Get Your Basement in Order - part one

Rule: Keep Things Accessible.
Tool: Easy-to-install, inexpensive shelving. Metal is better than wood, which can warp when it gets wet. Put boxes or loose items on shelves and you won't have to move a mountain of stuff to extricate one small thing. Store heavier items on lower shelves. (Chrome wire shelving, from $110, Rand MHE, www.randmh.com)




Rule: Contain and Climate-Proof.
Tool: For storage, use waterproof plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes, which won't hold up to the average cellar's mushroom-friendly climate. Besides, "cardboard boxes are just ugly," says Karen Curtis, owner of Staged 2 Sell, a Salt Lake City home-beautification company. Rubbermaid Roughneck boxes ($3 to $7 each, www.rubbermaid.com for store locations) come in several sizes and colors.

Rule: Label What You Can't See.
Tool: For a neat, uniform look, a label maker can't be beat. (Brother has models starting at $30, www.officemax.com) But if you're more interested in speed, blank adhesive labels and a Sharpie are just as effective. Label boxes on the sides, not the top, in case they get stacked. Make labels as specific as possible (CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS, CRAFT SUPPLIES); what, after all, does miscellaneous tell you?

Versatile Organization Accessories

Versatile Organization Accessories can be used in every room of your home.

Bread Box Top	Drawer Partition Kit	Utility Tray Insert
Foil Box Rack	4-bin Recycler	Tilt Out Sink Tray