Cleaning out the basement

I wish I had taken a before photo. I obviously didn't expect these results. We have grown into the basement gradually - so it took us a while to realise the beauty of having the extra storage space down stairs for all the weird stuff, like tools, and the seasonal stuff (sleds, salt, snow shovel, water table, christmas tree holder, you get the drift), and the craft supplies, which are constantly being used, or tidied and recycled.
I realised we had just gradually filled up all the space, instead of thinking about it. So we pulled everything out, got rid of more craft stuff, and boxes, and various things we had misguidedly kept, and put it all back in, and it fits so beautifully that the whole place makes me feel settled when I walk in.
Funny thing, I had seen Americans cleaning out the basement on TV, and read about it in various cleaning methods, but never fully understood. I think it must be a bit like cleaning out the garage in Australia.