Some things I can suggest are making a vision board to show how you want the basement to look. If you don’t like to do vision boards, just write it out so you can refer back to it often. Make a schedule to work on your basement every week. And stick to the plan. No matter how you feel. Don’t be hard on yourself and spend too much time there, but 2-3 hours a week will make a huge difference. Get help if you can. Often a friend can help you with sorting and tossing. They have no attachment to your things and so they often help you see more possibilities for de-cluttering and re-arranging your furnishings. And, working with someone occasionally helps ease the tension and feeling of ‘overwhelm’ we all get.

It’s important to clear out the space and actually throw things away, sell them, give them away so you actually have more open space. Don’t keep stuff in a pile and say “I’m throwing this out as soon as I get the rest done”. The act of clearing out the space also works on clearing your thinking at the same time. Your mood will improve, your thoughts will be less scattered and you will be able to better focus on whatever you are doing.

Try these suggestions and keep me posted on your progress.