10 Strategies for Organizing your Attic (or any space you've been avoiding)

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2013 edition of The Neat Sheet.

"This is the year the attic is getting cleaned out!"  While I seem to utter those words to myself every year*, I was determined that in 2013 I really would get the attic cleaned and organized.

Recently we updated my daughter's room, and the attic slowly got stuffed with her old furniture, plus outgrown toys and clothes. That was combined with the usual boxes, papers and other random items that get "stored" in the attic. Finally, there wasn't room for anything more!  So for the past month I have been diligently working on my own organizing job, and it's almost done.

Here's what I've learned along the way:

• Make a date to start your organizing project. I scheduled an organizing session with myself - even put it on my calendar. It really helped me get started.
• Gather supplies. My supplies included: paper and pen for notes; sticky notes to quickly mark boxes or items; gallon-size plastic bags for storing small things; empty trash bags; empty boxes and bags for donations; and my smartphone to look up donation guidelines from several organizations.
• Take stock of what you are storing. For my first attic session, I looked around to see what had accumulated, and got a sense of what needed to be done. This was more of an assessment and planning session.
• Break the project down into smaller steps; maybe make a list. After I took stock I made a list of smaller projects that I could do in short time periods. My attic projects included making decisions, selling items, sorting and purging boxes, moving some of the furniture we had stored in the attic around, and giving away items. I was as specific as possible so I'd remember what needed to be done the next time I worked on my project.
• Purge the easy stuff first, the "low hanging fruit" as some of my clients like to say. After taking stock and making my list, I went through and did the easy stuff first: threw out trash, pulled out boxes we had been storing and recycled them, and started putting the items to sell in a pile.
• Keep making dates to work on your project. I kept going by working on my attic in whatever downtime I had during the week, and even on the weekend while my daughter was at some of her activities.
• "Decide to Decide" as Kathy Waddill notes in her book, The Organizing Sourcebook: Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life. There were many things in limbo, waiting for decisions. Well, my husband and I made the choices for what to do with all things! Some were sold, others given away, and a lot donated.
• Once you've made the choice to get rid of items, get them out fast! Although I shed a few tears for some of the baby things that were getting sold and donated, I tried to get the items out of my house as quickly as possible.
• Keep similar things together and create zones for what you are storing. Some of the zones in my attic are: off-season clothes, furniture, travel bags, holiday decorations, kid stuff (clothes, dolls, toys, and books in separate boxes), and  work-related books and products.
• Check in on your newly-organized space at least once a year. Life happens, and even if your attic is organized now, it may not always be that way! If you've put in all the work to get it cleaned out, be sure to revisit what's in there at least once a year.

Have you tackled organizing your attic? What worked for you? I'd love to hear your ideas!

*The attic has been an ongoing organizing project of mine for the past 5 years. First, I organized 4 years of my daughter's artwork just before she started Kindergarten. The following year we had to have some re-wiring done in the attic, which meant every single thing was moved around...so I took a little time to clean some of the "stuff" out. Then 2 years ago I purged the 6 bins of clothes I had saved from my daughter. I also started to clean out baby toys, but never finished. I'm happy to be on my way to having it done in 2013!

De-Clutter & Donate: Anton’s Cleaners Coats for Kids

It’s that time again – time to go into the back of your closet and see what coats you can donate to Anton’s Cleaners Coats for Kids program. I know my daughter outgrew her winter coat last year, so I’m ready to pass it on.

This year Coats for Kids will be collecting coats from October 14th through January 11th. Coats will be cleaned and then partner organizations will distribute them to families in need throughout the Greater Boston area.

De-Clutter & Donate: ParentTalk Used Clothing, Toy & Equipment Sale

Needham area parents: it’s time to clean out your kids rooms and closets, go through your basement and attic. Then donate or consign your used toys, equipment and clothing for the huge ParentTalk sale on October 19th.

Clearing Kids Room Clutter

Weed Constantly. To keep kids’ clutter at bay, I find “weeding” to be one of the most important strategies.

“Weed Constantly” is Strategy #3 in Kathy Waddill’s The Organizing Sourcebook: Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life (p. 85). This is one of my favorite organizing books because the ideas are accessible and really make sense.

I was reminded of the importance of weeding while working on my daughter’s room recently. Last week we came home with a few bags of new fall clothes for the start of school, but the dresser, closet and “clothes to grow into” bin were pretty full. Before putting the new things away, I started pulling out tops, skirts and pant from the dresser and asking her “does it still fit?”  There was some trying-on, but mostly we knew what had gotten small over the past few months. Not satisfied with the dresser, I also moved on to the closet – taking out the PJs, sweatshirts, dresses dance leotards, and soccer gear. And don’t forget about the shoes pushed way in the back of the closet, a sure sign that they no longer fit.

I was pretty shocked that even though we had sorted out the “too-small” clothes back in May, there were still a lot that now didn’t fit. I ended up with two bags of clothes, and happily took them to the my favorite local consignment store, The Little Fox Shop.

Since kids grow so quickly, weeding their clothes often is critical to maintaining an organized room. My rule is to get out clothes that don’t fit right away. Even if the clothes sit in your attic, garage or car for a bit before moving on to their next destination, getting them out of your child’s room is key.

What Happens to Your Donated Clothes and Kids Toys?

Ever wonder what happens to the clothes and toys that you donate? Last week my daughter and I found out what happens with donated items at Cradles to Crayons. A Boston-based non-profit organization, Cradles to Crayons provides the essentials through donated clothes, shoes, toys and school supplies to homeless and disadvantaged children.

My daughter and I were very excited to work at Cradles to Crayons “Giving Factory,” the very creative name for their warehouse of donated goods. We arrived and immediately found lots of helpful staff and volunteer workers.  Once all the volunteer groups were assembled, we all had an introduction to the goals of Cradles to Crayons and saw the end product of the donations: a bag with a week’s worth of clothing, shoes, toys and school supplies for a child.

There are many steps that happen before that bag gets filled for a child. The first step is “Triage” – this is the first sort of donated items to be sure they meet Cradles to Crayons high standards.  Toys and school supplies go to one area, while clothes are then sorted by gender. 

Next the clothing is sorted. This is where my daughter and I worked. She loved sorting types of clothes – shirts, pants, dresses – into the appropriate size bins. We started with a large industrial-size laundry bin of a type of clothing. We looked to make sure each item met the quality standards and then sorted it by size. Working with other volunteers, over two hours we sorted at least for of the huge bins. Later we found out that our work at just the sorting station helped approximately 165 kids!

After the clothes are sorted by gender and size, they go to the Outfit area. Here volunteers put together clothing to make complete outfits. Cradles to Crayons strives to give a child a week’s worth of clothing.

Finally. other volunteers get to go “Shopping” where they pick out outfits, shoes, toys and school supplies from The Giving Factory shelves for a specific child. All they know is the child’s name, gender and age.

This was an extremely well-run volunteer experience, and I was so impressed with the work of this organization. My daughter and I can’t wait to go back.

Letting Clutter Go…for FREE

If you aren’t up for a tag sale to get rid of your unwanted stuff, how about giving it away? Your “trash” truly can be someone else’s treasure.

Here are some ideas for how to get things out for free:

• I love Freecycle and it’s rare that I can’t get rid of something through my local Freecycle network. This is a real resource, and I’m continually amazed at what I can give away that others want: old magazines, blinds and curtains, and old filing cabinets for example.
• The free section of Craigslist if you have one in your city.
• Find or create a Free Table. While walking to dinner with a friend last week, she excitedly pulled me across the street to see the Free Table in her neighborhood. Well known in the neighborhood, the Free Table is a folding table that is always out front of one house, rain or shine. Locals come to drop off items and pick something up. It’s a great way to recycle and keep things out of the landfill.
• Other friends had a similar idea when they were decluttering before a big move: they created a Treasure Bench. The bench was loaded with items they were ready to part with, and if you came to visit or attended the going away party, you had to leave with an item. I picked up some great kids books for my daughter, and a label maker…and I wasn’t even a Professional Organizer yet!
• Finally, if you are on the busy street, don’t underestimate the power of leaving something on the curb with a “free” sign. I cleared out three working but un-needed air conditioners from my basement just by putting them out on the curb last summer.

Of course if you are the one shopping for free things, please be sure you really need the item. It’s easy to pick up something saying you’ll use it but if you don’t, it quickly becomes clutter. Donate it or pass it on.

De-Clutter & Donate: Cars, Boats, Trucks

Not everyone will have a car sitting around to donate, but if you do I just learned that the Salvation Army will not only accept your used vehicles, but that they also take motorcycles, trucks and boats!

Other organizations that accept car donations include:

• Kars4Kids in Massachusetts
• Cars for US Troops (supports US Veterans)
• America’s Car Donation Center (can choose to support many different charities)

If you are in the mood for some big Spring cleaning, consider getting rid of that old vehicle, even if it isn’t in working condition.

De-clutter & Donate: Give Books to More Than Words

It’s spring cleaning time! And time to purge some books you no longer need or want. Donate them to More Than Words for their annual Spring Clean Book Drive between April 27th – 29th. Located in Waltham, More Than Words accepts books, CDs, and DVDs.

Check out their website for more information on the book drive, and how the organization empowers local youth.

De-clutter & Donate: Belle of the Ball 2012

Anton’s Cleaners is once again sponsoring the Belle of the Ball, a program to “clean and distribute prom dresses to high school junior and senior girls who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend their school's prom.”

Check your closet, talk to your daughter, and see if you have any dresses to support this worthy cause. Donate gently used dresses before April 1st at Anton’s Cleaners or Jordan’s Furniture locations.

De-Clutter & Donate: Coats for Kids

It’s that time again: time to clean out the closet and donate to the Coats for Kids coat drive.

Between now and January 8, 2012, drop off your unused, good condition coats for babies, kids or adults at any Anton’s Cleaners or Jordan’s Furniture store. They will be distributed to local agencies serving people in need.

How to Stay Sane? Tip 2: Get Rid of the Stuff

In my last post about how to stay sane during a kitchen renovation, I shared Tip 1: make a list (or two). 

Tip 2: get rid of as much excess stuff as possible.

In going through my kitchen to pack it all up, I inevitably found a few more things that we could let go; how many cheese graters and coffee grinders does a family need? As I’ve written before, home improvement projects create the perfect time to pause and purge.

And because I needed to store the kitchen items in the attic and the basement during the renovation, I was forced to confront those spaces as well.

The books and clothes from the attic that I had planned to give away months ago – donated.  The box of dishes and vases for the consignment store – taken.  The outdated cell phones and electronics from the basement – gone!  Some items have been sold, but most have been donated.

How do we get the stuff out? I used Craigslist to sell the exercise equipment we never used, a local parents email list to get rid of finger paints and chalk, and Freecycledother random items from a full roll of shelf liner to an HP printer/fax/scanner/copier that only functions as a printer. And I’ve donated books to More Than Words and clothing and small housewares to Goodwill.

After getting the excess out I felt much better and lighter. I guess that is the upside of a major renovation project. Stay tuned for more kitchen related tips.

One Thing Leads to Another

The time has come…we are having our kitchen remodeled!

Well, remodeled isn’t actually the best word since we don’t have much to remodel. I think of it as starting from scratch since we’ll be adding cabinets and counters, and modern conveniences like a dishwasher and disposal.

Since we won’t have use of the kitchen for many weeks, we will set up a temporary kitchen in our dining room with the fridge, microware, and crockpot. Of course, this meant that we’ve had to move things around in the dining room to make it function as a kitchen. We now have metal shelves set up, ready to hold our pantry supplies and some basic dishes. My daughter’s art table has been relocated upstairs, and the sideboard goes into the attic.

Ah, the attic. So to make room in the attic for the sideboard and all the boxes of kitchen things we won’t use during the remodel, we had to put away all those things that hadn’t found their way back to where they belong. Even though I go through things in the attic once or twice a year, they seem to multiply after I shut the door. So my other tactic has been to purge, purge, purge along the way.

And just so no floor in our house goes untouched, the kitchen project of course affects the basement, where the contractors will need to store things and come in and out. My husband has been amazing in this area, leaving no corner untouched. Screens that don’t match any of our windows – gone! Broken wood from our porch repair – gone!

I know firsthand that moving stuff from one room to another inevitably means something else gets moved or turned upside down.

If you are facing a big organization project (home remodel, turning an office into a baby’s room) don’t get discouraged. Make a plan and a list. Keep it in perspective. Work on one area at a time.  Get rid of as much stuff you don’t use as you can. And if you need help, call a friend for a few hours, or contact That’s Neat! Organizing.

Look for more tips on how I keep my sanity during the renovation project.

Shed a Little in the Spring

It was a good spring for purging around my house. The last of the appreciated-but-still-unused wedding gifts went to a charity auction to support a local community organization.  Yes, it was hard to let the crystal bowls and vases go, but after much angst I did it! And I haven’t looked back: the gifts had been sitting in our attic for 15 years, so I hope they are on to a better home.

Last month my daughter also set aside no-longer-used toys for her school tag sale (fortunately she didn’t buy back any of her own items at the sale!).

And I’ve been “weeding” our garden AND our closets…which has resulted in several bags of clothes for Goodwill or the Vietnam Veterans of America (they pick up!). It’s amazing how much we can find that no longer fits or that we just don’t wear.

Why this urge to purge in the spring? It could be that the annual school tag sales, book sales, and charity auctions make me take a hard look at items we aren’t using, but that could benefit others. It could also be that after a long winter, I am tired of everything and need to pare down our living spaces.

Whatever the reason, spring has become my family’s time to shed some unwanted excess. It helps us to live a little lighter and enjoy the summer even more.

Now I’m off to weed the garden instead of our closet!

For more inspiration, read my article on spring weeding for children’s clothes.

Time to Pause and Purge

My house was built in the 1890s and offers endless opportunities for “home improvement” projects…painting, plastering, replacing wiring, squeaky doors and floors…there is always something to fix.

I’ve realized that an unexpected benefit of home projects is the opportunity to reflect on our things. When things get moved around, it’s the perfect time to pause and purge.

For example, last year we upgraded our wiring, which meant that everything in my attic had to move so that the floor boards could come up, and wires and cables could be dropped down through the walls to the second floor. All my semi-organized things moved from one side of the attic to the other, or got piled up in another room.

Finally the wiring was complete and it was time to put everything back. Yikes, what a project! As I started in I was surprised to discover an old bent bed frame that was tucked in the attic corner when we moved in. Hmm, why were we keeping that?

Then I started to to take a closer look and realized other things could go. The waffle iron box for the waffle iron that broke three years ago? Gone. Several other empty boxes for things we no longer had—gone. Broken fans and carpet remnants—gone. Yes, that is part of what was in my attic, and I’m a professional organizer!

My next step was to group and sort the things we were putting back. A big revelation was to keep outgrown baby/child equipment together to go through at another point. We set aside some boxes of books to pare down later, and started a box of small items to donate.

This project was a reminder of how easy it is to stuff our stuff into storage spaces, only to be forgotten! So the next time you are forced to move things around—whether it is a closet or your entire attic—be sure to take the time to pause and purge.

More attic posts:

• Magazine Mania
• Knickknacks in the Attic       

De-Clutter & Donate: Belle of the Ball 2011

Anton’s Cleaners is once again sponsoring the Belle of the Ball, a  program to “clean and distribute prom dresses to high school junior and senior girls who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend their school's prom.”

Donate gently used dresses before April 1st at Anton’s Cleaners  or Jordan’s Furniture locations.

More Than A Toy Story

Have you seen Toy Story 3 yet? Our family saw it last month and really enjoyed the movie. It’s a fun coming of age story for Andy and his toys. (And anyone who grew up with Mr. Potato Head, a slinky dog, green army men, or Barbie and Ken will love those scenes.)

While watching Toy Story 3 I couldn’t help but see (behind my 3D glasses) that the movie also shares a powerful message about what to do with things when you outgrow them. I won’t give all the plot away but an important scene involves Andy and his mom “sorting” his toys into “keep” and “donate” piles.

Andy struggles while making the decisions, which is very true to life. It’s not easy to decide to part with something that was once a treasured possession. But Andy’s plan for his most-loved toys at the end was touching.

Enjoy the show!

TAG (Sale) – You’re it!

'Tis the season for tag sales. Read these tips from guest blogger, Janna Lufkin. 

Garage sales, tag sales, yard sales - whatever you call them – they can be fun, profitableand give you your garage back.

Summer is the perfect time to tackle this project. If you encourage your family to pitch in, by the end of the day you’ll not only have a few extra dollars in your pockets, you will have cleared some much-needed real estate.

Here are a few tips and tricks to organizing these weekend money-makers:

• Give yourself time to organize. A month before your sale, clear your house and garage of saleable items, go room by room clearing out closets and drawers and don’t forget to look under the beds! Box and price as you go.
• Choose a sale date that is NOT a holiday weekend. Families often leave town during these typical summer holidays. You’ll want as many people around as possible to attend your event.
• Purchase tags or stickers in different bright colors. Assign each family member their own color. When an item sells, keep the tag (stick or staple it to a sheet of paper so you don’t lose it.) At the end of the day, each family member will know just how much they sold.
• Make sure all electronics are in working order. Have an extension cord handy for potential buyers. Nobody wants to purchase something only to get it home and find it doesn’t work.
• Group items together. Set up tables for smaller items such as vases, knick-knacks, dishes and glassware. Group larger items as well, tools, garden items, furniture, kids toys, etc. Make sure everything is clean and in working order.
• Advertise your sale. Craig’s List is a great way to get the word out. Bright colored, large, neatly printed signs work well to grab a neighborhood passerby as well as a classified ad in the local newspaper.
• Have enough small bills and loose change on hand when the sale starts. Wear a carpenter’s apron to keep money handy and safe. Every few hours, stash the cash you’ve made in a secure place away from the sale site.
• Set up a free coffee table in the morning. Turn it into a .25 cent lemonade stand in the afternoon and get the kids to help. They make a little money – or – you could donate the proceeds to a worthy cause.
• After the sale. Immediately pack up and donate unsold items. Don’t put them back in the garage!
• Last but not least. Park your car in the garage – it’s a great feeling!

-Janna

De-Clutter & Donate: More Than Words (Waltham, MA)

For readers in the Boston area, here is a great reason to do some spring cleaning and de-cluttering of your bookshelves: support the More Than Words book drive April 23rd-25th.

More Than Words helps at-risk youth by giving them the opportunity to “take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.” The More Than Words used bookstore “features a wide array of titles, comfortable seating, and free wi-fi.” There is even a coffee bar offering Starbucks coffee, tea and baked treats!

April 23rd –25th More Than Words is trying to collect 6000 items for their store. Bring your unwanted books, CDs, DVDs and videogames to More Than Words in Waltham during store hours and help them reach their goal.

De-Clutter & Donate: LexFUN Consignment Sale (Lexington, MA)

Do some spring cleaning in your closets, attic or basement…and then donate or consign your gently used children’s clothing, toys and equipment as part of LexFUN’s annual Consignment Sale. LexFUN is Lexington’s Five and Under Network, which offers social, educational, and recreational opportunities to families with young children (infants to age five).

The Consignment Sale takes place on Saturday May 8th and benefits LexFUN’s Preschool Scholarship Fund. Find more information on the Consignment Sale here.

De-clutter & Donate: Dress for Success

This week I had the opportunity to visit a great organization, Dress for Success. Dress for Success “promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.” For over 10 years this organization has been supporting women across the country (and internationally).

Dress for Success seeks donations of good quality suits and other professional accessories to help stock their boutique, because all suits are given to their clients for free. The Boston affiliate has a schedule of clothing donation days.* This week I finally admitted that I wasn’t going to fit into those few suits left in my closet, and dropped them off. What a wonderful experience!

As I entered the office, I was greeted, my donations were reviewed and hung on racks outside the door. I was then invited to look at the “boutique” and learn more about the program. The next room was set up as a boutique store, with racks of suits neatly lining the walls. There was also a rack of handbags, and a center table with jewelry artfully displayed. The last room included dressing rooms a wall of shelves filled with shoes. There was even a section where Dress for Success clients could obtain attire for a second interview.

I was impressed at how polished and beautiful everything looked..it made me want to go shopping! Clients are treated to a dignified and professional experience. With locations across the country, this Spring, why not de-clutter and donate to Dress for Success?

*Note to readers in the Boston area, I was pleasantly surprised to easily find parking outside the office on Commonwealth Ave! The next donation day in Boston is Tuesday, May 4th. If you are a client of That’s Neat! Organizing and would like to donate a suit but can’t get to Dress for Success, email elizabeth@thatsneatorganizing.com and I may be able to drop off your donation.