Our basement has been a storage/dumping ground for us. We have talked about cleaning it our for awhile now, but have never done anything. After spending Christmas at my inlaws house yesterday, it was VERY obvious that we need to get our basement cleared out so that we can start holding family events in our basement, as we have run out of room at everyone else's house for family gatherings!
I'm looking for ideas on how to store things in an attic. We have a lot of baby stuff that my 18mo old has outgrown (clothes, bouncer, swing, car seat/stroller set etc) that I don't want to get rid of just yet, but want it to be stored properly so that it will still be in good condition when the time may come to use it again. Are large storage containers and bags my best option, or are there other better options out there? Thank you in advance for your help!
Don't forget to take the batteries out of all the baby stuff. We learned this the hard way by leaving them in the baby swing for years and the batteries got all caroded (sp) and ruined the motorized part of the swing and we had to order a new one. So, don't leave any batteries in anything that you will store for a long period of time.
We use our attic for storage. I do make sure to take batteries out of things, but really try not to store things up there that are electronic because of the temp changes. I store most clothes in cardboard paper boxes and so far haven't noticed any problems. Our attic is finished though....but not climate controlled. I've never seen evidence of any pests, hardly even a spider, even in the eaves behind the walls. The bigger baby stuff I have in large plastic bags. I also made a little map/list of what's up there and where.
That's what I use in our attic. If it's not already set with plywood or like our ceilings tongue and groove you'll need to do so there's no chance of falling through. I read the other post I have never had a mice or squirrel problem, check and make sure all the vents to the attic are covered we use the mesh vents to cover ours
Does your attic have a floor? I would say that large rubbermaid containers and possibly those super giant Ziplocks are your best option. Also, keep in mind you don't want to keep anything up there that could be affected by severe temperatures and/or temperature changes. As far as the bulky baby stuff I try and put mine into large garbage bags to keep them from dust and bugs and moisture. Our attic only has floor on a tiny bit and we keep our suitcases up there and one shelf of stuff, but I wish it was bigger too so I could stop dumping in my basement too! Haha!
thru the years, several of my friends have used their attics for storage....& have regretted it. Mice, squirrels, & chipmunks can chew thru Rubbermaids quickly & easily! Nothing is sacred to them! My friends have all lost holiday decorations and clothing due to critters.
I would purchase storage tubs & create a storage wall in your basement. It could be flat panelled or simply a whole row of storage closets. Another option would be a wall curtain, hung side to side. BUT!!! I will mention that by storing in plastic tubs, you will run the risk of the clothing developing little bitty "rust" spots. My grandmother stored her quilts in a Rubbermaid, in her storage closet in her apt......& the next fall had little bitty spots all over the quilts. It was a heartbreaker! Adding a piece of charcoal in the tub will help absorb any moisture....
I have a finished basement, but have found that no matter what we do....it's still a junk collector. Everytime we have a party, we have to clean out the clutter. I now utilize every square inch in the bedrooms. I think, not twice - but usually three times or more!.....on whether or not I have to keep what I consider a keepsake. It's a difficult process for my entire family, because we are all packrats!
& as for the holiday decorations, I now store those in the individual rooms. In the living room, I use antique trunks which double as side tables & coffee tables. In the bedrooms, I use tubs in the closets & under the beds. & all baby equipmt (& other large things) are stored in the basement stairwell. I only keep what stores easily in that space. Good Luck!
Those vaccum seal bags that you see on tv, that you can get at walmart for pretty cheap, think they are called "Space Bags" are amazing. They saved us so much room. They keep water out, dirt, grime, etc, etc.
I would reccomend them to anyone. Try em out!
I know we have all seen the old movies where they go into an old house that has dust covers on everything and they pull it off and make a cloud of dust...LOL. I know an attic can get mice, dust, squirrels, spiders, etc.... If you truly want to store the larger things cleanly then I would see about getting some really large bags at a construction place for builders to put debris in. They are totally thick and sturdy. Mice can squirm around and get in anywhere they want so tubs are not good for keeping them out. They can also eat through plastic and other substances to get to what they want.
As for the smaller things...I don't store clothes and stuff anywhere but inside the house. I buy tubs at Wal-Mart that are the right height to go under beds, int he back recesses of a closet, all the little hidden spots that can be used for storage.
I trade out everyones Winter and Summer clothes. My grand daughters off season clothes store under her day bed in taller tubs, her day bed sits off the floor more since there are no box springs. Under my bed we use the large flat ones. Under the 4 yr. olds bed, it sits lower too, we also use the shorter tubs and the flat ones too. I also store my wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, in a flat tub there too. I don't have mice in the house so I know they are safe. Plus the room is temperature controlled unlike attics where the heat and cold can be much more extreme than we realize.
