After a prolonged holiday season and months of huddling indoors due to the snow, ice and winds of winter outdoors, the first rays of spring are starting to peek through the gray. While this seasonal change means you can now head outdoors without being frozen solid, it also indicates that it’s time to start thinking about spring cleaning.
If you have a cluttered basement full of junk, rearranging the space is a great way to throw away things you don’t need and organizing the items you do. You can also clear away the boxes of holiday decorations and baby toys to transform this room into a usable living space, complete with travertine tile flooring and plenty of comfortable seating.
Not sure where to begin your project? Here are some things to keep in mind about successfully tackling spring cleaning.
Get the whole family involved
Spring cleaning is too big an undertaking for a single person, so the first step should be delegating tasks to your significant other and children. While they might moan and groan about having to delve into the basement’s rows of boxes and crates, giving everyone a manageable job will lighten the load for all.
For example, you might want to have one person responsible for bagging up items that can be thrown away while another hauls away the trash and garbage. As the leader of this project, you may want to take care of identifying what can stay or go.
Create a flexible schedule
Depending on the size of your basement and depth of your clutter, your spring cleaning project could take one day or several. As you begin to form a plan of attack, keep in mind how much work you can realistically get done before it’s time for a break.
While you might be eager to clear out everything in a single session so you can arrange travertine installation for the new living space, spreading out the work over a weekend could be easier on your family members’ spirits.
Create a space for organized storage
Considering that you have plans to transform your basement into a second living room or recreation area, it’s important to have enough free space to arrange future furniture. However, this doesn’t mean you have to completely gut your basement’s storage capabilities.
You can leave a corner or section of the room available to house the various seasonal clothes, holiday decorations and spare furniture that you aren’t willing to part with. To prevent this from infringing on the living area’s design, try using a tall storage cabinet or set of shelves to partially divide and hide this area.
Make sure you emphasize organization and accessibility in this storage space as well. This will keep you from needed to undergo another extensive spring cleaning operation in the near future.
Don’t get too attached
Perhaps the biggest threat to the success of your basement cleaning efforts is yourself. After all, you’re bound to come across more than a few items that pose a moral dilemma when it comes time to decide if they stay or go in the trash.
While you might have a sentimental attachment to certain heirlooms or remnants, try to have your “keep” pile smaller than your “garbage” pile. Approaching this project with a practical sensibility will allow you to objectively decide what it’s absolutely vital to your household.
