Clean up a cluttered basement
When you put your house on the market, you think about how it
will show to prospective buyers. You may need to fix up the
outside, paint
inside, and spark up the kitchen
and bathroom. Don't forget the basement and garage!
These areas are often the places that collect the most junk and
dirt. With a little planning, cleaning out your basement or
garage can be a manageable task, if not an enjoyable one. Doing
it will pay off twice: first, when prospective buyers are
touring your house, and second, when it comes time to pack up
and move.
Move it and sort it
Begin by pulling everything out of the space you are cleaning.
Pick a day with good weather and bring all the stuff into the
yard or driveway. You may need the help of family members or
friends.
Sort everything into five categories: keepers, sellers,
donations, trash and unsure. Once you have sorted everything,
you will be able to tackle each category. To decide where things
go, consider these guidelines:
- if you have used it in the last month or two, or it has
great sentimental value, it's a keeper.
- if it's in good condition and you think you can get some
money for it, it's a seller.
- if it's in good condition and you think someone else can
use it, it's a donation.
- if it's broken, old or otherwise unusable, it's trash.
- if you can't fit it into the other four categories, it's
unsure.
Donations
Choose a charity that will benefit from the items you have to
offer. Call ahead and arrange for a pickup a few days after your
cleaning day. You may also want to give items to family members
or friends. Books can be donated to a local literacy project,
school or community center. You may also want to put a box out
at work for your colleagues to pick over.
Sellers
Decide the best way to sell the items in this box. Coordinate
with your neighbors to have a neighborhood tag
sale. For items of more worth, such as furniture or
collectibles, you may want to try an online auction or place an
ad in the local newspaper.
Trash
Bag up the items that can be put out with your regular garbage
pickup. You might also encounter items that are considered
hazardous waste, such as:
- paint
- paint thinner
- motor oil
- antifreeze
- brake or transmission fluid
- car batteries
- polyurethane or varnish
- gasoline
These items cannot go in your regular garbage, nor should they
be poured down a drain. Contact your local household hazardous
waste collection program to find out how to dispose of the
items.
Unsure
Try to keep as few items in this category as possible. Don't
hang on to items you really should throw out. Are you ever going
to tackle that unfinished repair project or craft that you
haven't touched in months?
When you have narrowed down the pile of things you are unsure
about, pack them in a box and label it carefully. Give yourself
a deadline by which to revisit them and decide once and for all
whether they stay or go.
Keepers
Sort your keepers into groups of like items, such as sports
equipment, tools, memorabilia or gardening supplies. Store items
that you use seasonally or seldom in clearly marked plastic
containers.
Clean the room out thoroughly,
removing dirt, cobwebs and stains. A trick for getting oil
stains out of garage floors is to cover them with sand or kitty
litter and let it sit overnight. The oil is absorbed by the sand
or litter, which can be easily swept up. You can use a
heavy-duty cleaner such as TSP to clean concrete floors in the
basement or garage. Use a workshop vacuum to clean up cobwebs
and dirt from walls, ceilings and any exposed beams or studs.
Make sure light fixtures work and the bulbs give enough light so
the space seems cheerful, not dim.
When everything is clean and ready, plan out a storage solution
that will work for you. Keep like items together and much-used
items -- such as a toolbox
-- readily accessible.
Create a storage space for every item in your keepers box, as
well as a few extra spaces for new items. Carefully label where
everything should go. Having a designated space for everything
will help you keep your garage or basement tidy and organized
while you are showing your house.
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