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Step 1
Remove everything that you have been meaning to get rid of. This is the most logical starting point. Depending on how infrequently you've been visiting the donation center or putting off that garage sale you've been planning, you may be surprised by the amount of storage space you uncover once your castoffs are out of the way.
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Step 2
Consider your storage options. If your basement is already fitted with a hefty supply of shelving for storage purposes, you probably just need to get better about making good use of this space. If you are lacking in storage shelving, you should consider a visit to the local home improvement store to increase your storage possibilities. Shelving works great in a basement because it keeps things off of the floor should you experience any flooding and it also makes the best use of the space by going upward instead of outward.
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Step 3
Start organizing your stuff. Because the basement is a landing spot for things that aren't used on a regular basis, it makes sense to do some thinking about what you can stow away in hard to reach places first. If you only go camping once every 5 years, start by stuffing the tent and the camping stools into the deepest and hardest to reach place on the shelf. Reserve the easier to reach areas for things that you are likely to use on a more regular basis.
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Step 4
Avoid the calamity of knocking smaller items over as you reach for items on your storage shelving by using plastic storage containers. Organize smaller, awkward items into these containers so they don't become cumbersome.
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Step 5
Arrange the large, bulky, hard to store items in a corner of the basement that keeps them from becoming a stumbling block when you are in the basement. It won't be an attractive arrangement, but putting all these items in one corner makes the rest of the basement much easier to navigate.
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Step 6
Sweep the floor and vow to never again let the basement become your secret mess.
