With the start of the New Year comes the holiday season – and with it, hopefully, comes the snow as well. That usually means digging up that skiing and snowboarding gear from the chaotic abyss of your loft. Now, lofts are used for storing, but few of them are actually organized. Most people just pile up all excess stuff and pretend space doesn’t even exist. However, keeping your loft clean and tidy will spare you time and energy in the long run. After all, having your Manhattan loft organized is a great New Year Resolution you can actually keep. Without further ado, let’s dive into some helpful tips which will get your storage under control!
Start with decluttering your Manhattan loft
The line between storing items long-term and piling up junk is a thin one. Along with the seasonal clothing and holiday gear, a loft also becomes a dumping ground for all sorts of trifles that will ‘come in handy one day’. Of course, that day never comes, which is why you might as well dejunk your Manhattan loft. This will not only maximize your storage space but will also result in you feeling lighter as well. Yes, the psychological benefits of decluttering as they can lead to lower stress hormones!
Once you decide to cut sentimental attachment to material things, you’ll find it much easier to get rid of unnecessary stuff. Start by taking all boxes down from your loft. Go through all the ‘memory’ boxes, old clothes and broken gadgets you’ve been keeping for years. Then, sort them out into three piles – the items you’ll throw away, the ones you’ll donate and the rest you’ll keep. In case you have furniture in good condition, you can sell it on eBay and make dejunking a profitable event.
Dejunking is the first step to an organized Manhattan loft – sentimental value is not an excuse!
Clean and insulate your loft
Now that you’ve emptied your loft, it’s time to take steps to clean it thoroughly and inspect it for mold and irritants. However, just cleaning it isn’t the same as preventing the same problem from happening again. To solve this issue permanently, insulate your Manhattan loft to manage the temperature and moisture. The goal here is to avoid water intrusion since it is the main cause why mold appears. Insulation also helps to maintain the warm temperature in winter and cold temperatures in summer. Figuring out what type of insulation to use and how much it will set you back can vary due to many factors. To be sure you’re making the right decision, it’s best you talk to a professional insulation installer in your area. The result will be a well-protected storage space where you can properly care for your antique furniture or grandfather’s clock.
Plan out your space
After the daunting task of cleaning and securing your loft is over and done with, that’s when the fun begins. Out with the old, in with the new – the perfect motto for the start of another year. Assuming you’ve cleared up some space by either donating or throwing away excess stuff, you’ll have plenty more space now. But, how you use that space is also what matters. Map out on paper how much room you have – leave enough space to move around, especially in the back. If your boiler is in the loft, clear out space around it for easy access.
You’ll want to distinguish between long-term and short-term storage too – it’s all about prioritizing. For example, you should provide easier access to boxes with seasonal clothes, while memorabilia can be placed in the back. It’s also helpful to sort out your belongings depending on the type, so that clothes are in one pile, gear in the other, etc. Organizing your Manhattan loft will help immensely if it comes to moving as well. You won’t be in a fuss over your belongings and relocation professionals such as Heart Moving Manhattan NYC will easily load and unload your storage for you.
Carefully planning the room layout will help you move easily around the loft as well as maximize space
Use the appropriate storage equipment
So the sketch for your rearranged attic is over and now you can safely bring back your belongings. And while you can get away with cardboard boxes for items such as books, fragile stuff will require a more careful approach. This is easily one of the most common things people forget when moving home, and the same goes for storing items as well. Just because they’re not in transfer doesn’t mean they won’t be damaged as time goes by. A simple accident such as stumbling onto a box can result in breaking valuable objects. That’s why, to prevent this, you should stock up on the following packing materials as well:
- Plastic storage boxes
- Wrapping material (blankets, plastic wrap, etc.)
- Packing tape
- Packing Accessories (Marker pen, utility knife, protective gloves, hangers, etc.)
- Installing rods or shelves in your Manhattan loft for easier access
Having the right packing material when organizing your Manhattan loft will secure your items and prevent fragile material from breaking
Make use of labels
The whole point of having a loft is finding what you need when you need it. Still, rarely anyone knows exactly where to find stored items. If you’ve spent hours rummaging through boxes trying to find those jeans you haven’t worn for years, you know what we’re talking about. But who can blame you, remembering what’s in each box is close to impossible, right? So, what’s the solution? It’s as simple as a piece of paper with contents of the container written on it – yes, we’re talking about organizing labels! Whether you find the printable ones online or go the DIY route, the end result will be a well-organized loft. You may even consider printing out a storage bin index, where you can label bins by numbers and have a binder that lists all the contents. Decorations can be labeled by holiday, clothing by season, photos by year, etc. Make sure the label is put on all sides of the container so it’s clearly visible no matter the side you approach it from.
If you have a lot of boxes in your loft area, you might want to make use of a label maker. Lofts can be quite dark and full, which can make finding specific items rather difficult. Once you’ve decided how best to organize your loft space, using a label maker to make note of what items are in boxes can be a big help. You can label decorations by holiday, clothing by seasons, keepsakes by family member’s names, books by genre and photos by year.
