July 20, 2020 2 min to read
Declutter your life: DIY ways to unlock your attic storage potential
Category : Home and Garden
Tired of all the clutter in your life? So is your brain! Studies show that clutter can affect our mental health by causing a suffocating feeling in our heads. But where do you put all of your stuff?
One great solution is any attic space you may have in your home. Most people either don’t use their attics for storage, or they don’t use the space to its fullest potential.
Regardless of which category you fall under in this article, we’ll give you some helpful advice on how to maximize your attic storage. Let’s get started!
Assess the Attic Storage and Calculate How Much Stuff You Can Fit
Before you begin storing things in your attic your first need to make sure that you have a viable space.
This doesn’t just involve figuring out how many things you can fit in the attic—you must first make sure that the boxes, clothing, and furniture that your store will be safe.
Once you figure out what will be safe in the space, then you can calculate how much will fit. Here are three things you should consider before moving anything.
1. Make Sure Your Attic is Rain-Proof
Older roofs and attics are much more prone to leaking than new roofs, but you should always check regardless. There are obvious signs of a leaky roof – water damage, stains, and heavy condensation on the windows.
However, there are also less obvious signs you should consider. For example, make sure that bathroom fans don’t lead to the attic as these features pump moisture into the room.
2. Check the Floor Framing
The next thing you should do is figure out how strong your attic floors are. Most attics use joist systems with floorboards. While these joists are strong enough to support some boxes and a person or two, we don’t recommend storing heavy furniture on them.
However, it ultimately depends on the thickness of the joists. If you find boards in your attic that are a 2 x 8 size or larger, then it should be safe to store a couch or similar furniture in the room.
3. Make Sure You Factor in the Temperature
It’s important to remember that many attics are not temperature controlled like the rest of the house. This means that they get sweltering hot in the Summer and cold in the Winter.
As such, you should make sure you aren’t storing anything that becomes damaged in these fluctuating temperatures.
Things like old furniture, documents, and electronics can be affected by hot and cold weather. If you need storage space for these temperature-sensitive objects, then we recommend investing in a climate-controlled attic space.
Organize Your Things and Label All the Boxes
The key to utilizing all your closet space is proper organization. Unfortunately, this quality doesn’t always come naturally for some people. However, it’s never…
Continue reading the article and learn more about attic storage on Daisy Linden’s blog.