20 ways you use your fake attic
"Out of sight, far-off" should not be an excuse anymore.
It is the great irony of the attics: although their main goal is to store old stuff - family treasures with old clothes with baseball cards to old high school directories, they are intrinsicallyterriblestorage containers. Inclined ceilings, clumsy geometric spaces, disgusting lack of dry partitions or even soil and suitable insulation. It is not surprising that you would never focus there, it's a disgraceous terror, where everything is pushed and nothing goes!
So, if you have a horrible world of chaos filled with dust flying over your head, do not worry. With the following practical tips, you can give your attic the full relooking it deserves and use it at its full potential, whether it is to store your stuff properly and efficiently or even to give you a New guest room. The possibilities are limitless! And for more attractive inspiration: if you are looking to turn it into something luxurious, do not miss these23 Genius ways to transform your attic into something incredible.
1 You do not make space safely
Most attics do not have the space between the joists - the wood that works on the edge and parallel under the ground to support it around the edges where the roof chevrons weigh on the ground. This is where you can see stimulating raw insulation. The problem is that if you press the insulation here, there is nothing to support your weight, with the exception of the dry partition that constitutes the ceiling of the room below. Most likely, you will fall through.
But if you are helpful, you can simply sleep from the plywood (cut to adapt you, or in your local improvement store) and cover such dangerous gaps. For maximum ease, you can buy special plastic terraces already the appropriate dimensions (and lighter than plywood) that go easily.Post them and you have increased the storage space while making your attic totally sure of walking you. And for more renovations more impressive, consult these23 Affordable Ways to completely reactivate your home.
2 You do not create an easy way to enter
Half of the time, no one even wants to rise in the attic, especially if the only way to enter is that one of these brutal scales and pulldown-stairs - which usually have a thin and thin metal guardrail. Then,Once you arrive at the top, you have to go on the floor of the attic, and it can become difficult to emerge gracefully in dusty space. Who wants to cross all this?
Our solution: Add a balustrade around the top of the opening of the attic, if you are good with the construction and renovations of DIY. The rest of us, however, should stick to picking up a ready-to-use option. The market is loaded with robust metal balustradesThis one of Home Depot ($ 26) -This will carry you a much less unpleasant task.Simply mount on the plywood attic floor with robust shift bolts.
3 You do not enjoy hidden storage spaces
Most medium-sized house attics contain at least a dozen farms, which is carpenter speaks for small triangular wood structures you will find connecting roof herring joists. These farms serve several functions, in particular by supporting the weight of the roof and the strengthening of the entire house.But if you just let these seated farms out there on the increasing wall of your attic, you lack an incredible opportunity to install shelves.
Measure the area between the farms and simply the head to your nearest home supply store and get cut-off shelves to adapt to space or buy shelves specially adapted to locations.Simply hang them, then load them with storage containers. Look at this: you are instantly more organized! And for more amazing home improvements, see these7 vacuums of amazing robots that will make your life so easier.
4 You put the wrong objects out there
Do not leave anything simply in your attic-consider the environment created in this space on the top floor. Few attics are heated or cooled, so they are very hot in summer and frigid in winter. (In addition, being high with a lot of air flow can make space inside a quite dry environment.)
These temperature and aridity fluctuations mean that you should keep objects like upholstered furniture, delicate fabrics, electronic products and candles from the attics. Old photos, paper-based collection objects (such as baseball cards) and flammable objects, such as old painting or varnish, should also go because the heat can make them combustion.
Finally, make sure to cover what you have installed with a tarpaulin. Or make sure you store stuff in robust containers.
5 You have not correctly isolated the space
If you want to use your attic for long-term storage, like most people, you can help keep everything you store in a perfect state by putting more insulation between roof rafters. Most attics have only isolated the ground, but will strengthen the environmental control will keep the temperatures more stable and your substance better preserved.
To go to the inexpensive road, simply fill the spaces with fiberglass insulation. It's cheap and easy to install and help keep the spatial cooler in summer and warmer in winter. For insulation that goes up quickly and seals everything that is tight, plan a crew to enter and apply spray foam insulation.Whatever the insulation option you choose, you are sure to help maintain energy bills and keep what is stored there in a better form longer. And for more ways to make the most of your home, discover the27 Genuine products Each owner should possess.
6 You have not installed adequate ventilation
The addition of insulation will also increase the humidity of your attic. So, if you decide to invest in an isolation upgrade, make sure you have a good installation for ventilation. Take a look at your home from outside. Are there any upheavals in the drops (the flat parts where the roof meets your exterior walls)? Or is there a weak vent on the top edge of the roof? Most more recent homes will have this, but older homes are not.
If you do not see any vents, nor a large circular metal or hooded roof projection (it's an attic fan), you may need to have a professional come and allow you to know what your options are for Add ventilation. Just make sure that if they suggest a fan, it's an automatic that turns on when temperatures grow above 100 degrees in the middle of the summer to keep things colder.
7 You do not take advantage of easy storage options
The hooks are a simple and inexpensive way to add additional means to suspend and organize curious objects and clothing. Almost everyone can easily add such a material to their attic, and it is certain to considerably increase your storage space.
You can pick up some of these brackets that target wooden rafters, or you can get specially designed items to adapt to chevrons - no screwing or perspiration, simply hang them, which can be easily rearranged for Welcome more items.
8 You did not add additional shelves
When you think of the typical attic shape, it's like an old puppy tent - two flat ends connected by two sloping surfaces. The flat triangular ends are called peaks and they attach the walls with the room and help support the entire structure of the house. Although they are extremely important for the integrity of the house, these managers also end with a large real estate for shelves in the attic.
Most attics are pinched by the Tangé roof, but the templates have a tonne of vertical space that can be converted into all configurations of shelving storage options. To putShelving purchased store easy to repair, or build a mix of shelves to store old grandmother cookbooks and hanging space for out-of-season clothes. For bonus style points: disengage a space and launch a chair and small tables for a snapshot.
9 You threw tricks out there without a plan
The typical attic is aMess of boxes and storage containers andLong-term relic stacks, which can make it easier to launch more there and add to chaos. But when you embark on an attempt at storage, move an extra step and make a plan.
Create areas for things that are the same clothes, souvenirs, orVacation decorations-And arrange them in logical spaces, then make a card or a simple inventory of what is what and where it is located. Or, if you have a big family, try to divide the personal things into zones of each member.When you carry stuff in the future, make sure to stick to the plan and keep things organized in the future.
10 You use cardboard to store precious memories
Of course, the cardboard is cheap and robust, but it will also slowly lose its integrity after being sitting for a few years through the extreme temperatures of your attic. They also attract cockroaches, who like to spend time within the warm limits, let their brand with brackets and nibble on soft paper.
So, so do not reuse old cardboard or choose a little from the store. Specify a little more and flex on robust plastic bins that have lock eyelids. Go for clear items for the items you need to go more often because transparent plastic will facilitate things to find and store.
11 You use inadequate lighting solutions
Most attics do not have great lighting. There is generally, at best, a single bare incandescent bulb that barely illuminates any of the space. This makes the attic difficult to navigate and a place where you do not want to spend a lot of time. But the upgrade of your attic's lighting is one of the easiest ways to make space more inviting and better organize.
Simply install some four-foot long boutry lamps, depending on the size of the space. Bonus Council: Opt for special lights that will agree in the workshop devices. They will last for years.
12 You did not put a lot of room on suspension options
Store old clothes in the attic usually means throwing them in garbage bags and dragging them on the stairs to drop in a dusty corner, where they love for years. But to make it more likely that you will use, or at least to remember, your clothes, put steel or cast iron stems to suspend.
They are easy to attach to farms with brackets or even simply to place themselves on points where two beams come together. But make sure that any zip in robust storage bags that will not deteriorate in no time, as opposed to fragile garbage bags that will fail after a few years in fluctuating times.
13 You are not intelligent to store stuff
When you propose your storage attack plan, take the time to think about how often you will need to access certain things. Put all the things you do not need to arrive very often in hard to reach places, for example, nestled in the spaces restricted by the blades.
Old tax files? Put them away, back in the corner. Holiday decorations, which are used once a year, should get closer to the environment and in a place easier to access. And do not just put everything together in large wide batteries. Make room for the aisles between your business. Try to limit batteries about the width of two containers so that you can easily access both sides when you search for any aisle.
14 You have not explored easily ways to get objects in the attic
Graid flickering stairs can be an frightening experience for some, especially if you are older. Add to a large heavy container and you can quickly undergo a sprain or even a pause because of a fall.
But you can make the process of adding more things to your attic (and the take-off process of old) easier with a single pulley and a platform system. There are many online DIY plans that a practical person can quickly set up, or you can bite the bullet to hire someone to put one for you.
15 You do not leave enough natural light
Since most attics are basically, all the roof, there are never enough windows - at most, two at the ends of the pinion, plus some lucates. If you are ready for a project (and you have construction skills), it is not too difficult to add some wells of light, which will considerably illuminate the space.
Ideally, add one or two skylights on the side of the roof that is away from the street to preserve the clean lines of your roof,For a maximum call from the edge.
16 You have not properly sealed your attic
Although the attics should have proper air traffic, with uproof upheaval and an attic fan, you do not want to combat high heating or air conditioning costs due to leaks between living space and the attic. It is therefore important to check the cracks and gaps where the air conditioning of your home (hotWhere Cold) can escape the attic.
Check around any plumbing or pipes that rise through the throttle floor by pulling insulation around them. Fill cracks and gaps with an inexpensive extensible foam of hardware. And add weather conditions on the gap between the hatch (or door) you use to access the attic and the frame it rests when it is closed.Once it's nice and sealed from the rest of the house, you should enjoy lower invoices and better efficiency.
17 You did not take care of harmful
Nobody thinks a lot about parasites in the attic. Most of the time, it's mice in the pantry, camel crickens in the basement and cockroaches, well, everywhere. But the attics can be very attractive spaces for the largest parasites, such as squirrels and raccoons.
Usually, animals are looking for a shelter of elements and a good hot place to be born babies (like hidden in a certain insulation), but they will also fill your attic with disgusting and chewing wiring,which is a serious fire hazard. Before you can enter, make sure the weak stains around chimneys or forecasts are secured by reinforcing with a new thick or hardwood wood (especially for the elderly). And if theyto doEnter, do not try to extract them yourself. Call a renowned-Asap pest control team.
18 You will never clean your attic
"Clean" and "attic" in the same sentence?! Yes,Okay. But really, it's a good idea. And if you have already committed to making changes in your attic space, there is never a better time to clean it, dust and wash it thoroughly. In addition: give him a new idea every few years is a good idea. The elimination of dirt can help energy efficiency, deterrence of pests and mold and control of mold.
First step: Get rid of all junk food, you never worry again. Then you move everything in the middle or exit it. Next, get a quality facial mask (there will bea lot Dust), slide on gloves and bring extra lighting. The dust first, aspire to all the corners and second necklaces, then wipe all the remaining dirt. Your attic will be good like new.
19 You never check water damage
The granaries are certainly a space that makes the true idiom "out of sight, out of mind." But, as they are directly under the roof, you should really think more about your attic - and the very real probability of water leaks.
With older houses, in particular, the worn shingles will leave water through, which will allow it to penetrate the plywood sheath that constitutes the underground roof. This leads to the rotting of the wood that then leads to leaks more leaks in the rafters and in dry partitions and other domains, causing expensive damage. So make a regular event to get in the attic several times a year and look for and all around, looking for dark spots or rings indicating water damage.
20 You do not plan to reuse it
One of the best parts of having an attic is that you can turn it into several different things. Some choices include:
A cinema
Since attic spaces are often strangely fashioned to be under a sloping roof, they make a big space isolated to create a home cinema. During renovation, consider making the flat wall at the end of the pinion where you place a Pulldown movie screen and if you niche seats under the sloping roof.
An additional room
The unused attic space is a privileged area for an extra room or two depending on the size: adding a more usable living space can help a growing family and add value to your home. And if you already have a dedicated staircase, the transition will be less expensive.
A desk
These lucky enough forWork at home-What have an unused attic space that has just gathered spider canvases and dust - should consider turning the top floor into a home office. The isolated space in a hideaway attic makes it ideal for a peaceful and quiet office space.
A GAME SPACE
The open floor plan open attics, as well as the low ceiling (ideal for small currents), make it a great place for a games room. You can add a lot of storage around the edges under the sloping roof. Oh and do not forget to reveal a TV so that children are entertained without disturbing adult time. And for more interesting DIY projects, consult the30 best elegant home improvements.
To discover more incredible secrets about the life of your best life,Click hereTo follow you on Instagram!