If you’re like many homeowners, you probably use your attic or basement (if you have them) for storage. In order to minimize clutter throughout the rest of your home, these spaces can serve as a catch-all to store your belongings.

The thing is, most attics and many basements are not climate controlled. In addition, these spaces are often more susceptible to pests and weather damage, so you need to be careful about what you choose to store there. 

Here at Modular Closets, we love to help our clients think about whole-home storage solutions – and figuring out how to best utilize attic and/or basement space is part of that system-wide approach. 

Although an attic or basement can and should be used for storage, here’s a list of 5 things we commonly find in attics and basements that should never be stored there: 

Even in our increasingly digital world, most of us still have important documents in paper form. For example, you might be storing legal documents like birth certificates and passports and/or sentimental paper goods like old photographs and scrapbooks.

However, these papers might not survive in an attic or basement. You want to keep them somewhere they won’t be exposed to temperature extremes or the risk of water damage, mold, or mildew.

It’s better to store your important documents and papers in a home office or a bedroom closet, ideally in a safe or fire box where they will be protected and still easy to access.

Flammable items include materials like paint, cleaning detergents, propane gas tanks, and other chemicals.  You want to keep such items away from heat sources and make sure they won’t be exposed to temperature that are too hot or too cold.

Ideally, propane tanks should be stored outside away from your home, and when you’re done with paint, gasoline, and other chemicals, you should properly dispose of them.

Some homeowners like to buy food in bulk and keep all extras in a space like a basement. However, if you have an unfinished basement, this is not a safe storage spot for your food unless you have properly airtight containers.

If storing food is an issue in your home, you may want to explore customized storage solutions for your pantry in order to have more food storage capabilities. 

Do you have your old wedding dress in storage? Or maybe some precious quilts knitted by your grandmother? These sentimental delicate fabrics may get ruined if you keep them in an attic or basement, where they may be exposed to extreme temperature, moths, or other pests.

Ideally, delicate fabric items should be stored in an extra closet where they will be protected from light and moisture. Maybe you need a custom closet solution for an extra bedroom closet in order to have more storage possibilities?   

Extreme swings of temperature and climate conditions can ruin leather furniture and clothing. The leather itself may crack or warp, or there might be a threat of mildew or water damage.

For these reasons, it’s best to keep your leather goods in a climate-controlled area inside your home, for example in a bedroom or utility closet. 

If you’re ready to create a whole home organization system so that you can have multiple storage options that don’t rely on your attic or basement, one of the best ways to get started is with a custom closet. And our team here at Modular Closets will be happy to jumpstart your new home organization solution with a FREE closet design! 

You can get started by filling out the online form.