Taking Your Basement’s Storage Potential to the Next Level
A damp basement can wreak havoc on your life. Think mold growth, ruined items, and the weakened integrity of your home’s foundation – all potentially expensive problems to solve.
On the other hand, waterproofing your basement can minimize or eliminate these issues. Furthermore, it can help you turn what was once a place of horrors into a livable extra space. Now, your only problem becomes figuring out what you will do with an additional room.
Breaking Away from the Norm
The current trend is to turn the basement into an extra room, like a man cave, rec room, extra bedroom, etc. But what if, you didn’t want to do any of those things? What if you simply wanted a storage space that’s not damp and drafty?
Some may laugh at this idea but, the truth is, turning your basement into a storage space has many advantages. In fact, if you come up with a plan before you start storing things randomly, it’s possible that you can still use your basement as an extra room. If this sounds like something you would be interested, consider the following tips to help you get started:
- Built-in shelving is a visually appealing and practical way to display personal items
- Store items by season to make them easier to find
- Use clear storage bins so you can see what’s in each container before you rifle through it. Also, consider using labels for even easier identification
- Before storing items in your basement, go through them and either throw away, sell, donate, or give away the things you no longer need.
- Incorporate the mechanical units (like the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical units) into your storage design in such a way that they are hidden but still easily accessible.
- Use cubbies to store your items because they offer a lot of flexibility. They’re easy to build and can be easily rearranged as the need arises.
- Use wire racks, a magnetic system for tools, and a pegboard to turn your wall into a storage area for even more space
- Don’t be scared of the area under the stairs. No one ever thinks about using this space but, placing some shelving or cabinetry here can make a world of difference
- Colorful lockers are a chic and practical way to store your items, even your kids will love them
The Bottom Line
One of the biggest benefits of waterproofing your basement is that it avails you of a space that you can use for practically anything you like – even storage. Using the above tips will help you make the most of your newfound space.