Organizing the attic for storage can become an unwieldy chore. Starting out, you may estimate that it will take an hour or two to finish the job. But when you’re done, you may have spent the better part of a day. To make sure your time is well spent, here are a few tips.
First, remember to be careful in cleaning the attic, because in an older home, there might be boards missing, splintery rafters, loose insulation, potentially harmful spiders or other insects, mice droppings, and years of accumulated dust. Wear a dust mask and old clothes that can get dirty. Watch so you don't hit your head on a slanted ceiling.
Your first goal is to get rid of all the long-time junk that you will never use. You may want to open the window to ventilate this area while you work. Move all the broken, forgotten, or unwanted items downstairs in preparation for a garage sale or a thrift store pickup. Items could include outgrown clothing, unfinished furniture, or unwanted knick-knacks. This will clear space that can be used for things you want to keep.
Your next step is to get rid of the spiders, bugs, and mice, along with pests like squirrels, birds, or bats. If you don’t take care of your pest problem early on, the mice will gnaw right through your boxes and get inside the structure’s walls. Check for mice tracks and sweep them up. Put down rodent pellets or set traps. Check for ants or wasps, and use a dustmop to clear cobwebs or spiderwebs. You may want to wear gloves to avoid insect bites.
Stack everything you have left on one side of the attic. Make sure you have enough light to work with. Take a shop vacuum and pick up all the dust, debris, dirt, and loose insulation. You might want to wet mop the floor with warm water and cleaning soap afterward.
Next, move everything to the other side so you can clean under the boxes. As you move each box or bag, check to see what kind of shape it is in. If it is sagging, torn, or damp, replace it with a heavy-duty box or a plastic airtight container. These will help to repel insects and other pests. Then label everything that you decide to store, because you might spend hours looking for that item and have to go through box after box.
If you were thinking about fixing up the attic, now would be the time to do it. Use deck
paint or inexpensive sheet vinyl for the floors. You could use particleboard for the ceiling and walls. You will be surprised by how much this can brighten up the area. Nail down any loose boards.
Now put boxes with items you don’t use in the furthest corners. Seal the boxes by taping flaps. You will need to make a walkway so you are able to get to any box or bag in the attic. Then make sure you replace burned out light bulbs. Take a fan up there so in the summer it won’t be so hot when you need to get something. If you have a lot of insulation out in the open, wear a particle mask so you don’t breath in any insulation fibers.
Last of all, if you have many containers that fill the attic, you might want to make a map to tell you where everything is located. Post it in a prominent place so you can quickly find and get to something you need.
