If you’re like many people who have noticed their homes are full to capacity, whether with possessions or people, it’s likely you’re not keen to move.

If only there was a way to get more out of your current property.

When in this position, it pays to find ways to better utilize the space you already have, rather than investing more time, money and energy into moving.

One key way to find more space, whether you need to use it as an area for a family member to sleep or as an office, extra living area or storage room, is to turn an unused basement into useful, prime property.

Even if you do have to take out a small loan to make this happen (check out these home equity loans in NJ for inspiration), it will generally cost a lot less than the fees involved in moving.

Plus, you’ll get to stay put and won’t have all the stress that goes along with selling your home and finding an affordable new one.

While your basement might currently be a pigsty that you hate to step into, with a little planning and thought, you can turn it into fantastic space. Read on for some tips you can follow today.

Devise a Plan of Attack for the Work

First up, to make the process a less-stressful one and to help you cut costs, too, it’s important to devise a plan of attack for your basement renovation or re-style project.

Right off the bat, work out how you picture the space in your mind when you’re done and how you hope it will feel to spend time there.

Based on your goals, this will help you work out what does and doesn’t need to go into the area and which tasks need to be completed in turn.

If you require contractors to help you get your basement looking good, it helps to plan out the order in which they will need to complete jobs.

This way, you’ll ensure everything is ready for each tradesperson, and you won’t waste time.

Declutter ASAP

The next step for most people is to declutter their basement. Usually, this area is used to store all those things you don’t use often or which you don’t want to part with yet.

While it’s not a particularly fun task going through all the accumulated “stuff,” it needs to be done if you want to end up with a useful room.

By decluttering, you will make more space for new furniture and other bits and pieces and get rid of things you simply don’t need any more, which can be a real stress reliever.

Plus, remember that tradespeople will require the junk to be removed to gain proper access to do their jobs.

Some items in your basement may need to be thrown away or recycled, but you’ll probably also be able to sell certain things in a garage sale or online, which will bring in some more cash for the remodeling work.

You may find numerous things to donate to those less fortunate, too.

Get Rid of Issues Affecting the Space

Once the mess has been cleared in your basement, evaluate the space to see if there are any particular issues that must be addressed to make it usable.

For instance, you may find a leak or faulty wiring that an electrician needs to correct straight away.

If you have mold in the space, which is quite common in basements, get this addressed before anything else is done so that you, your family and tradespeople aren’t at risk of getting sick.

It pays to put in some flooring or replace old flooring with something newer and nicer, so the space is warmer and cozier. Cork, hardwood, carpet and laminate are some options to consider.

Furthermore, have a good look to see if there are any pests in your basement. While mice and rats are quite common, you could also potentially have issues like termites, which can cause structural damage to your home.

If you see any signs of this, or if you haven’t had a pest inspector check out your home for years, get someone in to do a thorough inspection just in case.