1. Preparation
- Choose a day when you have help. Basement lighting is often weak; a head torch helps.
- Have work gloves, sturdy shoes and, if it is dusty, an FFP2 mask ready.
- Bring sacks, a few empty boxes and a thick marker for labelling.
- Do not block the basement corridor. It is often the only escape route, and the house rules usually require it to be kept clear. Sort in the storage room, in front of the building or in the flat instead.
- In a shared basement, briefly let the property manager or neighbours know.
2. Sorting: four piles
Work shelf by shelf and decide on each item only once. Four piles are enough: keep, give away or sell, recycling centre and hazardous waste. A simple rule of thumb: anything that has sat unopened in a box for years you probably do not need. But take care with boxes of papers; they sometimes contain photos, certificates or insurance documents. Go through them before they go.
3. What goes where?
| What | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture, mattresses, wood, metal, bikes | BSR recycling centre | Bulky waste, wood, metal and hard plastic combined up to 3 m³ per vehicle |
| Electrical appliances, lamps, cables | Recycling centre or retailer take-back | Take out batteries and rechargeables first if possible |
| Paints, varnishes, solvents, used oil | BSR hazardous waste collection points | Not at every recycling centre; free of charge up to 20 kg per waste type per day |
| Gas bottles | Not to the recycling centre | The BSR does not accept pressurised gas containers there; ask the retailer about returning them |
| Rubble, insulation, old panels | Not to the recycling centre | Mixed construction waste is not accepted there. If asbestos is suspected: only a specialist firm qualified under TRGS 519 |
If we are clearing and there is hazardous waste, let us know beforehand and we will work out the right way.
4. Damp and mould
Many basements are damp. If it smells musty, boxes are warped or you see stains on walls and objects, be careful. The German Environment Agency advises working with as little dust as possible and cleaning or removing affected materials. Smaller, purely superficial areas, roughly under 0.5 m², you can deal with yourself; anyone with allergies or respiratory conditions should leave it to others. Larger infestations need professionals.
- Do not shake out mouldy boxes, upholstery and textiles; put them straight into sacks.
- Let anything you keep dry first and do not put it back in the damp basement.
- In a rented flat, report damp or mould on the masonry to the landlord without delay (§ 536c BGB).
Mould removal and disinfection are not part of our services. By arrangement we clear out and dispose of affected items.
5. Basement storage room and tenancy
If a basement storage room is let with the flat, it is part of the rented property. When you move out it must be cleared just like the flat, as the Berliner Mieterverein also points out. The property manager can have things standing in the corridor or shared rooms removed after giving notice. Better not to touch other people's storage rooms or items whose owner you do not know; clarify it with the property manager.
6. When help is worthwhile
To be honest: if you have a car and can carry the items, the recycling centre is the cheapest option; for Berlin private households, normal household quantities are free. Help is worthwhile with many or heavy items, narrow basement stairs, no suitable vehicle, or when the basement must be empty by a fixed handover date. We usually clear a basement storage room in one to two hours, from €250. We give you the fixed price after photos via WhatsApp.
Sources (as of November 2026, without guarantee; in German): BSR – acceptance conditions at the recycling centres · Verbraucherzentrale – electrical waste · German Environment Agency – mould · § 536c BGB · Berliner Mieterverein – info sheet 180: problems when moving out