redesigning basement and looking for storage/hidden area ideas

[tedennis]

I am currently gutting the basement to completely seal/paint and make livable. naturally my wife is ok with storage room but also wants to make it useable for parties/sleepovers etc. i am looking for ways to add in drop down bunks/murphy bed like beds out of wall. also ways to store my extra goods. food/water, weapons and gear. the basement is about 21x30 ft. so i have some room to work with. also have a prawl space under other half of house and hoping to incorporate it some how but it is not insulated like the basement. any ideas or pics would be awesome. i am hoping to keep pics of progress and then upload all into a thread when done

thanks

[Jerry D Young]

The easiest, I think, would be to build a 10' x 12' or so storeroom, with a 2' or 3' hidden space behind it. That would allow the rest of the basement to be open for the other uses. Now would be the time to consider making the room a fallout/disaster shelter.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

[610Alpha]

I think on JWR's site there was a couple of posts about modifying crawl spaces too. In case you don't know the site it is SurvivalBlog.com

Here is one of them: http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/10/...structi_3.html

[Davar]

tedennis,
You had said your crawl space isn't insulated, I assume then that your floor (above the crawl space) is. You can line the inside of the crawl space walls with 2" blue foam, or the more expensive aluminum covered foam insulation. This would have many benifits. If your floor isn't insulated above the crawl space already, you will retain much heat in that area of your home.

If you decide on a hidden area, making it the entire length or width of the basement wall will help it remain concealed. Then add your storage closet up against it. From there you can make an entrance to the hidden area. If you put T&G wood on the wall you can make a small hidden door as there are vertical lines to help conceal it. Just a few ideas :)

[tarheelsman71]

Here is a excerpt from a letter I wrote to SB.

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/10/three_letters_re_keeping_secre.html

My wife puts up with my tin foil expenditures, and would help if I asked but it is reluctant help at best. My basement is a full basement and wide open and unfinished, on purpose. While we do tons of Martial Arts and I store foodstuffs downstairs, I don’t really want it to be a hang out place. I wish I could fashion a “cave” in the fashion that Andrea did, the layout of the land just wouldn’t allow it. I did however use some carpentry 101, and created a false room in the basement where I keep all of my tactical gear (4 LVB’s, Shotgun Bandoleer’s etc), ammo, etc. Basically there is always space under the steps and since I have 10 ft ceilings in the basement that can add up. Basically I enclosed the walls of the steps with drywall, and cut out a non-load bearing stud and dropped in a doorway. Under the highest part of the steps I built shelves on the inside to hold ammo cans. On the outside of the doorway I built a closet space to hang all of my hunting camouflage coveralls, cold weather gear etc. On the inside of the closet it looks like an unfinished wall with plywood on the wall but there is a hidden pull string that opens a section of the plywood allowing access. Inside I have a string of Christmas LED lights to see. This cleared up a lot of space in the basement shelves for more food and provides more OPSEC for those things that people shouldn’t “run” across.

[eeyore]

You might consider putting in a sewer ejector pump (and sump pit ), you could add a bathroom pretty easy, if you think that is important.

I will (or at least planning to) incorporate one of these in you next work shop or garage.

http://peaceofpreparedness.com/Resource%...otator.pdf

I now the are #10 cans, but could be adjusted to for most cans