Perhaps the most unnoticeable and most overlooked room in ahouse is the attic. The only time people remember about it is when they have some things or boxes to put away or if they’researching for their old stuff.
And that’s perfectly fine since an attic is often used as a stock room where people dump everything that they don’t need but still want to keep. Because of those things, it’s not surprising to know that most attics are always filled with too much dust, dirt, moulds, and endless piles of clutter.
Keeping an attic clean and organized may not be everyone’s top priority. They may not consider it an exciting task to look forward to.
However, decluttering an attic is worth it and unexpectedly rewarding. When it’s thoroughly cleaned, you can maximize the space for much better use, and who knows, maybe you’ll find some things you thought you lost years ago.
Now the question is, how are you going to start cleaning and organizing a very messy and cluttered attic? Just thinking about how much work you’ll do maybe already draining your motivation. But the good news is, cleaning your attic isn’t all work with no enjoyment. As long as you have some clever tips and tricks in mind, you can surely pull this big task off without dreading every minute of doing it.
To start, here are five brilliant ways you can do to clean and organize your attic.
1. Unload And Take Out All Items First
Before you even grab your broom, vacuum cleaner, and other cleaning tools, it’s best to unload everything from your attic first. This may be a messy and chaotic task, but it needs to happen. Remember, it’ll be more efficient and easier for you to clean your attic when it’s empty, so make sure you tackle thistask first. Once you’ve taken out everything, categorize each item according to four groups: donation/giveaway, trash, sellable, or for keeps.
After getting rid of some of your items by donating or giving them away, don’t forget to take care of the junk and unusable things as well. You can visit any rubbish removal services websites and pick a schedule for them to help you get rid of your trash. Some services will also go the extra mile by picking the recyclables and recycle those themselves. The point is, you’llneed to get rid of all the unused and old ones and let your attic breathe and enjoy its emptiness.
2. Start Planning
Now that your attic is empty, it’ll be easier for you to plan, visualize the room, and think of how to arrange the remaining pieces of furniture. If you’re planning to repurpose the room into something else, such as an extra bedroom, a recreation room, or any function you need, make sure to consider how much space you’ll need and how you’ll have to arrange the furniture. Your plan will be your basis for how you’ll organize your attic later.
3. Clean The Room Thoroughly
Take out your cleaning materials such as brooms, vacuum cleaners, brushes, wipes, and other cleaning products. Don’tmiss cleaning the windows in case your attic has one. This may be a lot of work, especially if you have a large space. You may ask for a hand from your family members to finish the job faster.
Moreover, as you clean every corner, use the time as an opportunity for you to look out for any infestation. All your efforts in cleaning the attic will be in vain if pests, rats, and mildew are not spotted and removed. If the infestation is severe, don’t hesitate to get the help of an expert.
4. Label Everything And Have A Designated Area
Before rearranging the remaining things and boxes you have, make sure you label every item or box out there. If your goal is to make everything look accessible and easier to identify, then be specific with your labels (e.g., Christmas decors, baseball equipment, and etcetera).
Once you’ve labelled everything, have a designated area for each box. Make sure to place the most frequently needed items closest to the attic’s entrance. Meanwhile, for the things you’llrarely use, such as sports equipment or baby clothes, you may put them in the furthest corner of the room.
5. Keep An Inventory
Before finishing the whole task, it would be best if you make a list of everything you placed in your attic. Prepare an inventory to remind you of which things have you kept away and where they can be found. This inventory can be useful as well when you suddenly decide to move to another house in the future.
Wrap Up
Your attic is bound to get dirty and disorganized again if you don’t check up on it regularly. Thus, make sure you check on your attic at least once a month and schedule a thorough cleaning as often as you can. At least this time, you have these brilliant tips to help you freshen up your attic faster and more efficiently. As an additional tip, don’t forget to bring a fan up there during your cleaning session, as cleaning an attic will surely break your sweat.
