Organizing a “Texas Basement”

It’s quite funny but in southeast Texas we have no underground basements. The same applies to southeast Louisiana.  Due to the water table in Houston, our “Texas basement” is storage above the garage.  (In other parts of the country this is called the attic!) It can be accessed by a pull down ladder or through a door.  No matter where your basement is located, Texas or not, some of the same organizing strategies apply!  Organizing a Texas basement is the same as other basements.

Partner up, partner.

It’s always best to work in a partnership with a big space. Your Texas basement can be overwhelming otherwise.  Choose a partner that helps you make good decisions about your stuff.  Your partner could be the owner of some of the stuff or just help you reflect on whether it can be donated.   Have a conversation ahead of time about priorities and what help you need to make decisions.  It’s also great to have another set of hands to help move your boxes and bins together.  It helps offset accidental injury.  Set a date on the calendar that can’t be changed, no matter what.  Get your partner and get going partner!

Use vertical space wisely.

There’s always lots of wall space in our Texas basements.  Use this vertical space well by adding storage with shelves.

5 tier shelving

Using these inexpensive, 4 or 5 shelf units in your basement or attic gives you loads of additional storage. You can stack bins on them, store luggage on them, or even place large holiday decorations on them. Line up 3 or 4 shelving units for maximum storage.  Since these are light weight and portable these are a great asset for your space.

Use plastic bins  to contain your goods.

Here in Texas we have a lot of big insects! We like to protect our goods by keeping them stored in plastic bins, rather than cardboard boxes. Cardboard attracts  bugs and we want to be sure our items are secured away from bug stuff.

These 66 quart bins with a latch make it easy to carry your stuff up those stairs to your Texas basement.  It’s not too big or heavy.   It’s best to label two sides and the top of your bin to know what you are storing.

Choose wisely what you store

Because we have limited storage, we need to make good decisions about what to store. In Texas the heat is definitely a factor in what to store in our Texas basements.  With temperatures in the 90s during the summer, you want to store only items that can withstand that heat.

Typical storage includes:

• Holiday decorations make of wood, metal, or fabric
• Archived tax preparation papers

Typical storage should not include:

• Photos
• Technology

Our Texas basements make it especially hard to store furniture. But that can be a blessing in disguise. Your furniture can be donated to a local furniture bank or homeless shelter where families are setting up their new homes.  It helps us make good decisions on what to keep and helps us bless others with our donations.

Whether it’s your basement or attic, be sure to check regularly for “unwanted guests”.  Pests can get into your space and ruin what you are storing.

Remember that this storage, like all other spaces in your home, needs a regular review of what’s being stored here. Date your boxes and bins so that you can check in a year or two whether you need the items.  Treat your storage space like all other valuable space in your home.

What do you store in your attic or basement?