Why You Should Clear Out Your Attic This Summer
The attic. An area for relegating old, unwanted, and long-forgotten household items, a storage zone for Christmas decorations, as well as being a no-go zone for much of the year. Attics are often under-utilised as spaces go but offer a nonetheless necessary function to any busy home. How often, though, do we really think about what’s up there?
The time for spring cleaning may be far behind us, deep as we are in the heat of summer. But de-cluttering is a useful household task year-round, for a wide variety of reasons. Cleaning out your attic, in particular, can bestow a number of key benefits upon your house and lifestyle. But why should you hasten to tidy out your attic now, and why can’t it wait?
Uncovering Value
First and foremost, attic spaces are often host to a vast array of what can only be described as junk. But beneath these piles and piles of unwanted items may lie long-forgotten things, from family heirlooms to unwanted collectibles that have incidentally gained value over time.
In taking the time to de-clutter your attic space, you may find yourself left with items of value that you didn’t expect; valuables you may be able to cash in on, or fund future investments with. A good summer de-cluttering could help you fill your Christmas shopping fund well in advance of the holiday season.
Creating Savings
Speaking of the holiday season, there is an ancillary reason for removing unwanted items from your attic, beyond the uncovering of valuables you could pawn or sell on. With energy prices due to rise significantly yet again, the winter is shaping up to be uniquely expensive when it comes to household utility bills.
As such, every little thing you can do to improve your home’s energy efficiency can have a profound impact on your winter energy spend. Contrary to conventional wisdom, packing your attic to the rafters with odds and ends could have a detrimental effect on your home’s energy efficiency.
Clearing out some space will leave crucial air space, which can have a pivotal role in regulating heat. Not only will an emptier attic cool your house in the event of another heatwave, but also keep it warm (in tandem with insulation and airflow regulation) in the winter!
Controlling Pests
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly for urban households, taking a judicious approach to clearing out your attic can give you greater control over the pests in your home. Attic spaces are a firm favourite for rats, mice and even pigeons, if there is room enough for them to enter.
Clearing your attic on a regular basis will ensure you remain on top of the space’s cleanliness and uncover any unwanted nests or pest evidence in the process. With cold winters inspiring animals to find safe refuge, ensuring your attic is easily accessible before the winter will help you stay abreast of any potential pest issues.
