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Reclaim your space by purging the clutter from the basement
Have you ever imagined how you could utilize all that space in your basement – if you had the space? Depending on its size, you could convert your basement into a beautiful home theatre, an extra bedroom, a playroom, or even a gym. Perhaps you wish you could simply use your basement as a functional storage space for things you want to keep rather than a hiding spot for all the clutter.
Well, as laborious as the task may seem, none of those ideas will become a reality until you purge your basement of clutter. However, how would you approach cleaning up such a mess? What will you do with all the resulting waste?
Fortunately, by taking a step-by-step approach, a basement cleanout in Louisville doesn’t need to be a nightmare. Additionally, cleaning out the clutter can be the most straightforward task if you choose to rent a dumpster or hire a removal company.
Get hold of a dumpster for between a few days and a week, and you can gradually fill it with junk as you work your way through the basement. Call a team of professional removalists like Junk King Louisville and you won’t need to do any heavy lifting. Moreover – though it may sound counterintuitive – junk removal services can work out more affordable than dumpster rentals.
So, what are the steps to a complete basement cleanout in Louisville? Will you be better off renting a dumpster or calling in the heavies?
In this guide, we offer some top tips on basement cleanouts to making decluttering a little less stressful. We also briefly weigh up the pros and cons of junk removal services and dumpster rentals so that you can be prepared to eliminate your waste items as quickly as possible.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Basement Decluttering
Whether you’re leaving your accommodation behind after graduating from a nearby college like the University of Kentucky (UK) or the University of Louisville Cardinals, preparing to sell your property, or just trying to reclaim your space, this simple guide to basement cleanouts in Louisville will prove helpful.
Step One: Tag the items you want to keep
Before you start removing the clutter, you ought to take inventory of your basement. We recommend approaching this step slowly as it’s crucial to the success of your cleanout. Don’t be afraid to take breaks if things become stressful. You may come across some sentimental items that flood your mind with fond memories.
Use colored post-it notes or stickers to assign your belongings into four categories: keep, sell, donate, and trash. This process will make organizing your basement less complicated once you’ve eliminated the clutter.
Be strict when categorizing your stuff; it’s all too easy to keep hold of things that you no longer need. Ask these questions to determine whether something is worth saving:
- When did I last use this?
- What are the reasons for keeping this?
- Did finding this come as a surprise?
- Do I own a newer version of this?
- Do I have enough space to store this?
- Could somebody else use this?
Keep count of the items you tag so that you can estimate how much junk you’ll have. This information will make deciding whether to hire a dumpster or professionals more straightforward.
Step Two: Remove the Trash
Removing the clutter from the basement seems simple as you get started. However, remember you’ll need to temporarily store it all somewhere else if you’re waiting for junk removalists to retrieve it. If you have a dumpster, you can fill it as you go, though you should try to use it efficiently.
Once you’ve removed all the items you’ve already labeled as ‘trash’, you might want to think about going through everything else again. Consider getting rid of anything you weren’t sure about keeping. The more you throw out, the more room you’ll end up having.
Step Three: Arrange the Basement into Sections
After removing all the junk, you should be left with quite a bit of space to start reorganizing your basement with the items you want to keep. We recommend cordoning your basement into sections for your three remaining categories (donate, sell, and keep). That way, you can arrange your possessions one step at a time. These tips may help:
1. Start small: Use painter’s tape to divide your basement into 5- by 5-foot sections. Each section is about the same size as a standard walk-in closet.
2. Give yourself breaks: Admittedly, this step can be a little exhausting, physically and mentally. When things get overwhelming, give yourself time to recharge.
3. Ask for assistance: Always be careful when moving heavy, bulky, or awkwardly shaped items, such as exercise machines. If possible, ask a friend or family member for help, which they should be able to do given you’ve already tagged all your possessions.
Step Four: Donate or Store Your Items
Now, you’ve decluttered your basement and arranged the remaining items into clear sections, but you still need to get rid of items categorized as ‘sell’ or ‘donate’. You might need to store the possessions you intend to keep temporarily if you’re revamping the space. If so, now’s the time to take them to a storage unit. Also, take all your ‘donate’ items to your nearest collection point.
Step Five: Time to Sell
At this point, you should have just two categories of items remaining: keep and sell. So, it’s time to start selling. You need to set a timeline to sell your items and think of other ways to get rid of them if you can’t meet your deadlines. Otherwise, they’ll probably end up remaining as basement clutter.
What are the fastest ways to sell items? Here are a few ideas:
- – eBay
- – Craigslist
- – Facebook Marketplace
- – Letgo
- – Local consignment stores
- – Yard sale
After you’ve passed your deadline to sell, consider donating or trashing the remaining items.
Getting Rid of the Clutter: Junk Removal or Dumpster Rental?
Whether you should hire a dumpster or junk removal specialist depends on the amount of clutter you have and your timeframes.
If you have nowhere to store the items you want to trash as you declutter the basement, you might want to rent a dumpster that you can fill at your leisure. If, on the other hand, you have lots of bulky and fragile items, whether they’re old paintings or an exercise machine, calling junk removal professionals might be more beneficial.
Even though junk removal services include labor, they can still work out cheaper than dumpster rentals, but it depends on how much stuff you have and what the items are. The simplest way to determine which options best suit your needs is to get in touch with a company that offers both services.
How Junk King Can Help with Your Basement Cleanout in Louisville
At Junk King, we’re the top-rated dumpster rental and junk removal service in the US, serving all areas of Louisville, whether you live near the University of Louisville Cardinals or the University of Kentucky (UK).
We salvage up to 60% of all the items we collect. We also guarantee to beat any quote from a service provider that’s also insured, licensed, and operates a recycling facility.
So, if you want to make your basement cleanout in Louisville as stress-free as possible, call the professionals at Junk King to see how we can help.
