Don’t Forget Your Furnace When Organizing and Decluttering Your Attic

10/25/22

Decluttering has become a trend, and for many homeowners, the place to start is the attic. Most people only open their attic when they need to find holiday decorations, family heirlooms, or other various “treasures.” The problem with this is that the attic oftentimes becomes the “set it and forget it” part of the house.

Here are some top tips to make sure you don’t forget the furnace and to help you while organizing and decluttering your attic.

Start by Figuring out Where Everything Will Go

The first thing you need to consider before decluttering your attic is where all the stuff will go once it’s sorted. This sounds like an obvious point, but it’s easy to forget when you’re knee-deep in boxes and have no idea where they’ll end up.

Pull Everything Out of Your Attic and Clean

Before you store your boxes, you need to clean up the space. Pull everything out and clean the whole area thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner or broom and dustpan. Make sure there aren’t any cobwebs hanging around or any dead insects lying around.

Get rid of any broken or damaged boxes, especially if they have holes torn through them or have been chewed by mice. By cleaning your attic, you can see exactly how much space there is, allowing you to determine how many boxes you can store.

One important reminder – don’t forget to clean around your furnace. Vacuum or sweep out dust and debris that has accumulated in the ductwork and make sure there’s no dust lying on surfaces. Not only will this help keep the area clean, but it can also stop dust and other debris from getting inside your furnace.

Start Decluttering Your Attic and Sort

If you’re looking for a way to get organized in your attic, you may want to consider getting some transparent storage bins. These handy containers are great for storing all kinds of items.

Transparent storage bins have many benefits over other types of containers. They’re strong and durable, don’t take up much space, and are easy to stack. But the biggest benefit is that they allow you to see what’s inside without opening the lid! This makes them perfect for storing items you don’t use very often but want quick access to when needed.

Labels are another great way to keep track of what’s in each box. To save time and energy, make sure your labels are clear and easy to read. A label maker is perfect for the job.

Good Shelves Matter

Shelving in the attic makes it much easier to store things on their sides or upside down without worrying about them falling over or getting damaged by dust or moisture. You can get different kinds of shelving depending on what you’re storing — from simple wood shelves to metal ones that are more industrial-looking and sturdy.

Before installing your attic shelf system, you need to plan precisely where you want everything to go. Create a layout that can accommodate everything you want to store on the shelves while still giving yourself enough room to walk around and access items safely.

Plan what to place on your shelves carefully. Anything too heavy will result in the shelves collapsing, and you’ll end up starting again with your attic organization. And remember, no technician wants to bump their head on shelves when carrying out furnace maintenance!

What Not to Store in the Attic or Furnace Room

The attic is a great place to store things you don’t use often, but it’s not the best place for everything. Here are some items you shouldn’t store in your attic.

Electronics

High temperatures, humidity, and dust can damage electronics. They may also be damaged by exposure to moisture from leaks or condensation.

Delicate fabrics

Delicate fabrics should never be stored in an attic. Moths and insects can cause damage to your beloved items.

Important papers

Storing important papers in your attic is risky because they could get damaged by water leaks, fire, or vermin infestations. And you should never store them near a furnace due to fire risk. Instead, keep important documents like passports and birth certificates in a locked safe in the home.

Food

Unless you want an infestation of mice, it’s best not to keep food in the attic. However, if you must store food, ensure it’s packed in air-tight containers – you don’t want an invasion of hungry creatures.

Take the Proper Precautions

You might want to take some precautions when you have a furnace in your attic space.

When storing items near your furnace, keep everything at least 30 inches away. Make sure there’s plenty of room around all sides of the unit to operate efficiently. Don’t store flammable liquids or combustible materials near the furnace or in an area where they could come into contact with hot surfaces.

You also need to ensure there’s plenty of space for a technician to work around your furnace when carrying out essential furnace maintenance.

Need help with your furnace? Call HELP to schedule furnace maintenance and repair.

Posted in: Heating