10 Great Basement Storage Ideas

1. Clean and Paint

One of the best basement storage ideas involves preparation. Make sure you’re giving your things the best storage environment by thoroughly cleaning the area prior to putting things away. This is especially important if your basement is unfinished. Unfinished basements tend to hold moisture more than finished ones, which can create problems when storing your things. Take the time to scrub all of the walls and rinse it with a solution made of bleach and water. Let this dry completely. When you’re sure it’s dried, get a waterproof primer that has added mold protection and paint the walls with it. If your floors are bad, you might consider using it on the floor as well, or getting epoxy paint. This will help make your basement suitable for storing your things.

While cleaning and painting is a great way to make an unfinished basement less susceptible to moisture and mold, it’s not a foolproof plan. Make sure you don’t store anything in your basement that could get ruined in humidity or invest in a good dehumidifier and make sure it’s running during the summer.

2. Get Rid of Things

Now, take a look at everything you need to store in your basement and be realistic. Do you actually use it? Are there things you have that can easily be borrowed when you need them? When you go through your storage, you’ll probably come across things you didn’t even know you had. Make some piles and start getting rid of things that you don’t need. However, don’t get rid of things just because you want the extra space. If you really need it, and use it often, you’ll only end up buying it again down the road.

3. Find a Place for Bulky Items

If you end up keeping and storing a lot of bulky items in your basement, make sure that they have a designated space. Bulky items can quickly overrun your basement when they’re not stored properly. Instead, give them a designated area in your basement and try to find the most efficient way to store them. If you end up using half of your basement for large appliances or bulky items, consider moving them into a self storage unit to better use your space at home.

4. Stay Organized

One of the most important rules in terms of basement storage is staying organized. Regardless of what you do, if you’re not organized, your basement will quickly turn back into the chaotic mess it was before you started using these great basement storage ideas. If you’re going to be storing different categories of things in your basement—for example, sports equipment, seasonal things, decorations—take the time to create zones or areas for each. Storing like things with like will make accessing them later on much easier. If you use boxes, clearly label them for the best results. Everyone has different ways they like to stay organized, but here are a few great ideas if you’re coming up short.

5. Under-Stair Storage

Most basements have an empty space underneath the staircase, even if you don’t know it. As long as you don’t compromise the structural integrity of the stairs, you’ll be able to open up the wall and utilize under-stair storage. This is a great option for people who still want to have usable space in the basement or just need a little bit of extra storage space. Try building storage right into the wall with custom shelves or use under-stair storage to put seasonal, labeled, boxes. You can also hang up baskets or racks and add a few hooks to get the most out of the space.

6. Create a Basement Playroom

If you have kids and you’re always cleaning up their toys around the house, transform an area of your basement into a playroom—complete with baskets, bins, and shelves. This way, you’ll get use out of some great basement storage while providing your children with a safe and fun area to play. Check out some great ideas for basement playrooms here.

7. Re-Vamp Your Laundry Room

A lot of households have their laundry room in the basement. This is a great option, as it frees up the usable space on your main floors and keeps the mess of laundry out of the way. To make the most out of your laundry room in the basement, consider giving it a little upgrade. Add additional basement storage around the washer and dryer for cleaning products, rags, and anything else that needs a home. Create a folding station and a drying rack to avoid creating messes around the house when it comes time for laundry.

8. Create Custom Shelving

Custom shelving units are a perfect way to make sure you meet your needs, whatever they may be. Whether you only have a few things to store in your basement or many, custom storage can solve your problems. You can build custom shelving in closets, against a wall, or free standing in a workroom in your basement. Combine custom shelving with some of the other great basement storage ideas in this article to get the most out of your space.

9. Don’t Take Away Usable Space

Your basement can be a great place for your family to spend quality time together, watch movies, or even host parties. It’s a full floor of extra space for activities so don’t take away usable space with boring storage plans. Instead, work to compliment the space in your basement so that you get the best of both worlds. Mix the idea of custom shelving with the things you love the most. For example, if your family loves to have regular movie nights, create an entertainment center with hideaway storage. You can easily put away extra movies, appliances, magazines, books, cords, and more without sacrificing the functionality of a room. Build shelving units around, or under, your TV so that all of your things are out of sight, but easily accessible. Consider opting for wall-to-wall storage for one of the most efficient basement storage ideas.

Another way to utilize basement storage without taking away from usable space is to be efficient with your closets. Basement closets are a great place to take your storage to the next level. Since everything will be hidden behind closed doors, it’s easy to add vertical shelves and fit as much as you can inside. To do this without creating chaos, organize things by category and frequency of use. If you have holiday decorations, consider putting them towards the back of a closet, or on a top shelf, since you won’t need to access them regularly. Really try to use every nook and cranny in your basement closet, but don’t over-stuff it to the point where you can’t close the door.

10. Take Inventory

Finally, make it a habit to regularly take inventory of your basement storage. When you do this yearly, you’ll be able to reassess what you have, what you need, and what you can get rid of.