Are you dreading having to go up to the attic to put away your decorations? It could be time to reevaluate how things are stored in the attic. You should always consider the extra stuff that you don't need before tackling attic storage. To help you regain the space in your attic, here are some suggestions for organizing it.
Remove the small things first
Look around the whole area and fill up a few bags or boxes with things you can quickly and easily get rid of. At this point, you don't have to make any hard choices; just pick the low-hanging fruit. Don't bother even trying to open the boxes. You want to make decisions that are quick and easy at this point. Grab the things you know you don't want anymore that are already in plain sight.
Go through the larger items next
Look for big things that take up a lot of space and get rid of them. Things that are hard to store, like cardboard boxes, furniture, and big tools. It can be harder to get rid of these bigger things, but it's important to start here. By getting rid of the biggest things first, you will make quick progress in clearing out the space. Cleared spaces will be a visible sign of success that will keep you going.
Donate what you don’t need
If you don't need the money, donate unwanted items to organizations you support. If you have items that are too large or that hold sentimental value, of course you can keep them. Following this rule is pivotal in vast spaces that will be time-consuming; don't add to the load by attempting to resell everything.
Break the task down into smaller tasks
It's best to start by clearing out the obvious and significant items, and then work your way through the rest of the room systematically. You can divide a large endeavor into manageable chunks by focusing on only one section at a time, such as a single drawer, shelf, section of a room, or box. Don't think about everything at once. Just pick a small area to start with.
Decide what to keep, toss, or move
Unless you have a very light workload, you probably won't be able to finish this massive room in a single day. If you follow the steps above and tackle a smaller task each time, you will still have a feeling of success. Follow through until you know that each subtask is finished before stopping for the day. Getting these smaller goals done can give you a lot of pleasure.
Organize the remaining stuff
Do not stop clearing out clutter until the area feels livable and comfortable. When you're done, put away any remaining items neatly so the area stays uncluttered and functional.
It can be easy to just put anything in the attic and worry about putting it away at a later time, but you have to be vigilant and resist that temptation! This is particularly true if you’re selling your house the traditional way, rather than using a program like Sell Fast Stamford where you don’t have to worry too much about how neat and tidy your home is prior to selling.