Simple Ways to Make Your Basement More Livable

Most people use their basements as a storage area for clutter that would otherwise build up in their home, but that can be a huge waste of space. Let’s talk about how to make a basement livable! Many people can reclaim a lot of room in their home by renting a storage unit in a self storage facility to hold all of their extra belongings. This will help you clean the excess stuff out of your basement but may not make the bottom of your house a pleasant place to hang out. Here are some easy fixes that will liven up your basement and make it more usable:

How to Make A Basement Livable

Seal the Walls

Basements often feel damp and chilly and sometimes contain an unpleasant smell. To solve these problems, you’ll need to prevent water from entering the basement. Even the slightest amount of water can develop into mold, mildew, and other issues, so it’s best to eliminate water completely before you carry out other renovation projects. The cinder blocks that make up most basement walls are slightly porous and prone to hairline cracks that can let water enter the space. This issue is easy to solve with specialized paints that will plug all the holes and make the entire space look more stylish. While that will prevent water from entering the basement, some of that damp feeling occurs because of humidity in the home. To correct this, ensure your basement has proper ventilation that allows moist air to escape.

Improve the Floor

The hard concrete floor in most basements makes the space uncomfortable, but you may not want to spend the money necessary to install nice carpeting. Instead, use old rugs to make the space more visually appealing and provide a cushion for your feet.

Brighten Things Up

Proper lighting can be a huge change that will make any basement more livable. Because a basement gets so little natural light, you will need a lot of lamps or light fixtures to keep the space bright and inviting. While they are cost-effective, avoid fluorescent bulbs, which put out a distinctive white light. Instead, use incandescent bulbs, which are known for the gentle yellow glow.

Put in Furniture

Adding furniture to a space makes it functional, and a furnished basement will become an appealing gathering place in your home. It’s easy to pull old furniture from your self-storage unit or elsewhere to add inexpensive seating to a basement. SecurCare Self Storage provides storage space that makes any home renovation project possible, so stop into one our locations today!