Are you dreading that trip back up to the attic, to return your holiday decorations? Maybe it’s time to rethink your attic organization systems. Before you can take on attic storage, you first need to rethink the excess. Here are some for attic organizing tips, to help reclaim your attic space.

One of my favorite attic organizing ideas is to remember the letters E.P.S. This stands for exit, process, and storage. Any decluttering project can quickly fall apart, if you don’t consider these three elements first.  You will find this is particularly true for attics. Here is why it is important to always to start by considering zones for exit, process, and storage.

1. Exit Zone

There tends to be a lot of items that you forget about in the attic. Over time, you can donate, discard, and maybe sell many of these items, that are no longer serving  you. Prepare for this likelihood by establishing a place for these items to go, temporarily.

Though it may seem counter-priority, it usually makes sense to clear some space in the garage, before you take on the attic. There tends to be even lower value items in the garage, that can be cleared out. Dedicate this opened-up space to temporary discard and donate zones, for excess items, that you will be bringing down from the attic.

The garage will be the easiest space for hauling services, to remove discards and donates.

2. Processing Zone

It’s hard to clear a mess IN a mess. We always find it easier (and warmer) to delicate a bedroom upstairs to review the bins of stuff in the attic.  Of course, these bins tend to be pretty dusty, so cover your bed(s) with a plastic drop cloth, before starting.

Set up a simple folding table. Your back will thank you, when reviewing the contents of all those bins. Finally, keep a clear system for what’s to review and what’s to keep. The easiest way to do this, is to keep the “reviews” on one wall and the “keeps” on the opposite wall. The discards and donates, of course, go downstairs to the Exit Zone.

3. Storage Zone

We know that you won’t be getting rid of everything, so of course, the keepers need to go back in. Having gone through the effort of processing and purging, be sure to use the storage space with clear intentions. Effective attic organizing systems will need to be visible and accessible. Always reserve a path down the middle of the attic, so that you can more easily find and access everything that you have chosen to keep.

Carefully consider the major categories you have in your attic and their priority levels. Typical categories include keepsakes, luggage, archives, holiday decorations, and seasonal clothes.You should store Items that you rarely access, like archives, more deeply. So when processed items go back in, start with these. Items that you access one to three times a year, like holiday decorations, should go midway.

If you travel a lot, then luggage should go near the door, but never clog the entrance and block the path. That would quickly put you right back where you started.

Final Thoughts

To make attic organizing easy, don’t make the mistake of underestimating the job. It’s a project, not a task. However, if you recognize the inevitable barriers and break the project into manageable, reliable steps, it can become easy for you to tackle.

These have been DIY attic organization tips, but if you are finding that your attic project is still more than you can take on, we are happy to help. January is Attic Organizing Month at Matt Baier Organizing and we are featuring savings of, up to, $150 off our organizing services, with The Attic Attack Special.

#clearingatticclutter