4 Tips for an Efficient Basement Cleanout

Ah, the basement. It’s probably the last place you want to go because of the piles of accumulated junk, dust, and trash that gathers there every year. Still, as much as you dread going down there, it is critical to get in and declutter.

Junk accumulation is a severe problem for most Canadian households. It is common for many people to store unused or damaged items in the basement. And while this is a great way to keep your junk out of sight (and out of mind), piled-up junk multiplies. Before you know it, you’ll have an overflowing basement that is unusable and piles of items that you had no clue you owned.

There comes the point when all of us need to deal with the excess junk we’ve accumulated. In this article, we will provide our top 4 tips for an efficient basement clean-out.

1. Don’t put it off

This is the biggest tip we can give you. As soon as you notice the junk accumulating, get to decluttering. The longer you put off tidying, the more your junk will add up. This means the more you’ll have to clean later! Another way to prevent junk from increasing is to resist the urge to keep throwing things in the basement.

You likely own items that are difficult to place; they might be too large, you’re waiting to return them, or you can’t find a proper place for them in your home. Try to deal with those issues quickly rather than delegating these items to the basement. This will keep your basement tidier.

2. Set a day

As much as you may want it to, your cleanout won’t be completed in just a day! The reality is that you’ll likely need lots of time (and energy) to get your significant cleanout done. Schedule a couple of days that work for you, and set them in your calendar. You may want to dedicate a weekend to your downsizing project so that you’re done and ready to start the week with ease.

You essentially want to give yourself time to sort and go through everything and carefully consider each item. Figure out if you’re undertaking the project on your own or if you plan on enlisting help. If you’re getting friends and family to help you, be sure to fix days that work for all of you and schedule it in.

3. Create an organizing strategy

Every major cleanup needs a central organizing strategy. A strategy will keep you on the right track and ensure you’re not wasting time on unnecessary things. Take time to think about your upcoming project. Are you looking for something there or just decluttering? Do you plan to sell items you don’t need or does donation work better for you? How will you get rid of all the things you can’t sell or donate? Keep your goal top of mind for a more straightforward decluttering process by considering these elements.

You can then direct your actions towards your goal. For example, if you have several photo albums down there, consider digitizing your collection. For any trash and unwanted items, organize junk removal bins to get rid of them with ease. To sell some of your old stuff, keep a spot in the basement as the “selling pile”, or take them upstairs to remind yourself to place them on selling platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or eBay. If you’re planning to give them away instead, look up donation centers near you to expedite the process.

4. Create a cleaning strategy

In addition to an organizing plan, you’ll also need an effective cleaning strategy. Start with cleaning the items that you’re dreading the most. You’ll get the tough job out of the way when your motivation is high, meaning that the rest of the process will be a breeze! Be sure to get the more essential items out of the way to have clear access to the smaller things. Keep your junk removal bins close by so you can remove the junk right away.

If you’re struggling with deciding which things to throw and which to keep, we suggest the two-year rule. Simply put, if you’ve not used an item for over two years, then it’s time to throw it out, sell it, or donate it.

Basement cleanouts can be intimidating. There are piles of stuff to sort through, junk to discard, and messes everywhere. It can be daunting to walk into your basement space and look at everything that needs sorting through! Doing a good old-fashioned sort out is just what your space needs, though, and you’ll benefit from the peace of mind too! In fact, with a systematic and structured approach, your decluttering efforts will be a massive success.

An essential part of the decluttering process is getting rid of unwanted and unneeded junk. Making decisions on how to discard old stuff can be challenging. Using junk removal bins is a great way to get rid of trash all in one easy place. At Gorilla Bins, we specialize in junk bins for every decluttering need. We have several sizes and options for your basement tidying process!

Call Gorilla Bins today at 905-230-1300 or contact us here to learn more about hiring junk removal bins.