The attic is the place that everyone knows is there, but no one wants to touch. Except that organizing your attic can be far more useful than you think. Though many people have a hard time getting up there and cleaning it, when you do you will find that it is one of the best storage places. Utilizing your attic space opens up room in the rest of your house.

Don’t let your attic go to waste; use it for all that it’s worth.

On the bright side, it’s not too hard to get your attic to where you want it to be; it is just about a will and a plan at this point and we’re going to help you get there. Here are some tips on how to keep your attic in good shape by using storage space that is readily available in most homes:

Don’t Be Afraid

Of course it seems scary, you don’t know what has been living up there for these past few months and you can’t see a thing. The first step would be to set up temporary arrangements. Start by giving yourself some light and hang up some temporary illumination with a strong binding like mil-spec-wire, which will help you string the lights across the wall.

[Photo courtesy of Emre Can Acer/pexels.com]

Now you can see. Here comes the situation analysis part, where you get to see if your attic needs a complete makeover or just a little organizing. If there are loads and loads of unmarked boxes and other junk you may need to call in some help. Just remember that this should be done over time. No one has walked up into a attic and completed a complete renovation of it that same day.

Set a Goal Time

Setting a time window for yourself will keep you on track with your attic organization. You should know exactly how much time you have and want to spend on this project. See what is in your attic and if there is any type of prior organization system, if there isn’t much then you can cut your timeframe down. Although set it in stone once you see what needs to be done.

Setting a timeframe also keeps you focused on the goal because there are many things in the attic that are likely from years ago and might bring up memories and stories that you have forgotten about. These time capsule like things are likely to distract you from the goal of organizing the attic. Here are some alternative tips to cleaning out your attic:

Write it Down

Take an inventory of the things that you have and the contents of those boxes. Be specific and precise in your approach, write down the number of boxes that don’t have labels and set them in a certain group. These groups should be full of items that are of the same category. For example: children’s books, holiday decorations, and memorabilia.

Narrow it Down

Once your things are sorted and you have completed an inventory for yourself, now comes the time when you narrow things down into three solid groups. You have to honestly ask yourself what you need and don’t need, which can be difficult because people like to hold onto things. Narrow the groups into things you never use, things you sometimes use, and things you definitely always use. Be strict in the selection process for these groups.

[Photo courtesy of Sümeyye Yazıcı/pexels.com]

Don’t forget about donations when you are throwing things away. Donating is a great way to put things to use that you were just about to get rid of.

Go Organize!

Now that everything is on a checklist the next step is to start organizing! If there are too many boxes on the floor, get a shelf system so that you can find things easier and everything is accessible. Finding things in your attic is easy when everything is accessible; you have to be able to walk from the door to the back and have reach to each box or bin.

Label all boxes. Label everything because you obviously won’t remember later. Group similar items together in their boxes so that when you are looking for a certain thing then you know which general area it is in. Also, anticipate a roof leak or rodent in the attic and go with plastic bins and boxes rather than cardboard boxes. If you are making any other household renovations like your basement, here’s how to Improve Your Basement at a Low Cost.

Attack the attic; it is waiting to give you a great deal of storage space that you don’t even have to see. Use our tips and take on the task. We are positive that the benefits of a functional attic space will leave the rest of your home in better shape.

Have you been craving some extra space in your home? Maybe you have a little one on the way and you need an extra bedroom or you’d prefer to get work done in a quiet space. If you’re considering renovating your attic with the help of Summit Point Roofing, ponder these four tips.

[Attic bedroom” by Ben Husmann from Chicago, USA /wikipedia.org]

1. Will you be following fire codes and safety precautions? Usually, 50% of a finished attic has to be a minimum of seven feet high, seven feet wide, and 70 square feet. For safety reasons, you should have an engineer make sure that the house’s foundation and frame can withstand extra weight.
2. During the summer months, expect your attic to get much warmer than the rest of the house. Add ceiling fans to help regulate temperature.
3. With all that attic planning, you forgot about the rooms downstairs! Shuffling feet in the attic will carry through to the rooms below. Keep things quiet with heavy duty floor joists and add a carpet or area rug.
4. If you’re installing a bathroom upstairs, match it up with a kitchen or bathroom below. This will help streamline the plumbing, keeping costs down and limiting damage to the walls. Sometimes, a plumber will even be able to connect new pipes to the old ones, although this isn’t always the best option.

Are you ready to expand your home’s usable space and start utilizing that attic? Learn how today!