Basement Storage is my Nemisis

Making progress on this list!

Don't get me wrong, I am soooooo thankful we have some storage space in our basement...it means I can collect random things for future DIY projects and it also means I can collect free Christmas trees on a whim, knowing I'll have room for them in the basement...somewhere...but I like pretty things. And basements are anything but pretty. At least ours was...

Until today (insert evil laugh here) MUAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

For those of you who haven't had the privilege of having Josh tour you around our basement when our renter isn't home...you're in for a special treat. I typically avoid the basement since our renter is down there during the day...making it tough for me to get down there and organize when the 'mood' strikes. In fact, neither of us enjoy going to the basement because it usually involves hauling a million Christmas totes, aaaand let's just say I haven't kept this space impeccably organized. Making 'putting things away' miserable.

This space functions as storage for many different things for our life. Everything from empty gift boxes to Josh and Mollie high school keepsakes; from an absurd number of Christmas trees to wedding/honeymoon memorabilia...this area of our house has to pack a LOT of rando-crap into a small space. In the winter months, Josh even uses this space to house some temperature-sensitive chemicals and equipment...and while I  realize it's completely necessary, it just adds to the organizing headache.

You're about to enter the Belly of the Beast. Behold...the Embarrassing Boersma Basement...

Seriously...does ANYONE know how to efficiently store a power washer and back-pack sprayers.
My organizing talents are limited when it comes to Josh's special toys. So there they sit. 

Let's play a game...how many Christmas trees can you spot?
The answer to come at the end of this post...and it might surprise you.

As you can see, walking in this space had become a challenge. Sooooo inappropriate for someone who claims to love organizing as a hobby. Probably why I had been avoiding this project for so long. BUT NO MORE!

Last week, I made a bunch of labels. I kept the font BIG and BOLD and took inventory of all the totes that needed labeling and their contents. I borrowed my boss's incredible laminator, and went to town because I wanted to make sure the labels would last. I added Vel-Cro to the back because sometimes when I'm undecorating and re-decorating, totes change seasons. The pink tote used to have 'summer' contents, and now Halloween stuff lives inside...I wanted to be able to change the labels as necessary.

I avoid using black Sharpie marker to label plastic totes and tupperware and cassarole dishes because that's how my dear Grandmother's used to label things. And it's bothered me since I was six.

These were my top priorities tonight while I was reorganizing:

1. Unused stuff should go to the bottom or the back.
***Then promptly re-evaluate why it's even in the basement wasting space if it's going unused***

2. Breakable stuff (like Christmas dishes) should stay close to the ground...if something goes terribly wrong, they have less distance to fall and break. These totes also got a 'FRAGILE' label.
***Note dear friends: If you carelessly handle these dishes during the Christmas season, resulting in something breaking...you have a death wish***

3. Keep totes with the same seasons together. 

***This seems obvious, but it was mayhem down there, people***

Here's the finished product:

 Here we have the Christmas section of our basement. I'm quite self-conscious admitting that all of that (plus the not-pictured totes on the top shelf) is Christmas...but it be what it be. I have a few wreaths out of totes (notice all the plastic sacks, ewwww), but I only buy wreath boxes when they're on sale for 50% off at Target after Christmas...so far I have four...and I need eight. I have a problem. And I'm admitting it which is the first step...I'm not fixing it though...

Spring/Summer decor and fall/Halloween decor totes. So straight. So labeled. SO PRETTY.

Anyone have a good solution for storing dried, real hydrangeas in the winter months? Covering them with plastic sacks is the best I've been able to come up with. Ideas appreciated!

I think we've done an excellent job of 'saying goodbye' to most of our childhood/high school crap...but this section is full of things neither of us can part with. Books, toys, picture albums, American Girl dolls...you know. The really special stuff. Along with some of my favorite princess-y things I've been saving for our future daughter. Yes, I've been saving that princess suitcase and princess tin for the past eight years.

Totes are expensive, but SUCH a perfect way to store things in a neat, safe, way. I don't have to worry about any of my decorations or precious scrapbooks getting ruined during a sump pump or washer malfunction, or second guess setting totes on the floor or in the corners of the basement...because everything is in plastic and is perfectly safe!

Someone was a genius and built excellent shelving in the sump-pump closet. And I can't bear to let is go to waste. So luggage, Josh's old running gear, some post-Christmas sale stuff, and gift boxes live in here.

Some organization motivation for your Monday. Happy tote-shopping. :)

MmB

And there were three visible Christmas trees in that picture...go ahead...scroll back up and tell me I'm wrong...I'm not.