We recently shared how we waterproofed the entire basement with Drylok (days of heavy rain have proved that the seal works—there’s not a trace of moisture down there) and painted the floor a rich chocolate brown.
Now for the fun part: planning the floor layout and choosing the right storage. We still have a few small tasks to finish—tidying the hatch to the crawl space, rewrapping the water heater, building a divider to hide the water heater from the door, and getting a dehumidifier to keep humidity reduced—but those are next on the list.
For floor planning we returned to basics with graph paper to make a to-scale drawing of the space. That simple step made it much easier to decide what would actually work. John even demonstrated the graph-paper method in a short video that shows how we measured and sketched the room (the video demonstrates our hands-on approach to space planning and the logic behind our decisions).
If you want the quick version: we measured the room carefully—marking the distance from the left wall to the water heater, window locations, and other fixed features—then chose a scale on graph paper (one square = 6 inches). Using that scale, we drew the room to size and cut out small paper rectangles representing Ikea storage pieces (their dimensions are easy to find online). The result was a pile of paper “furniture” we could move around until a practical layout emerged.
We labeled each piece with its Swedish name and price so we could compare cost versus function. To narrow choices quickly, we listed the items we planned to store (seasonal decorations, bikes, sports gear, spare cords, hoses, old yearbooks, etc.) and sorted storage options by usefulness. Items that looked most helpful went on the left; ones that were optional or less efficient went on the right.
This exercise made choices obvious. The Aneboda wardrobe offered the same concealed storage as the Pax at a much lower price, so we chose Aneboda. The Expedit Workstation stood out because for $120 it gives both a desk and an eight-compartment shelf that can be accessorized with baskets—more useful than the larger, more expensive Expedit shelf without a workspace. Billy bookcases, when drawn to scale, showed limited depth and therefore low utility for our needs.
Once we narrowed the best contenders, we moved them around on the floor plan to determine the best arrangement. The winning layout balances surfaces for sorting boxes with plenty of open and concealed storage, all without exceeding the budget. Since we already own the Torsby table, we only need to buy three large Ikea pieces to complete the plan. The Expedit Workstation’s peninsula also creates a pleasant visual separation while still allowing a 30″ passageway near the divider we’ll build to hide the water heater.
We tested several alternate layouts first. Some were more expensive yet provided less functionality—one layout lacked the desk surface the Expedit Workstation provides and felt bare and utilitarian. Another layout put wardrobes where we wanted to display a small focal installation behind the bikes, so we rejected it to preserve that design opportunity. Other arrangements felt cramped or cost significantly more without improving storage or flow.
After about thirty minutes of moving paper shapes, we settled on the configuration that offered the best combination of price, function, and circulation. Here’s the final plan again for easy reference:
Our shopping list is straightforward:
- Expedit shelf (part of the Expedit Workstation) – $120
- Torsby table (already owned)
- Woven baskets – about $17 each
- Two Aneboda wardrobes – approximately $100 each
- White storage boxes – about $12 for two
- Green storage boxes – about $12 for two
- Expedit desk (included in the Expedit Workstation above)
Estimated total: roughly $361. That’s a good value for filling a large 19′ x 13′ room with useful storage, especially compared to buying a single armoire. The floor plan might shift once everything is assembled, but the graph-paper exercise gave us the confidence of a well-researched plan—far better than walking into a big store without a map. We’ll add art, lighting, and accessories later to complete the look, but this sets a solid foundation for transforming a once useless, cluttered room into an efficient, polished storage area.
Next up: buying and assembling Ikea furniture—fingers crossed we survive all the allen-wrenching. Do you have favorite Ikea pieces that work well in your home? We’d love to hear what you use.