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Most attics are one big chaos. When you don’t know what to do with something, it usually ends up in the attic, making it very hard to keep tidy and organised after a while. So, if you have some extra time on your hands, it might be a good idea to finally take a closer look at this part of your house and give it some much-needed attention.
However, to get that particular storage space in tip-top shape, you need to approach the task with a plan. This way, you will be able to avoid mindlessly moving your things from one corner of the attic to another just to find out that after a few hours of hard work, you made little to no progress at all. But how do you turn this challenge into something more manageable?
For instance, it’s a good idea to start by removing everything from the attic. Then, you can vacuum, sweep, and wipe the dust before sitting down to declutter and organise.
Don’t worry if this all sounds quite overwhelming at first. Continue reading this article for an outline of everything you should do to turn this overwhelming task into a chore you can easily manage.
Empty Your Attic
It’s much easier to clean the attic when it’s empty, so the first thing you should do is remove everything from it. This is also because the highest floor of your house isn’t always the most accessible space, so you might want to choose another area to do your decluttering in. Plus, moving around with your brooms and mops in a more spacious, clutter-free space will be more comfortable.
If there’s something hiding in your attic that is hard to remove, like heavy furniture or workout gear, you can leave it there, but try to move it from the walls at least so you can get all the dust bunnies hiding in the corners of your attic. Emptying it might also be a great opportunity to clean and inspect roof windows and loft ladders. Wipe them with a damp cloth, check for signs of damage, and make sure they’re safe to use.
Wipe the Dust Away
Once you have removed all the clutter from your attic, you should do your best to wipe away any dust. You can use a dry microfiber cloth that should be able to get rid of the dust that has gathered on your windows and frames. Don’t forget about the wooden beams, baseboards, walls, and other surfaces. If the dust seems sticky or is hard to remove with a dry cloth, get yourself a bucket of water and remove the stubborn mess with a damp cloth.
To ensure that your attic won’t get dusty again in a matter of a week, you can make your own DIY dust spray to help repel dust for longer. Take a spray bottle and use it to combine one cup of water, 1/4 cup white vinegar (to cut through dirt and clean), four drops of lemon oil, and two tablespoons of coconut oil. Spray as much as you deem necessary and wipe with a clean cloth.
First Vacuum, Then Sweep
Most people don’t vacuum their attics regularly, which makes it easy for a layer of dust and debris to accumulate on the floor. A regular broom might not be able to tackle such a mess without some help and just stir the mess instead of cleaning it. That’s why you should start with vacuuming.
Make sure to pick up any large debris your vacuum can’t tackle so it doesn’t get damaged. You can also use the vacuum to get rid of any stubborn dust mites or dead insects.
Once you’re done, you can get the broom out and use it for all the tight corners and awkwardly shaped areas to make sure you got all the spiderwebs and leftover dust. Be thorough and sweep up anything that remains after vacuuming.
Sort Your Belongings
Once you have emptied the attic and given it a good clean, it’s time to start sorting through your belongings. It might have been a while since you last saw some of these things, but you can make the sorting process more manageable by designating categories to determine what you want to keep and what you no longer need.
As you’re sorting through your things, make sure to ask yourself whether you want/need to keep them or not. You can also try following the famous Marie Kondo method and determine if a certain item “sparks joy.” If you feel indifferent to a particular thing or haven’t used it in more than a year, it might be time to finally let it go.
Organise
Last but not least, it’s time to organise your attic, so you will have no issues keeping it tidy in the future. You can move back in everything that you removed while making sure that the unnecessary items don’t make their way back up there. If you’re storing any big things in your attic, get some dust covers to make cleaning easier next time.
For seasonal clothes, heavy linens, or bedding, use clear plastic storage bins with tight lids. You can also use them to store holiday decorations, toys, or books. Label everything to ensure that you know what’s in there. If you have any Christmas lights, seasonal wreaths, or items that can get tangled if put into storage bins, consider putting a few nails into the walls of your attic, so you can hang everything that would be better stored this way.
In Conclusion
As you can see, tidying your attic doesn’t have to be a dreadful ordeal. All you need to do is approach the task with the right plan and follow the tips above. Remember that you don’t have to do everything at once. You can spread the process over a few days if you don’t have enough time to devote to cleaning your attic all at once.
Just remember to tackle it in small chunks rather than trying to finish it all in one day. This way, you will be able to make steady progress and avoid any frustration or overwhelm. And keep in mind that you can use these tips not just for your attic but also for other parts of your house that need some extra attention, such as your basement, a garden shed, or garage.