Do you dread trying to find something in your loft or attic space? When people are embarking on a declutter, trust me, the bottom of the list is always the loft or attic. Or shall we call it the Room of Doom? It’s filled with all that random stuff that just doesn’t have a home anywhere else in the house, and there is LOTS of it. You know that room!
It could be anything – you fling it into the abyss, and it never comes up for air. Old kettles, memorabilia, suitcases, summer clothes, books, pushchairs, hand-me-down clothes, all get pushed up into your loft or attic and stick around for years waiting to be discovered and loved.
The stuff stored there is random, and the space tends to be seriously awkward – tricky to access with lots of low beams and sloping walls, dusty, damp and dark – a storage nightmare! So, it’s time to be inventive!
First Things First – Time to Declutter
Lofts or attics are straightforward because, for the most part, they hold lots of delayed decisions. You have decided you don’t want something in your house anymore and just put it in the loft or attic until you can decide what to do with it.
So, procrastinate no more. Be ruthless – ask yourself, “Do I really need it, love it or use it?” If not, do yourself a favour and donate it to charity or goodwill.
Logistics Can Be the Hardest Part of a Loft Declutter
You need to think about such things as the weather and how easy it is to hoist your stuff from the top of the house to the bottom. If you have a loft ladder, you need a second person to help. You need to be able to get larger boxes down somehow.
A loft or attic can be dark so light can be an issue. Add that to the fact that some belongings have been buried for years, and it’s no wonder we call it the Room of Doom!
Once You Start Taking Stuff Out of There, It Can Be Like a Tardis
To be able to go to your loft and easily find what you need is a must. The less stuff you have up there, the easier it is to create a really useful extension to your home for those seasonal and sentimental items. It’s vital to create order and focus on visibility and accessibility first and foremost.
New Storage in Zones
Zoning is critical too. Store like with like, and create zones for seasonal decorations, memorabilia, household items, etc. And remember rule number one of an organised home – make sure everything is accessible and your system is logical for the whole family.
Storage Containers Matter
Large, clear, robust plastic boxes are the best storage solutions for lofts and attics – they keep your stuff dry, safe and contained and are easy to label. Don’t underestimate the lack of light – use thick black marker pens on your labels so you can see at a glance where everything is.
In certain climates, a loft or attic is a definite no-no for storage too – you know if that’s your part of the world!
So, set a day or two aside, be ruthless and go for it! If you’ve decluttered a loft or attic and are still smiling, you can tackle anything!
Do you have a loft/attic that’s chockablock from floor to ceiling? What kind of zones do you use to keep things in order? Let us know in the comments.
