Unfinished basements usually have excessive moisture, concrete floors and ceiling pipes which make them an uncomfortable environment. However, you can make that cold and uncomfortable basement more comfortable with simple renovations that cost less than a full basement remodel.

Here are six ways to renovate your unfinished basement:

Stop the moisture

This is the most common problem in most basements. You should remedy the problem before you start anything else because this moisture could initiate the growth of molds, mildews and odours which could be a health hazard. You can reduce the humidity in your basement by using a dehumidifier. All you need to do is buy the equipment and let it dry the room for some time to remove all the moisture.

However, if you have more serious moisture problems e.g. leaks or puddles, you need to install a waterproofing strategy in your basement which could cost between $200 and $500 if your basement does not require any further changes. If the basement needs to be repaired, you could end up spending $2,000 or more to remedy the moisture problem.

Add some area rugs

After you have made your basement waterproof, you need some rugs to keep the concrete floor warm and dry. If you have unused rugs in your living room, you can use them in your basement. Alternatively, you can spend some money to buy a few rugs if you don’t have extras in your living room.

Get some pillows

Depending on the type of rugs you’ve bought, you can get a bunch of throw pillows to make your basement look great. You can even get a second string sofa and cover it with cushions to make it cozier. In fact, since you’ve got a lot of space on your basement, you can get a bigger sofa to get cozy.

Add tasteful lighting

There is a broad range of lamps, string lights or even floor lamps which you can install in your basement to make it awesome. You don’t need to have just naked bulbs hanging from the ceiling to light up the place. If you do a little research, there are many options of tasteful lighting you can have in your basement e.g. an IKEA lamp which costs about $20.

Hide unsightly spots

You can use a room divider to separate different areas of your basement. This makes it easy to hide incomplete sections of your basement. Alternatively, you can use bookshelves, wine crates or even window frames as a cheap and widely available alternative to divide the room. You need to make the basement beautiful; hence, you have to hide all the ugly portions of your basement.

Paint the ceiling

You can use a dark colour to paint your ceiling to avoid seeing the joints, pipes and air ducts which may be on your ceiling. In fact, painting is less expensive than covering your basement ceiling with drywall, which could cost around $4,000 or more.

However, it is highly recommended you hire a professional to do the painting. This is because it is very labour intensive, as most of the painting is done by hands. Also, you need to consider electrical lines or heating pipes while painting and if you are not experienced or skilled, it is advisable to hire a professional.