Skip to main content

21OAK may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

5 attic organization ideas that make the most sense

You’ve put off this onerous chore long enough. That overstuffed, poorly organized, and messy attic is long overdue for an organization makeover. Now that the weather is cooling off, autumn is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and tackle this exhausting task. While organizing the attic is certainly a demanding task, it just might be a little easier than you think. If you follow these tips and tricks, you can turn this dingy, underutilized room into an effective storage area.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Simple attic organization ideas

Start with a clean slate

As difficult as it may be, the best way to thoroughly clean your attic, or any other space for that matter, is to remove everything. Take every box, bag, and container out of the attic and put it all in a single spot for the time being. This allows you to see all of your items so you can better visualize how to reorganize and store them. Clearing out the space entirely will also make it easier to sweep the whole room of any dust, debris, and other muck.

Recommended Videos

While all of the attic’s contents are in front of you, begin to categorize according to whatever categories work best for you. Consider putting holiday decorations in one spot, old baby clothes in another, seasonal clothing together, and so on. Then, methodically sort through what to keep, throw away, or donate. Repeat with the other categories.

Keep

Odds are, not everything in your attic deserves a spot in this storage space. Make the process a little easier on yourself by reducing the sheer amount of items that need to return to the attic and only keep what you need and use. Understandably, it can be hard to get rid of items, particularly sentimental keepsakes.

For these items, buy large plastic storage bins and designate a few for the most special items like family heirlooms, a few sets of baby clothes, or anything that’s important to you. If you have multiples of sentimental items like drawings, trophies, and old school books, keep one or two that mean the most and part with the others.

Whatever you decide to keep, make sure all the boxes and bins are clearly labeled so you can find them quickly when the time comes.

Donate or sell

Make a little cash with your unneeded (but good quality) items and sell them at a garage sale, through Facebook Marketplace, or at a local consignment shop. Be sure to do a little research to make sure you’re pricing each item competitively.

Otherwise, consider donating unwanted items to Goodwill, a community center, or a friend. If you give to a recognized 501c3 charity, you can even get a tax write-off for your donation. 

Trash or recycle

Don’t waste space holding onto broken or unusable things. If you haven’t gotten around to fixing or repairing them yet, chances are you never will. Toss it or recycle it and move on. 

Put everything back… neatly this time!

Once you’ve narrowed down your items to the things you really need and want, it’s time to put everything back into the attic. Designate areas for each of your predetermined categories and replace them one section at a time. Stack storage containers neatly and don’t forget to leave corridors between sections for easy navigation and access.

You can complete this over the course of a single weekend or slowly throughout a couple of weeks depending on your schedule and motivation.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

5 of our favorite attic storage ideas

  1. Clear plastic bins are the best way to store your valuable items, as all the contents are easily identifiable. For a neater, more uniform attic, be consistent with the size of your bins. Bins that are the same size will stack more neatly and give your attic a cleaner appearance. 
  1. Screw-in hooks make a great device for storing hanging decorations and heavy winter coats. Screw them into wooden beams for a quick, budget-friendly storage solution.
  1. If you’re feeling really ambitious, install suspended shelving between the trusses of your attic. Just be mindful that in order to protect your trusses, this shelving should only store lightweight items. 
  1. Old, outdated dressers are a great place to store out-of-season clothing or small, fragile knick-knacks. 
  1. Add a container or box near the entrance of your attic to hold items you intend to donate or throw away. Now, going forward, you can get rid of items you don’t need as you go instead of waiting until your next overhaul.

Having an organized attic will save you time, space, and aggravation. If you end up selling unwanted items, you could even make a little money, too. Having an easy-to-navigate storage space means you don’t have to spend hours rifling through boxes to find those Christmas lights every year. Putting a little effort toward reorganizing now will save you a huge headache in the future.

Kim Renta
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kim has written for Bloomingdales, Movado, and various e-commerce wine sites. When she's not writing about wine and…
How to maximize closet space: Our 10 best tips and tricks
Cluttered and disorganized closet? Here's how to maximize your space
Built-in closet with drawings and hanging white tshirts

Having a clean, organized space is like a breath of fresh air to the soul. When that space is small, though, it can be difficult to keep it tidy and free of clutter. One of the toughest places in the home to keep organized is the closet. Particularly when your closet space is limited, things can get out of control quickly, leading to an overstuffed and overcrowded closet space that makes putting laundry away a total nightmare.

The good news is that we have some small closet ideas to maximize closet space so you can invite better organization into your home. Whether you have a grand walk-in or a simple, small closet to store your clothing, we'll help you wrangle that messy closet by maximizing the space you've got.
How to maximize small closet space to tackle an overcrowded wardrobe

Read more
How to clean an oven in one afternoon with oven cleaner you make
Say goodbye to harsh chemicals and hello to a pristine oven
Open oven door on silver stove

Let’s face it: cleaning the oven is not a fun task. It's one of those cleaning tasks we forget about or avoid for months at a time. If only our ovens could clean themselves, we wouldn’t have to worry about all the grime and buildup from past meals coating the racks. Even self-cleaning ovens require you to scrub baked-on food and grease with a sponge and water before starting the cleaning cycle.

That being said, manually cleaning your oven doesn't have to be a stressful task. If you’re looking for a quick and simple solution to clean your oven in just a few hours, we’ve got you covered: Take a look at our tips for how to clean your oven without any harsh chemicals.
Choose an eco-friendly option for your appliance

Read more
Go beyond mowing the lawn with these 10 inexpensive landscaping ideas
You don't need to break the bank to have a gorgeous outdoor space
Landscaping stacked flower beds

A pristine outdoor space makes the perfect backdrop for entertaining guests or just relaxing with the family. Even if you maintain your lawn well, various factors such as weather, animal activity, and soil acidity can lead to a yard that's drab, bare, or otherwise less-than-beautiful. The good news is that you don't have to hire a professional or spend a fortune to upgrade your outdoor space. You can beautify your yard with just a few cheap, simple front yard landscaping ideas that are DIY-friendly and won't break the bank.
1. Create a pathway through your yard

If your backyard is an unadorned, wide-open lawn, consider breaking it up with a pathway. You can install large stone steps, wooden planks, or even a gravel path lined with larger rocks to create a whimsical lane through the greenery. Whichever type you choose, a pathway upscales your yard, making it look a bit more organized and aesthetically pleasing.
2. Upgrade your lighting

Read more