Lofts are a handy storage space.
You can very easily pop things into them and forget all about them.
Then, one day, you go up there and let out a scream of horror when you realise just how much stuff you’ve accumulated.
It’s important to declutter your loft so you can move around easier when you’re in there and can prevent unwanted visitors, such as rats, taking up more of a permanent residence there.
Find out below how to declutter your loft and purge it of all those unnecessary items quickly and easily.
Get a friend to help
First thing’s first, don’t just do it all by yourself if you can avoid it. It’s a big project and you’ll complete it much quicker if you ask a friend, partner or relative to lend you a hand.
Have a declutter plan
It makes sense to store certain types of items in your loft, such as Christmas decorations, suitcases, sports gear you only use occasionally or items you’re safeguarding for children who have moved out.
Then there are other items that are less essential. These include old clothes, old household items, boxes for electrical items, old school books and old photos.
List the types of items you know you won’t want. You’ll dispose them with any hesitation when you come across them.
Clear out items that have no real purpose
Maybe you have an old DVD player, radio or some outdated device that needs fixing but has been sitting up there so long you’ve forgotten it was even there. There’s only one thing to do: throw it out. You’re never going to fix it.
What about items you’ve been storing for someone else? Now is the time to return them and free up some more space. There’s no doubt, too, you’ve put some items in your loft ‘just in case you need them’. You’re not likely to, though, so dispose of them.
Dispense with guilt
You’ll want to hold onto some items because of their sentimental value. That’s totally understandable.
There are other items, however, that you’ve hung onto simply because you feel guilty about doing so.
For instance, this could be a painting or drawing a late loved one made and you just couldn’t bring yourself to throw it out.
Free yourself from the guilt and get rid of these items.
Check that you’re storing items efficiently
Look around your loft — are you making the best use of the space?
Perhaps you could put up a few shelves for books, pictures or ornaments.
Maybe you could stack boxes or containers instead of setting them out side by side.
Use the space efficiently.
Have a disposal strategy
Some of the stuff that’s sitting up there will be ripe for chucking out, but other items could still be in good enough condition to use, especially if you’ve placed them in a storage container or wrapped them up in protective packaging.
Why not hold a car boot sale and make a bit of money from them?
If your property is in reasonable condition but not worth selling, consider donating it to a charity shop instead.
Have someone handy with a van at the ready so you can take items you don’t want to the tip or to the charity shop. Then you won’t feel tempted to hold onto them.
Once you’ve shifted all the clutter in your loft, take the chance to clean it. This can make it less appealing to mice and other uninvited house guests.
Take a leaf out of Marie Kondo’s book
If you’re a Netflix fan, you might have seen a programme called ‘Tidying Up’, which takes an alternative approach to tidying and decluttering.
Rather than focus on specific locations or bit-by-bit approaches, the star of the show, Marie Kondo, suggests something new: tidying by categories.
This involves starting with clothes and then dealing with books — Marie is renowned for being especially tough on books — followed by miscellaneous items and, lastly, sentimental items.
Her method is known as the KonMari Method™ and has become a major hit because of its effectiveness and emphasis on mindfulness. The person doing the decluttering should only keep items that bring them joy and/or speak to their heart.
Tidying your loft is also a good time to think about any other loft projects you might want to tackle.
Contact us for advice on loft conversions. We’ll be happy to offer a few suggestions on conversions or refurbishments and work with you on your project.
