Golden rules for a clutter-free basement – 8 tips from professional organizers to increase functionality and make this space easier to maintain

Basements can easily become cluttered, making it hard to see the wood for the trees. That item you thought was neatly stored a few years ago now can't be found and you have to wade through boxes that don't have labels.

We asked our professional organizers for their golder rules when organizing a basement and they've shared eight brilliant ones, from QR code labelling to having a sale, there's something for everyone.

1. Get labelling

The first rule for a clutter-free basement is to label and to have a super organized system in place. It might take a little time, but you'll thank yourself for it after – we promise!

Not only is it imperative that you label each container, but it's also worth going the extra mile.

Diane Quintana, certified professional organizer in chronic disorganisation, ADHD organizing specialist and owner of DNQ Solutions says, 'If possible, use clear containers and place a detailed inventory of the items the container holds on the inside of the container – facing out so you can see at a glance a list of the things inside.'

I like Walmart's Citylife 32 qt clear plastic storage bins with lids because the transparency makes it easy to spot a glance what is inside, plus the lids will stop pests getting in.

Another key item to label is any leftover pain, as it can go off if left too long. 'If you are storing paint, do label the can with the date and the room the paint was used in, Diane says, 'and don't forget to check the paint from time to time.'

You can also load some of the leftover paint into a touch-up paint pen, available at Amazon, and keep that in the room you'll need it in.

2. Categorize similar 'themes' together

This is a great rule to follow and one that will definitely make your life easier.

'Keep categories of things together: gardening tools and accessories, car maintenance tools, camping gear, holiday decor,' suggests Diane.

That way when you are looking for a specific item you can go towards that part of your basement and find it alot quicker. If you have a large amount for each section then invest in a storage unit for each one. Target's 5 tier wire shelving comes in black and chrome and is sturdy enough for heavy items.

Use these highly rated lidded storage boxes below on it.

3. Seasonal rotation

Our basements can store a huge array of items, from vacation pieces and seasonal clothes, to garden tools that only get used in the summer, but we don't need everything to hand all year round.

Spend some time in your basement and consider what you have stored in there and when you'll need it. It also means you can evaluate the things that always make a basement look cluttered too.

You can organize the space into three sections, professional organizer and owner of Organize It! Karen Latch O'Keefe, explains, 'Consider your basement as your long-term storage area. The items you need to access less often, like heirlooms or tax records, the less accessible they need to be. Those things can go in the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies or the back of the basement.'

For special pieces like a wedding dress, for example, make sure you invest in specific storage like Amazon's wedding dress preservation box that comes with 20 sheets of acid-free tissue paper for extra protection.

Then ensure that what you need less is semi available, Karen adds, 'Whatever you need to access annually or twice a year, such as holiday decor or touch-up paint, should be in moderately accessible areas. Anything you use more frequently, like luggage, extra furnace filters, and gift wrapping supplies, can be right up front to grab them as needed.'

4. Set up a storage station

There are several things you should never store in your basement, and this is a great golden rule to follow as it provides a checking in point before you start to fill your basement with more.

Nikki Boyd, professional organizer and founder of At Home With Nikki shares her top tip, 'Keep a sorting station in your basement – basements can easily become a drop zone for anything that does not have a home by having a sorting station as you bring things down you can immediately move them into a category that fits such as "Donate, Fix, Return".'

This will ensure there's some kind of process in place that will prevent it from becoming cluttered. Set up your storage station below using these three top buys.

5. One in, one out

The one in, one out rule is something that's great to apply to all decluttering sessions you may have in your home. It helps to minimize clutter by, in theory, monitoring what comes in. Easier said than done sometimes though!

Professional organizer, interior designer and CEO of Aga Builders, Adrian Andronachi says, 'This isn’t just for the basement, it’s for your whole home. If something comes in, something has to go out. But here's the twist: enforce a two-out rule for basement items. Your basement is prime real estate, and it shouldn't bear the brunt of indecision.'

Buy the beautiful basket below to help you with your one in, one out decluttering.

6. Book in a yearly sorting date

We book in other dates, so why not consider this as a golden rule for your basement? We tend to honor things we schedule into our diaries, so it's definitely worth giving it a go one weekend.

According to Diane, allocating key time to focus on organising your basement will help you to consider its contents better. 'Review the things you are holding onto and evaluate if you will need or use them. For example, if camping was your love once upon a time but you haven't been camping in more than five years and don't have plans to go camping, donate the camping gear. Someone will love it and it won't be taking up space in your basement.'

Adrian agrees, 'This rule is your secret weapon against sentimental hoarding. We often hold onto things 'just in case' but 'just in case' rarely happens. If you haven't used something in 12 months, chances are you won't.'

We like the didn't know decluttering rule. Simply, if you forgot or didn't know you had an item, it's probably find to get rid of it.

Use this fabulous home maintenance planner below to help you organize.

7. Have a basement sale day

Once you've been through the contents for the year, it's time to move on to the next golden rule for keeping your basement clutter-free.

Karen has some great advice, 'As you clean and organize your basement, you’ll inevitably find things you forgot you had and don’t need, as well as things you knew it was time to get rid of. But how do you decide if something is worth selling or if it should be donated?

'The first thing to determine is your threshold. Is it worth it to you to go through the effort to sell something for no less than $5, $20, or $50? Everyone has their own answer to that question.'

So once you've been through this process and you feel that certain items have no value, they can go into a donate pile. 'To determine an item’s value, consider using a free reverse imaging tool such as Google Lens (Android) or Visual Look Up (Apple). You will be able to see how much the item has sold for in the past as well as your current competition.

'Once you have narrowed down the items you plan to sell, take a few more photos of each one for the listing and then store them all together. It’s essential to be able to find your items easily when someone comes by to make a purchase.'

Polaroid style cameras are good for taking quick images that you can have in your hand (and stick on bins) – takes away trying to scroll through your phone trying to find something you mentioned to someone who wants to see a photo. We like the Fujifilm Instax mini 12 instant print camera that comes with a 10-pack of film, from QVC.

8. Digitize old photos and videos

Adrian says it's time to digitize as we declutter. 'Basement clutter isn't just physical; it's digital too. Old files, photos, videos, and documents take up space and contribute to mental clutter. Regularly backup important files, then ruthlessly delete anything you no longer need. Organize your digital files just like you organize your physical items. Create folders, use clear naming conventions, and purge regularly.'

If some of the photos have great memories for you then invest in some frames and create a gallery wall in your entryway or home office. For old films that need converting have a look at Scan My Photos, they can scan photos, negatives and slides too.

Get super organized with your file storage below with these three great ideas.

Meet our experts

Diane Quintana

Diane N. Quintana is an ICD master trainer, certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization, certified professional organizer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an accomplished speaker and author of five books which teach professionals and working parents how to become organized. Diane specializes in residential and home office organizing and working with people challenged by ADHD, hoarding and chronic disorganization.

Karen Latch O'Keeffe

Karen has been a professional organizer for about 5 years and has owned Organize It! for a year and a half. She works on about 35 homes a year. Overwhelemed clients call of Karen, and are always thrilled when she's finished. Karen loves being able to introduce people to methods they can carry with them through life to make their environment more aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Nikki Boyd

Nikki Boyd is a mother of three and longtime military spouse. Her husband's career in the Air Force meant their family traveled extensively. The experience of moving and setting up house many times over allowed Nikki to hone her organization skills. Nikki now runs her own professional organization firm, At Home With Nikki, and helps people create beautifully organized spaces within their home and work environments.

Adrian Andronachi

Adrian is an interior designer, professional organizer and CEO of Aga Builders, a company that specializes in home renovations and remodelling. With expertise spanning from custom kitchen and bathroom transformations to full home renovations, he brings a detail-oriented approach to every project. This background gives Adrian practical knowledge that helps his clients with their homes and organizational needs.

It can be overwhelming when faced with a lot of things that make a basement look cluttered, leading to putting off vital decluttering jobs as we don't know where to start.

Our eight golden rules will help you tackle your basement incrementally so you can sort one section at a time, and will help you declutter even when overwhelmed.