7 Tips to Help You Organize Your Attic
From holiday decorations, photographs, old furniture, treasured clothing and shoes, an organized attic gives you a handy space to store items you don’t use all the time. A properly organized attic space is an amazing asset, whether you’re looking to sell or commit to your forever home.
In this guide, we share our top seven attic organization ideas, so you can really make the most of the extra space in your home.
1. Clear Out Your Attic
First, you’ll need to give your cluttered attic space a good clear out – it’s not the most fun job, but it has to be done.
Move out all the things you’ve stored up there over the years, then sort through it, getting rid of anything non-essential or no longer wanted. Donate items that are still in good condition to goodwill or list them on local online classifieds to find them a new home. You might even be able to make a few bonus dollars from the things you’re willing to part with. Once you’ve cleared out those old schoolbooks, mementos and kids’ toys you’ve been hoarding, you’ll be left with the items you need.
2. Search for Pests and Rodents
The warm and cozy nooks of a cluttered attic space can unfortunately become a breeding ground for pests and rodents.
If you don’t spend a lot of time in your attic, pests may have made a home up there without you realizing. Once you’ve cleared your attic completely, give it a good clean and check every corner for pests and rodents. If you do need to call pest control, it’s a good idea to do this now while the space is empty. This way you can safely remove any unwelcome visitors before you move on with your attic organization project.
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3. Invest in Plastic Storage Boxes
One of the best ways to keep your attic tidy and organized is by buying a bunch of clear plastic storage boxes. This way you can neatly stack things away and you’re able to easily see what’s inside each box when you need to get them back out again.
Plastic bins are great for storing everything, including clothes, books, cushions and bedding. Try to split up items into categories, for example: have a box for shoes, a box for photographs and so on. It’s also handy to label these boxes – invest in a label maker or a Sharpie will do – to make sure you can find everything easily.
4. Put Up Rails for Hanging Clothing
Double your closet space and make the most of your attic by installing rails to hang your clothes. Keep your out-of-season wardrobe organized and out of sight in your attic until the winter or summer months come around again.
Bulky coats and jumpers can take up a lot of space in a wardrobe, so using rails allows you to keep your cozier clothing in good condition and ready to wear once it’s cold again.
5. Add Shelving or Racks
Putting up shelving units or racks is an amazing way to make use of the space in your attic. This is one of our favorite attic storage ideas, as it instantly gives you entire walls to store items, instead of being limited to floor space.
Shelving units can be used to hold everything from books and boxes to shoes and ornaments. Make a note of what can be found on each rack, so you’ll know how to find important items quickly.
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6. Add Lighting
Once your attic is fully organized and looking amazing, it’s time to add the finishing touches. To really make your space come to life, have additional lighting installed, so you can see all your handiwork clearly.
Spotlights can be great if your attic doesn’t get too much natural light. It’s also important to consider whether you need heating in your attic space, as some can get pretty chilly, especially in the cooler months. This is especially important if you’re storing papers or photos that could be damaged by damp and cold.
7. Put Extra Items in Self-Storage
There are almost certainly items in your attic you’ll know you want to keep, but don’t need all the time. Putting important items that you won’t have space for into a storage unit can be a great way to store them and keep things organized, without having to sacrifice space in your home.
You might have a spare bed, an old sofa or even a record collection gathering dust. You don’t have space in your attic for them, but you’re not ready to live without them either. Think about items that you won’t use all the time, like bikes in the winter or a box of summer clothes.
Pack these up and place them into a storage unit, so you can still access them when the time is right. This will free up extra space to create a neat and tidy attic space.
