30+ Best Basement Storage Ideas and Designs (Finished and Unfinished)

Last Updated on June 4, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford

The main idea behind a basement is for it to be a large storage area for things that might come in handy every now and then. Regardless, we should not allow for the basement to become this black hole where we can assume to find or not find things.

For this not to happen, you need to have some basement storage ideas to organize your basement more efficiently.

If you are looking for various ways to organize your basement, here is a collection of basement storage ideas to consider.

In this article

Basement storage shelves

One of the default pieces of basements would be the shelves. Having an organized shelf start with ergonomically designed shelves. They could range from the rustic framed style shelf, pantry-style shelf, and many more. If you are going for this, look at these basement storage shelves for reference.

1. Heavy frame shelving

For an unfinished basement that you want to stack up with homemade jams, dried herbs, and seasoning, you can go for the rustic vibe of heavy frame shelves. The frame could be made of either wood or steel and the holders could have a cork base like this one.

2. Clean pantry-style shelves

If you want your basement to feel like you are going on a trip to an office pantry or a grocery aisle, plywood or laminated wood shelving is the best for you. It can be used to store light items like used fabric or grocery items.

You can also incorporate drawers on the other side to accommodate more items. Recessed lights to accentuate the basement storage is also a fine touch.

3. Wood, rattan baskets, and boxes

To maximize the space of basement storage but with style, you can transform it into an ironing room. Make it neat and decluttered with wooden shelves and instead of the ordinary cubbies or wood shelves, try using rattan baskets and wicker boxes to make a tropical statement like this one.

4. Divider shelves

For a basement used as storage and extended space for workstations and home offices, you can build partition shelves. It is a double function in between walls since you can use the shelves for storage and as seamless dividers to demarcate spaces. Here is a simple idea that you can consider for this design.

Finished basement storage ideas

Finished basements streamline transition spaces often including home offices, study rooms, living rooms, bathrooms, entertainment room, and bedrooms.

With this, you would need serious organizing and decluttering skills for all of these to be seamlessly incorporated into your basement. Here are some finished basement ideas that you can consider.

5. Customized cabinet

It is important for accent furniture to match the aesthetics of a finished basement. If you want to veer away from steel cabinets or wooden shelves, you can go for customized cabinets for storage, complementing the design of your basement living space.

Take for instance this modern style basement living room with customized cabinets.

6. Built-in shelves and drawers

Having built-in shelves and drawers blending in your basement walls is not just one way of decluttering but also a beautiful touch to basement interior designing.

Let the cabinets below be the shelving of decluttered items and position the display items in the open shelves by the wall.

7. Double-sided storage

For a practical basement office, put on double-sided storage for all your stuff. You can have floating shelves and mounted desks. Add it with hanging cabinets for bigger items.

Double-sided storage makes everything cohesive and clean looking. It looks attractive for finished basements like this one.

8. Stair drawers

For a minimalistic and modern flair to your finished basement, you can incorporate a lot of built-in drawers in your stairs. Aside from your maximizing the space, this one really brings in a lot of aesthetic value to your finished basement. You can organize your stuff without the hassle and even without labels. This one is one thing to consider.

Unfinished basement storage ideas

The raw characteristic of unfinished basements makes it favorite storage for tools, heavy equipment, household chemicals, and generally, a workstation. As such, it is considered as the cheapest storage basements to declutter. Here are some ideas for you to keep your unfinished basements neat and organized.

9. Rows of racks with cubbies

Sometimes, properly labeled cubbies for specific items could do a lot especially for unfinished basements. As basic as they may seem, they do not overshine the rawness of exposed beams on the basement ceiling.

They make good additions for a basement storage slash workstation for woodworks and other stuff. Here is an example of a cubby rack in an unfinished basement.

10. Pegboard storage

An unfinished basement is the ultimate space for a workstation. And the perfect storage for it would be making vertical storage out of pegboards. You can use it for hanging tools and small items and at the same time maximize it as a partition to your basement workstation. It should look like this one.

11. Garage design

If you intend to just make your unfinished basement open storage, you can keep it neat by doing garage-style storage. With steel or wood racks, you can incorporate plastic bins, ball storage cloths, and cubbies in your unfinished basement. It is like industrial storage but in a garage-style manner. Here is something you can reference.

12. Conventional basement decluttering

Storage for unfinished basements might be the most low-cost basement storage to declutter. Sure, we have mentioned the convenience of pegboards. But if you have a larger unfinished basement, adding racks for specific item categories also helps in making a more decluttered basement without having to use more elaborate shelving and cabinetry.

Basement storage cabinet ideas

When it comes to storage, cabinets are default pieces that should be there. We all know of the traditional floor to ceiling storage cabinets, the hanging cabinets, and the wall cabinets. But when it comes to basement storage cabinetry, the choices are more endless than what you think. Here are some modern basement storage cabinets that you can go for.

13. Modern cabinetry

Basements can still be transformed into extended living space without compromising its function for storage. For this, you might want to consider cabinets mounted on the basement stairs to maximize the space and transform the basement into a storage slash study room like this one.

14. Wooden crates

For something trendy and stand out, you can make cabinets for the basement using wooden crates. You can have slatted ones on one portion to be used as a cabinet for the dry goods. On one side, you can close crates for perishables, groceries, and produce. Here is an idea that you can consider for wooden crate cabinets.

15. Basement cabinets for the laundry room

Another favorite transformation for basements would be turning it into a laundry room. To have a seamless design, you can opt for hanging cabinets and built-in ones. Wood cabinets can be an option if you have an installed dehumidifier around.

On top of these, you can also put a cloth bin storage on the side for garbage and residuals. Here is something that you can consider for this.

Best dehumidifier for basement

16. Angled cabinets

For an extended living space such as a basement living room, lounging area, or bar, you can try having angled cabinets. It can take the angle of the stair railing for some dynamics. The cabinets can also have top shelves to put in some display items like collectibles or wines.

Make sure that the cabinets also complement the color of the room well for them to be more standout pieces.

Basement storage closet ideas

A storage closet can mean many things especially if you are setting it up in your basement. It could literally be a storage closet where you keep your clothes, bags, and shoes or it could also be a small and compact, closet-like space where other items could be kept. Here are some basement storage closet ideas that you can imitate.

17. Sliding barn door

For a sleek closet type basement storage, you can install a sliding door to keep your stuff in. For it to be multifunctional, you can put a mirror, a corkboard, or a drawing board in front of the sliding door.

It is a great way to make it kid-friendly since there is a board to draw on and a study room where you can keep your files in. Here is something that you can reference for this idea.

18. Closet style pullout drawers

This is another ergonomic way to maximize the basement stairs. If you do not have enough space for a floor to ceiling closet style basement storage shelves, the layers of the stairs would suffice.

You can put the small items in the stairs’ base, and more items and spaces as it ascends like this one.

19. Secret closet storage

You can turn your old basement closet into a secret room by adding a wall shelf where you could put some display items. All the stuff that you want to declutter in the main basement room could be tucked in your secret storage closet beyond the wall shelf. This one is a convenient addition for larger basement rooms that you want to maximize.

20. Closet pantry

As have been mentioned, basement closet storages need not be for clothes or fabric alone. You can also make a closet pantry out of a very small space in your basement. You can furnish it with simple shelving, built-in cabinets below and bifold doors to top it all off. Look at this one for some reference.

Basement toy storage ideas

We all have a pile of used toys in the basement. Some are still intact to be kept while others are too damaged but hold sentimental value.

Either way, we would want a neat space where we could put our collectible items. For homeowners with toddlers and adults who are young at heart, here are some basement toy storage ideas for you.

21. Plastic boxes

No matter how much we want to give away toys now, it is made impossible by the pandemic. You can declutter and tuck them in the basement using transparent plastic boxes. If it is meant to be given away, put them on the uppermost shelf.

You would not even have to label them. But if they are meant to be used again in the future, put them in the bottom shelves for easy access.

22. Cloth boxes

If you want a more stylish arrangement for the toys, you can opt for color-coordinated cloth boxes with labels. You do not need to put all the toys in them, though. Some of the larger toys can be kept in their boxes and just be displayed on one side of the shelves.

Cloth boxes are handy because they can be washed every now and then so that your collectibles would not be compromised no matter how long you keep them there.

23. Playroom and toy storage basement

Instead of just putting up toy storage in your basement, why not transform the entire space into a playroom and a display storage room for your prized toy collections. In doing so, you are creating a safe space where you could oversee the kids and a quiet corner for you to stay.

24. Box cabinets

For a fresh take on basement toy storage, you can set up a large box cabinet with smaller box cabinets inside.

Instead of putting in additional bin storage in each box, you can use them as display cabinets. Paint it with kiddie colors for an accent like this one.

RV basement storage ideas

Trailer homes can be modeled with the same amenities and living spaces that can be found in traditional homes. As such, you can also incorporate basement storage in your RV. This becomes a handy feature when you are on your road trips and campouts.

If you are considering having one, here are examples of RV basement storage that you can consider.

25. Cargo storage

From small tools to heavier equipment, you can always depend on the conventional storage of RVs and buses.

Tuck everything in the basement compartment and just add pegboards for vertical storage of fish lines and other camping equipment. Here is a visual for some reference.

26. Pull-out basement closet

A pull-out basement closet can be dual purpose as it could be used for storing your clothes and at the same time for drying them under the sun after washing. You can stack storage bins for the smaller items and screw in a steel rod for your hangers. Just slide it out when you need some fresh clothes to wear,

27. Under the bed storage

You can do this for some additional storage especially if the compartment is already stacked up. You can customize your trailer bed to infuse an under the bed storage for your clothes and other small and portable items. You can have as many shelves as you want under your bed for more convenience instead of going out to slide out your storage bin every now and then.

28. Sliding dirty kitchen set

For campouts and if you do not appreciate the smoke and food smell smothering you inside your RV, you can customize an additional compartment for a basement sliding dirty kitchen set. You can microwave leftovers and hang your kitchen utensils in the other partitions. Here is something you can consider.

IKEA Basement storage ideas

IKEA is still one of the most reputable furniture manufacturers producing traditional and modern designs that can easily be incorporated across various home aesthetics. It does not fall short in storage ideas for your basement too and here are some of them.

29. Streamline basement closet

Using the trendy IKEA Rast dresser, you can make a compact streamline basement closet by adding two small shelves on each side. You can turn it into an all-encompassing closet featuring hanger rods, shoe drawers on one side, hanged bags on the top shelf, and a whole shelf for blankets and pillows.

30. IKEA toy storage unit

In case you do not know, you can also buy a full toy storage unit which you can mount in-wall from IKEA. It features three panels of shelves for toy displays. Each panel has a single drawer for more storage spaces. One of the panels also have a drawing board accent making it a very child-friendly basement storage.

31. IKEA cubbies

Aside from the other very functional IKEA prefab cabinets, adding stylish, modern cubbies in your basement home office for additional storage is also a good idea. You can organize your documents, streamline important files, and categorize your papers in terms of immediacy with these IKEA cubbies.

32. Floor to ceiling IKEA cabinet

For Victorian or vintage style basements, you can go for this all-in floor to ceiling IKEA cabinet. It is packed with storage spaces from cabinets to shelves and even a glass top shelf for your wines and other collectibles. Here is a full view of this all-in-one IKEA cabinet.

FAQs

Now that you have a visual head start of what you can do with your basement storage, you must also be equipped with some vital knowledge to start your basement organizing project. Here are some FAQs about basement storage that should be on your radar.

What should not be stored in a basement?

Unless you really have some durable materials for your basement setup especially in terms of shelving and cabinetry, here are the items that you should not probably store in your basement:

Important files and documents
Delicate fabric
Easy to perish foods
Candles or anything flammable
Vitamins or medicine
Electronics

What is the fastest way to declutter a basement?

There are many ways to declutter, but a comprehensive decluttering plan usually takes weeks to complete. If you are wondering how to fast-track your decluttering, here are some tips to follow:

Break the basement space into portions and set a 20-minute decluttering goal for each portion.
Rank the basement portions into from the most to the least immediate space which needs decluttering.
Designate a sorting area.
Think vertically and label everything.
Position the most used items in the most accessible locations and tuck in the least used items in boxes or in the back of the shelves.
Scrap all your ‘just in case’ items immediately.

Is it better to store clothes in the attic or basement?

The basement and the attic both have their up and downsides but in terms of storing clothes, the attic proves to be a better storage room than basements. While it could be damp during the cold season, the attic remains humid year-round.

The basement on the other hand can be prone to flooding and it is moist without a dehumidifier. As such, there is a greater risk for damage if clothes are stored in the basement.

How do I organize my basement storage?

To gain more useful insights on how to organize your basement storage, here are some tips that you can follow:

Throw any item that can no longer be salvaged, or you can borrow from friends.
Sort the items that are prone to damage in moist, molds, and mildew.
Label storage boxes and shelf layers.
Designate portions for season-specific items.
Only use durable cabinets and shelving as well as airtight boxes.
Tools are better left hanged in pegboards.
Make an inventory of what you have stored.

How do you organize an unfinished basement?

Truth be told, there is no difference between organizing an unfinished basement to that of finished one. Since the goal is to declutter, you can refer to the previous section on how to organize basement storage for this.

How to protect boxes in a basement storage

You might not believe it but there are just three things to do to protect your boxes in basement storage. First, refrain from using cardboard boxes. The more practical storage boxes to use should be airtight ones or those that can withstand changing temperatures. This way, you do not even need to ‘protect’ them.

Second, make sure that the boxes are located somewhere elevated. This is the reason why shelves and cabinets are default pieces in basement storage. Third, make sure that the basement is properly insulated to avoid flooded boxes.

How to build a cold storage room in the basement

This process might require the expertise of a trusted contractor. Nonetheless, the easiest way to build a cold storage room in a basement is by thickening the walls of one portion of the basement space and at the same time insulating another portion. Through this, the walled portion keeps the cool air inside while the insulated portion transfers some of the cool air in the other rooms.

Conclusion

To conclude, basement storage is one way to make the basement an ergonomic and multifunctional storage area and at the same time extended living space for the family. Through installing various types of storage ideas, the basement lives up to its primary function of keeping important items durable and usable through time.