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When was the last time you cleaned up your attic? It usually gets ignored for a long time because it receives the least traffic. So years can pass without you even glancing inside to see its condition. If you recently went to check it out, did you get the feeling it was time to clean it and start the process of decluttering?
At Scarborough Disposal, we can assist you in cleaning out and decluttering your attic. It doesn’t matter which time of year you decide to work on your attic as we provide year-round services for bin rental in Toronto. The only thing you need to prepare is the bin pick-up by filling it up with the big items you can’t throw away. Following these ten steps for cleaning your attic will make this daunting task fun and easy while keeping you organized.
Before you start taking out all the items in the attic, clear out vacant space in your basement, spare empty room, or garage to store your stuff. You can place the contents from your attic sparingly throughout your home. But be sure all the items are in spaces that will be easy to sort out later.
After you’ve removed all the items from your attic, they should be empty. Put on a non-medical mask to avoid inhaling dust and walk around the attic to inspect each area. Start dusting the window frames and beams, walls, baseboards, behind the door, and all those nooks and crannies—dust any ceiling fans and light fixtures.
After dusting, start vacuuming all the dust balls that have fallen onto the floor. For large dust patches that can’t be suctioned by vacuum, sweep it up with a broom and dispose of it in the garbage. It’s hard to vacuum those small corners and nicks and crannies. It’s best to attach a vacuum extension with hose suction. After cleaning, throw out the dust from the vacuum bag or dust cup in the garbage. Then do one big sweep using a broom and dustpan. The final cleaning step is to use a damp mop or Swiffer to get rid of dirt and dust.
After doing a deep clean, be sure to inspect the windows and doors in your attic. Since the loft is located at the top level, a crack in the attic window or door may cause a cold draft. Look for small cracks and gaps and seal them up. After the final inspection, deep clean them with glass cleaner.
Take a generous amount of time to inspect your insulation. Not only are we looking to see if the insulation has fallen underfloor joists but look for signs of insect or pest infestation. Grime markings and foul odours are signs of infestation. If you spot this, you will need to remove it and replace it with new insulation. A sign of healthy insulation is when the floor joists are above the insulation, and there are no gaps. That means the insulation is still secure, and you can skip replacing it.
The second stage of inspecting your insulation is to look for any mould. Unlike insect or pest infestation, mould is harder to spot. So, we suggest you use a magnifying glass to gloss over the insulation to see if it has any dirt particles or mould spores that might be there. Be on the lookout for any brown, black, yellow, or orange particles staining the insulation. If you spot any of these discolorations on the insulation, it’s time to replace it.
After you’re done inspecting the attic, it’s time to shift your focus on going through all of your items and sorting them into three categories: Throw Away, Donate and Keep. For the important things you have decided to keep, store them in plastic storage boxes as they can easily be piled on top of each other. Once you’re done packing them in storage boxes, pile them in an area close to the attic for easy moving.
When you reach the items in your “Throw Away” category, go through the items one more time in mint condition and donate some things that could be useful to others. You can put your donatable items in clear garbage bags and drop them off at a second-hand store like Value Village or the Salvation Army. To find the closest charity in your area, check out the 2021 Top 100 Rated Charities.
Once you have disposed of and donated your items, circle back to your stored items and reorganize your items back into the attic. Try not to place them in their original spots and place the things that you expect to use closest to your attic’s entrance for easy access. For family emblems and prized possessions, put them away in a dark, cool area of the attic.
One of the biggest challenges when cleaning out your attic is where should you dispose of big things that can’t be thrown away or donated? In this case, we suggest you call a bin rental service like us! If you would like more information on our bin rental services, one of our representatives at Scarborough Disposal is here to help you with your attic project.
We never enter a home, and we do not lift or assist with loading the bin. All of our contractors have WSIB Clearance Certificates and our dumpster trucks are fully licensed and covered with liability insurance.
If you would like to request a no-obligation estimate on our bin rental service in Toronto, call Scarborough Disposal at (416) 265-7979 or contact us here.