How to Declutter Your Basement in Time for Garage Sale Season

In even the most organized homes, the basement can become a major clutter magnet—where everything from holiday supplies to that box you probably haven’t opened since you moved into your place will sit in a dark corner for years without seeing the light of day. (Even—ahem—if you’ve lived there for more than a decade.)

But now is the perfect time to tackle the Mount Everest of clutter in your own basement. Take a rainy or snowy day (or two) to plow through what you have—and perhaps set aside some items to sell in a garage sale. Getting rid of clutter plus making some cash definitely equals a huge win!

Figure Out Your Basement Declutter Goal

Set an intention for why you’re taking on this project now, suggests Katrina Teeple, founder of Operation Organization. Maybe you’re packed to the gills and seeking more space, or you’re looking to turn your basement into a home gym or media room, or maybe you’re hoping to sell off some old stuff to make some extra cash.

Your goal may impact how you think about what you keep and what you give away.

Set Aside Time for Decluttering

You might need to put in more than a day or two to fully declutter your basement—especially if it hasn’t been touched for years. If that’s the case, divide your basement space into zones, and plan to work section by section to get it done, says Katrina Teeple, founder of Operation Organization.

Decide What to Keep, Sell, and Toss

Generally, having bins or bags labeled keep, toss, and sell/donate makes it easier to sort every item as you touch it. But deciding what stays and goes can be a bit tricky—so try these pro tips.

What to keep

As you’re choosing items for your keep pile, Teeple suggests asking these questions:

• Do you use it? Sure, your out-of-season holiday decorations or special occasion dishes may not be used on the daily, but these items should be used on a semi-regular basis. “A good rule of thumb: If you haven’t used it in the past two years, you probably don’t need it,” Teeple says.
• Does it bring you joy? Sentimental items can be hard to get rid of, but you should only keep the ones that truly bring you joy—not things you’re holding on to out of guilt. You can probably cut back on sentimental items that have been stuck in storage for years, unless you have a clear plan on how to use it.
• Do you need it for your current lifestyle? You may be stashing gear for a hobby or sport that you tried but don’t really love, or perhaps an out-of-date gaming console that’s been replaced. Those items should be placed in the sell or trash bins.

What to sell and toss

You probably can already figure out that a broken baby gate or ripped dress will probably not bring folks to your garage sale. (Though some items that may not be sale-worthy—such as a lightly used kids’ backpack—could still be listed on your local Buy Nothing group.)

When you’re looking for items to sell, some of the best things to put out for your garage sale include: baby and kids’ gear, children’s books, workout equipment, furniture, tools, vintage decor, name-brand clothing, collectibles, and electronics.

Consider using this quick method to determine if it’s something worthy of your garage sale: “Ask questions like, ‘would anyone want to buy this in a thrift store?'” says Cian Ballentine, founder of Cannonball Cleaners. “And ‘Is this in good enough condition that you’d consider it at a thrift store?’ And if the answer is no, it’s OK to let stuff go.”

Move things you’re giving away into the “sell” column if they’re in new or gently used shape, or are expensive or from a popular brand, Teeple suggests.

Easy things to trash include anything that can’t be repaired, is expired or outdated, has missing parts or is worn out. Keep in mind that if you have outdated tech, you should consult your town to see about recycling, as electronics shouldn’t be sent to landfills.

Store Your Basement Stuff Properly

Once you know what’s going to stay in your basement, work out a good organizational system for it all—including any garage sale items that need to be stored until the weather gets warmer. Here’s what you should consider as you set up your “keep” items.

Set up your storage to prevent damage

“Aim to keep as much off the ground in the basement, to keep away from pests and avoid any damage from flooding,” says Jamie Hord, founder of professional organizing company Horderly. Use shelves and weathertight bins with labels to organize. (Some organizers prefer clear bins so you can see what’s in them, while others suggest using opaque but well-labeled bins to create a more serene space.)

Create basement zones

You want to store like items together, so your extra cleaning supplies should be in one spot, your holiday decorations in another, Hord says. You’ll also want to use those out-of-the-way spots to stash things you only use a few times a year, while the more frequently used items hang out in prime real estate.

Make a maintenance plan

After you’ve done a major declutter, set a plan to go back through those items every six months to a year to make sure you’re only keeping what you definitely need to store. “That way, things don’t pile up again,” Teeple says. “Basements and garages do not get cluttered overnight, so if you stay on top of what you allow in your home, you can avoid having to do this again and again.”

Get Your Give-Away Stuff Garage Sale-Ready

For high-value belongings like brand-name clothes or vintage home decor, you may do better selling items individually on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or online clothing resellers. But whether you’re planning a big garage sale or selling items online, here are a few things you can do now to get them ready.

Give your garage sale items a good clean

“Wipe down furniture, wash clothing, and test electronics before storing,” Teeple says. “The idea is to get all the prep work done, so garage sale set-up day is easier.”

Price your items as you go

“Have a roll of blue painter’s tape and a marker on hand, so you can label as you go,” Teeple says. “Pricing and labeling items now is saving time later.”

Store like with like

Put all the books in one box, all the kitchen items in another, so it’s already organized for your garage sale—and use plastic bins if possible, to help reduce the possibility of damage to your garage sale items.