Attic Cleanup Tips: Items You Should Never Store in an Attic

The attic is by far one of the most popular storage areas in any home. Many people use it to store memorabilia items, sentimental keepsakes, seasonal decor, and more. While this is a great storage space, it is also an area that can quickly become cluttered, haphazard, and even dangerous. Attics can be difficult to maneuver in, and oftentimes people will tend to just toss items up into the abyss with little forethought to organization and movement. This approach, however, can lead to safety hazards, hide, and home pests that can damage your stored belongings and make it impossible to find anything. While you will want to consider the way in which you store things in your attic, you will also want to pay attention to what you store in your attic. The attic can be a catch-all for storage, but there are a handful of items you should not store in this space.

Paints, Cleaning Products, and Other Toxic Items

It may be tempting to store some of these products in your attic for later use, but it is actually one of the worst places to do so. It may seem like these items are sealed well, but there are always chances of spillage, and these products are constantly putting off gaseous, toxic fumes. Most homes have ducting for their HVAC systems in their attic, which means these fumes then have a direct route to be piped into the other rooms of the home. This can cause a serious decrease in your indoor air quality. Beyond the risk of toxic fumes, these items are also highly flammable and a huge fire risk in your attic. The best place to store these items is in a detached garage or storage shed.

Art

Art, especially kids’ art throughout the years, is often stored in the attic as well. While it may seem like a great place to hold onto those items, it actually puts them at high risk for damage. Fluctuating temperatures and moisture in the air can easily ruin these items. They are better off stored in an area with more mild air quality.

Important Documents and Books

Similar to storing art, important documents, and books should never be stored in the attic due to their fragile nature. They can easily be damaged or completely destroyed by high humidity. Pests are also a concern for these items. It isn’t uncommon for creepy crawlers to munch on paper, and you could lose valuable and irreplaceable documents in their stomachs. 

Food

Talking about pests, food should never be stored in the attic. Even imperishables. These items can attract pests that could damage not only your stored items but also eat away at the structure of your home. 

Junk Removal

Now that you know what not to store in your attic, you can get started on organizing the space with items that are safe to store there. For any items you determine you don’t want or need, don’t forget to call the professionals at 1st Class Junk Removal! We would be more than happy to haul those items for you, leaving you with a well-organized attic.