Don’t Forget Your Furnace When Decluttering and Doing Attic Organization

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with attic organization, especially if you have a lot of stuff to sort through. Boxes build up, and it’s tricky to know where to place everything while still leaving room for your furnace to work efficiently.

Here are some quick tips to help you organize your attic without stress and frustration.

Assess the Attic Situation

When you’re in the middle of a decluttering project, it can be tempting to just start throwing things away without thinking about what’s happening. But before you begin, it’s important to assess the situation and figure out where everything will go.

Think about how much space you have for storage and the type of storage you might need. For example, will shelves be a better option than boxes?

Remember, you’ll need to access your stuff, so you’ll need to leave space to move around.

Pull Everything Out of Your Attic and Clean

Attics are a great place for storing your belongings. However, leaving them dirty can mean they become a hotbed for mold, mildew, and other harmful organisms. If you don’t clean your attic before using it for storage, you could be inviting pests such as cockroaches, rats, and mice into your home.

To properly clean your attic, remove all stored items from the attic and wipe down the floor with a damp cloth. Next, vacuum the entire area with a brush attachment to remove dust bunnies. Finally, use a cleaning product designed specifically for attics to clean any remaining dirt and debris that may have accumulated over time. Once you’ve finished cleaning the attic, let it dry completely before storing items back in the space.

Declutter and Sort

When sorting through your stuff, consider using transparent bins for storage. See-through bins are made from clear plastic, making them easy to see through. They come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, so you can choose the one that best fits your needs.

When looking for see-through bins for attic storage, consider the size and weight of your items. You don’t want to be lifting heavy boxes in and out of the attic.

If you’re going to make a list for your attic organization, it’s helpful to label the boxes. That way, you know what’s in every box, which will make locating items a breeze.

Create a Shelving System

Shelving makes the attic a better place to store items because it keeps them off the floor and away from any moisture that may be present.

Measure your attic before you start shopping for shelves. You need to know how much room you have available. Measure from floor to ceiling and the length and width of each wall.

A good thing to check is that the shelves are sturdy enough for their purpose. They should be able to hold heavy objects without breaking or falling down. And don’t place them too close to your furnace – it makes it easier for an HVAC technician to move around when carrying out furnace maintenance.

What Not to Store in the Attic or Furnace Room

Your attic and furnace room are great places to store extra stuff. But they’re not always the best places to keep certain items. Here are a few things you might want to consider before placing them in storage.

Paint and flammable materials

Never place paint or flammables in an attic or furnace room. Both rooms can get hot, which could cause the paint cans to explode.

Electronics

Electronics are sensitive to heat and moisture and shouldn’t be stored in these areas for long periods of time. If you want to store electronics, ensure they’re kept dry and away from heat sources like furnaces or water pipes.

Important papers

You may want to keep your birth certificate, social security card, or passport in a safe place — but not in an attic or furnace room. Instead, these documents should be stored in a dry and cool area (or a safe), so they don’t get ruined by water damage or mold growth.

Furnace Safety Measures

How far away should I put my belongings from my furnace? This is an important question to ask during attic organization.

The answer depends on the type of furnace, but a good rule of thumb is to keep things at least 30 inches away. The reason is that it can be dangerous. If something falls into the vents, it can block airflow and cause carbon monoxide to escape.

Keeping combustibles and flammables away from your furnace is essential. For example, bottles, tins, or boxes could fall over and easily create a fire hazard.

Keep your furnace in good working order, and it shouldn’t cause any problems in your attic space.

If your furnace needs a tune-up, contact the furnace maintenance professionals at Service Champions.