We are on an annual declutter this month. Last month we took a break to do a garage sale deep dive, but as we enter fall, its time to tackle the attics, basements, and storage spaces!
Feel free to go to my website to review past newsletters to review spaces in the house we have been going.
Newsletter Topic of the Month
Attics, Basements and Storage Spaces. Oh my!
Most of us have space for at least some storage. Closets and pantries in the house, and if we are lucky, an extra linen closet or two. Then there is the garage or carport, and maybe even an attic space or basement.
First, a word of caution from my many years in homebuilding. If your attic has access and any trusses, DO NOT store items there. Trusses move, ever so slightly, and adding load to them is a bad idea. So is cutting them anywhere in any way. This can be a serious structural issue so please!! Keep out of any trussed attic space that was not specifically designed for storage.
Most of these spaces, in my experience if used, it often looks like a bomb went off in there, at least mine can on occasion. Let’s work on some strategies to remedy that.
My preference is to treat all these spaces like the garage, and unload it all, to sort and reload in a less cluttered and more organized fashion. Sort things by type and create zones just like in the garage. Clear out anything that doesn’t belong, is no longer useful or is damaged.
Spaces like this can great for large plastic bins with lids or rolling metal shelving. I love the rolling shelves wherever I can use them because they are so flexible in ways of both shelf heights but sometimes those are too tall, so plastic tubs are great. If the space is a shed or crawl space, with the potential for dampness, so the next section for airtight lids that prevent pest, rodents and moisture from ruining your stuff!
In small spaces, I like the color bin or color label system. This way you can spot all the Christmas décor in one viewing….color coding can be very beneficial.
Keep in mind many of these spaces are cold and damp in the winter and hot in the summer, so only store things that can tolerate the temperature and humidity swings. I see a lot of folks pull out boxes of ruined stuff from these types of spaces because they were not properly packed and stored.
Have a topic idea? Area of struggle? A fun tip? Send it in and I may make it the topic of the month. Email me at hello@judygranleegates.com
Join in the conversation at Facebook group – Declutter and Resize – Bigger Living Smaller Space
Product(s) of the Month:
Here are links to a few things we used that were super inexpensive and made a big difference for us! I paid for these items as the host, but you could ask each party to pay a portion.
This is a rack only for bins you already have. I like the rack because some bins are heavy, some are light, and they often get squished!
This brand is #1 in my book for weatherproof and critter proof bins and trust me, I have tested them! They come in many sizes too.
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