The humble attic, long living in the figurative shadow of the basement, can be a boon to any household if it is prepared and organized for a long-term stint of storage. Long the lonely resting place of holiday ornaments and grade-school papers, the attic has been de-glamorized to the point that even space-starved homeowners don’t appreciate its space and possibility. No more careening up rickety-stairs into a dimly-lit attic with scattered boxes and unlabelled bags! With just a bit of effort, and a healthy dose of dedication to the dream of organization, your attic can become a peaceful, ordered, and even pleasant place.
First step to making the most of your attic? Survey the space. Depending upon the configuration of your home and the type of roof you have, the attic may offer more or less space; a quick measure of the workable areas of the attic will give you a rough idea of what and how much you can store in your attic. Remember that you don’t want to shove small items into every nook and cranny, where they’ll be forgotten. Focus instead on the largest and most accessible parts of the attic as the main storage area.
Add Light It’s the first vital step to any creative endeavor, so make sure that your attic is adequately lighted, for the sake of both safety and convenience; no one wants to fumble about in a poorly-lit attic, and terrible lighting can discourage any effort to make the attic a useful part of your home. While most attics have lights installed, they may be malfunctioning or have bulbs that are burnt out, so take the time to check each fixture thoroughly. If your attic lacks a light, any electrician should be able to run power to the attic with relative ease.
Lay Down Plywood If your attic floor is comprised of exposed joists, you can lay down plywood to create a stable flooring that is better for walking and for stacking storage items. In addition to creating a smooth surface, the plywood also adds another layer of insulation to your attic—win and win.
Install Shelving Adequate shelving space in the attic can turn your storage area from a heaping mess to an organized collection. Whether you use old cabinets pulled from a remodel, or construct your own shelving out of plywood, you’ll find that shelving makes all the difference in how you use your attic storage space. Try to have a variation of shelf depths and heights, to accommodate the various sized boxes and bags that you will undoubtedly be storing, and take into account any oddly-shaped items that you need to leave room for.
Organize Once your attic is leveled, lit, and given the bones of a great organizational structure, you can finally set about organizing your stored belongings in a way that is intuitive for you. While everyone is different, there are some general rules about organizing your attic: keep frequently used items closer to the attic stairs, and move longer-term stored items further back; maintain a section of the attic for holiday decorations, and consider using the color-coded storage bins (black and orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, etc.) that are available at many stores around each holiday; create a shelving section for each member of the household, so that even small items can easily be found; and, lastly, keep distinct sections for seasonal items, such as skiing or camping gear, so that these items are readily accessible when you need them.
See also:
How to Organize an Attic
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