The One Year Attic Rule

Guess what? I don't have to Spring Clean my attic this year! Not so very long ago, you could barely walk around up there without tripping over something. This is what it looks right now:

No, all the junk is not piled up at the other end:

 

Our family operates under what we call the "One Year Attic Rule", which was enacted a few years ago: If you put something in the attic, and it hasn't been used since last year's Spring Cleaning, out it goes! Of course, at first there were items one person or another (OK, usually me...) would refuse to part with, but it got easier with practice! When I was up there yesterday to put the luggage back, I was thrilled to realize that our attic has actually stayed clean this year!


Because of the "One Year Attic Rule", things just don't seem to even get put up there in the first place. We keep an old plastic laundry basket as a "donation bin" in our crawl space. When it gets full, we just take it to the YMCA Thrift Shop.


I have never regretted disposing of even one single item! I have never wished, even once, that I had something back that I sold or gave away. It's so much more important to feel organized and relieved of a junky attic!


So, choose a day that's not too hot and not too cold and get up there and get started! 


STEP 1: Throw away anything that's damaged, broken, or missing pieces/parts. These items are easiest to admit you'll never use again! In fact, do this everywhere in your house.


NEXT POST- STEP 2: What you want to keep that should be stored somewhere else...