When is the last time you visited (cue the scary music) … your attic. Dun, dun, dun! While a finished attic may be every homeowner’s dream, you may be too scared of the effort to even enter the space. Or maybe you just want a solid, clean, and organized place to store your things and that seems like a dream, too.
But you’ve come to the right place. We got insider tips from an expert in DIY and décor, Ashley Rice, of @brunoandlibby. Ashley recently revamped her attic for organization and storage. She’s offering her top attic renovation tips and tricks. So, whether you need attic storage ideas or want an entire attic remodel for more useable room in your home, read to find out how to organize your attic and make it perfect for you.
How to Finish an Attic for Storage with Ashley Rice
1. Determine Your Use: Attic Remodel or Storage?
Let’s be honest – most of us could use more space in our home for recreation or rest. An attic is an untapped opportunity for many homeowners to expand their livable space into a guest room, office, or kids play space. But an attic remodel can cost big bucks. If your intent is more attic storage and better organization, there are still budget requirements, but you may be looking at an easier DIY. How do you decide on what to do with your attic space?
“Look around your home and think about the storage space you currently have and what you are storing in it. Is it seasonal décor? Is it mementos and keepsakes?” Ashley suggests, “Some people have very little items they need to store, so an attic could make a great renovation project to add square footage for your home to be used as a media room, game room, etc. Others have lots of things to store and very little space to do so, so the attic is necessary for the purpose of storage. Think about your priorities in your home and how you want to use the real estate you have to best serve you.”
Ashley’s Pro Tip: When it comes to budget, “must-haves” come first. Account for the cost of necessary items like organizational shelving, furniture, or flooring and see what’s leftover before adding the fun stuff.
2. Sort & Store
After you’ve determined the intention of your attic renovation, it’s time to think about what you’re going to keep, donate, or toss. Because whether you’re using your space for storage or living, you’ll need to clear it out to make upgrades. What’s the best way to decide what to lose? Think frequency of use.
“The main driver for me is when I last used an item. We have a lot of seasonal décor in our attic that I know I’ll use annually, so I kept that each season,” says Ashley. “My husband and I each have a box of childhood sentimental items we have kept. For items that aren’t seasonal décor or sentimental, I consider when I last used it or whether I know I have a need for it – if not, it goes! During this attic project, some items I have gotten rid of include a ceiling fan, several wall shelves, a nightstand, and an ironing board. These were all taking up a lot of room in our attic for no reason at all!”
Ashley’s Pro Tip: Get storage. I really didn’t have space to store all our things. CubeSmart provided the additional room I needed so that I wouldn’t feel completely overwhelmed by it all! Plus, their locations and hours are super convenient so I could drop things by as I needed.
3. Consider Cost of Floors, Lighting, and Walls
“Your budget for things like flooring and lighting depend on what you intend to store,” said Ashley. “For me, most of my project budget went toward flooring and shelving. My primary goal was to add square footage for my attic remodel – we are the only ones that see it and not on a daily, or even weekly, basis – so I was not as overly concerned with the aesthetics as I was with attic flooring.”
Ashley also talked about the importance of safety when working in an attic, especially with attic flooring. “I think we probably all know someone (if not ourselves!) who has stepped through attic flooring, leaving a hole in their ceiling. You need to ensure everything under your particle board is secured.” Be careful, DIY’ers!
Ashley’s Pro Tip: When in doubt, it’s okay to get help! My first step is usually to consult YouTube. I may watch a video or two to see if it seems like something I can handle. If not, I’ll ask my husband or my dad. If they can’t help me, I will call a professional and there is absolutely no shame in doing so!
4. Measure and Lay Out a Floor Plan
A common afterthought of an attic remodel is how to organize an attic for optimal layout. Where will you need to add or reinforce flooring? Will you add additional walls and attic shelving. Do you need to consider other attic storage ideas? These are all questions that you can answer with some help from technology.
“I like to use Canva and PowerPoint to create a design or mood board for a given room. I add in everything from paint colors to furniture and accessories,” said Ashley. “This allows you to see everything and how it will come together and it’s so easy to make small tweaks as you discover things you want to change or add in. Although this didn’t apply to my attic project, as that’s a utility/storage room, there weren’t a lot of aesthetics to consider.”
Ashley’s Pro Tip: Look up. If your renovation is running out of floor space, don’t sweat it. With exposed rafters or room for hooks, you can use the ceiling to hang seasonal décor, sports gear, and more. Make the most of all your available real estate – not just floor space!
5. Plan and Build Attic Structures like Flooring and Shelving
Now that you’ve cleaned, planned, and prepped your attic, it’s time to build. Naturally, flooring comes first. Once you lay and reinforce your attic flooring, consider carefully if you’ll want to paint it. Unless your attic remodel includes a finished look, Ashley suggests skipping the painting of floors. “Most attics are primarily particle board, which would take multiple coats to paint, and the paint would most likely amplify any imperfections.”
About that shelving? “Try to have an idea of what exactly you need on your shelves ahead of time,” Ashley advises. “This will help guide your decision in what type and size of shelving you need, as well as how sturdy they need to be.”
One of Ashley’s tried and true go-tos for shelving is Ikea. “The Billy shelving line is always popular and can be easily customized to make look very high end! I also like the Kallax shelves for cube storage.”
Ashley’s Pro Tip: Attic ceilings and walls are tricky, with their slopes and angles. Measure the height and depth of shelves before purchase to ensure they would fit properly even with the slanted ceilings.
Working on a DIY project? Find Storage Near You.
6. Clean and Paint (maybe)
After a build that involves sawing, hammering, and wood drilling, you’re going to be dealing with a lot of dust! It’s super important to vacuum up woodchips and shedding and dust or wipe down walls if you plan to paint.
When asked for paint colors, Ashley recommends something light for a small space like an attic. “I would likely go lighter,” she said. “An attic tends to be a darker space as it is, so if you are painting, light colors may make it easier to navigate and also more visually appealing.”
Ashley’s Pro Tip: If you’re using your attic remodel strictly for storage, don’t bother painting floors. You’ll be adding time to your project and dipping further into your budget for something with minor impact.
7. Enjoy Your Organized Attic!
This step is arguably the best. Because now you get to sit back, relax, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
“My favorite thing about finishing a DIY like this is the sense of accomplishment and completion,” Ashley said. “Looking at something and knowing that I made it happen is a good feeling. A close second is the functionality and ease it adds to our life if it’s an organization project like this one.”
Ashley’s Pro Tip: Concerned about staying organized? Consider strongly how badly you need to store something before you put it in there. Is it worth taking up space in your newly organized attic? If so, create a designated place and keep those items there.
Check out these articles for more tips for organizing your storage unit or storage space at home:
How to Organize your Garage for Storage
How to Organize Your Pantry for a Clean Start
How to Clean and Organize Your Storage Unit
