good to be careful as you sort through these items, there may be fragile items in the pile that are improperly wrapped up and unprotected.
If there is no rhyme or reason to the storage then everything is susceptible to damage, mold, or deterioration and more importantly, lack of use. If you live in a humid area, there is always a chance that something could get moldy. It’s helpful to put a de-humidifier in the basement.
Let’s start:
Good lighting is imperative. Open the access doors to the outside and bring in some light. Set up lamps if there is not enough light in the basement.
Set up three areas:
- Keep
- Give Away
- Trash
Keep in mind your current needs: Do these items fit in to what those needs are? It is always my desire to help people get rid of things they do not need or want or use. The basement is an excellent place to start learning these techniques. Partly because we have stuff stored there for a long time and are not currently using those items. Also, we are often trying to make sense of the basement as a possible good storage space or a great place to set up a work area.
Whatever your needs or desire for the basement, keeping it clear of excess stuff and unused items will give you a good foundation for the rest of your home.
Setting Up Proper Storage in the Basement
If there is no system set up to keep everything in order, devise a plan.
Here’s a list of common basement storage categories:
- Gardening
- Tools
- Household items
- Storage for someone else
- Snow Removal
Whatever you need to store, here’s how I recommend it be stored:
- Keep heavy and frequently used items near the door for handy access
- Store occasionally used items together in the same area
- Keep like items together, i.e. garden hose with gardening tools
- Clear storage boxes make it easier to see what is stored
- Label each area
So many of us would love to tackle the mess of a cluttered room, but we hesitate.
Why? For many, it’s because of the emotional attachment to these items. Even from afar and from a distance of time, we can tell where our thoughts will go when we open up that “can of worms” clutter area.
Clutter clearing brings up lots of emotions. This can be very difficult whether you are sorting through your own things or the things that were bestowed upon you from a relative or friend and especially items that come to you at the time of someone’s death.
Some times these items come too late. You wanted them when you were starting out in a new home, or moving to a bigger house. Be aware of what works for you now. Notice the things that no longer work for you. Sometimes you receive an item you wish you had received when you once loved it and now longer have a use for it.
How do we deal with these items? I deal with them one at a time. I take the item into my hands and see if it resonates with me at this time of my life. It may be that the item means more to me now than ever. In other cases, it is just no longer useful to me. In many cases, if the item has been stored away for some time, it no longer carries an attachment or emotional charge for us. This is good. This is an item that can be given away or sold. This you can place in the “Give Away” pile.
A sensitive tip for some of our older subscribers:
Some of the items you are now holding onto for your children may not be the items they can appreciate later on in time. If you are no longer in need of the item, consider giving it to them now. Timing is everything. Let them enjoy the item now if you are done with it. This opens your life up for new things to come your way. Think about what you are keeping in your home or storage unit that you could give away or sell. Why pay storage fees when you can gift out the items or make a few extra dollars with them.
Maybe it’s a bike, a desk, a pie chest, a pair of shoes, a car. What can you give away?
Here’s a website that helps people give things away: http://www.altruists.org/projects/ga/
I know, there’s a real iPhone mania… but truly, there are some excellent reasons to own an iPhone.
For all you iphone addicts and for those of you who want to be…
What does your iPhone do for you?
Applications you can use to de-clutter you life, purse, briefcase and desk top: Seriously, I have given up my appointment/address book, collecting business cards and invoicing on the computer:
- iCal: syncs with your computer and gives you reminders a year in advance or just a day or minutes. Some may prefer to be reminded of birthdays each year as well as appointments each month, week or day. Whatever your needs, the iCal on the iPhone is a powerful tool to get you where you need to be.
- BC Reader: This handy application is an excellent tool for when you are at a convention, conference or business meeting… it takes a business card, scans it and places it in a “Card Holder” file within its own application and also in your contacts list.
- Bump: For those clients that have iphones there is an application called “Bump”. This one requires that both iphone users have the app. If you both have it, simply go to the app and bump phones to each other. It’s that simple.
- Timeworks: is an application that enables you to bill your customers from your iphone. Simply write up the work items and invoice and send it along to your customers email address.
- Facebook & Twitter: Some communicate business ideas and blogs through Facebook and Twitter, these apps are available as well.
- Notes: on the front page of your iPhone is “Notes”. It has become an essential tool for me. No need to look for pen and paper… this is a fast way to takes notes while with a client.
I admit, I love my iPhone. It is incredibly useful and a lot of fun. I store a huge amount of photos and information on it. Not to mention the uber easy access to my email accounts. I am indeed hooked.
Any iPhone addicts out there among the fittobetidy.com crowd? Do you have a favorite app that you use for organization? Let us know.
Can you find your favorite websites easily?
I find it helpful to bookmark my favortie sites in an organized way, just like I would organize a file cabinet.
Bookmark Suggestions: Categories broad enough to encompass many sites.
- Travel – sites for cities to visit, travel guide books, car rental, flight info, mapquest
- News - sites for newspapers, local or national news, any of your favorite sources for news
- Weather – this may include sites for local, national or vacation areas
- Tools and Reference – wikipedia, dictionary, or handy household tips
- Health – nutrition info, Health Club class schedule, any site you feel is helpful to you regarding health and fitness
- Social Networks – this might include Facebook, Twitter and others
- Favorites - all your favorite sites
- Things to Do – activities you’re planning, Museums,
Can you suggest a category under which many sites can be stored? What are they, let us know?
Keeping your computer clear of clutter is as beneficial as keeping your house free of clutter. Keeping your most used websites in a organized manner makes your computer easier to use and more enjoyable. Less is more.
The idea that computers are supposed to free us of the paper trail mess is true. So much can be stored on our computers. We can make sure the information is easy to find when we need it. It helps us in a small way to be more green. Helping to save a tree and the planet one computer at a time. Check out this handy website to learn more about bookmarking your favorite websites:
http://mactips.info
Clearing out the basement. A dreaded job, really. Many basements have a neat row of boxes stored on shelves on one wall; the other wall often has a big area of clutter with tons of stuff piled high. No shelves, boxes, no sense of order. In short, chaos. We are all guilty of leaving things in our basements for years, untouched and unused.
