Attics are an attractive space for storage. Plenty of room. Dry. Out of the way. But what can be safely stored? Attic temperature fluctuations, humidity, and possible pest infestations can ruin stored items.
Attic access often limits the size of items that can go up there but the attic conditions determine what is safe to store.
- Temperature – Some attic temperatures vary between below freezing to above 100 degrees F. Anything that is temperature sensitive–cold or hot–cannot be safely stored in an attic.
- Humidity – High humidity damages many types of stored items. It also encourages mold growth. Humidity and attic condensation are caused by lack of insulation and poor ventilation. Controlling humidity is essential for safe attic storage.
- Pests – Unless the attic is pest-proof, the only items that can be stored safely are those that resist pests. Mice or squirrels in the attic will gnaw on anything to wear down their teeth. They also build nests and leave urine and feces everywhere. Only items in pest-resistant containers are truly safe.
What Can be Stored Safely?
A good guide to what can be safely stored in the attic is “anything you can do without.” Regardless of how secure the attic space is when you store things in it, something may happen. Strong winds remove shingles and rain pours in. Attic pests move in. Humidity builds up. Mold starts growing. Items that can be stored safely include:
- Seasonal Decorations – Outdoor decorations are manufactured to withstand the elements.
- Seasonal Clothing – Outdoor clothing and footwear.
- Memorabilia – Sentimental items that do not react badly to humidity.
- Sporting Equipment – Most sporting equipment is manufactured for outdoor use and withstands humidity.
- Toys – Anything that withstands humidity.
- Kitchen and Dining Supplies – Rarely used items like extra cutlery, dishes, glasses, cooking utensils, and tools.
- Luggage – Designed and manufactured for security and all-weather use.
All items stored in attics should be put in some kind of container. Even artificial Christmas trees are better wrapped in a tarp or ground sheet. Most of these items will survive well in cardboard boxes, but storing them in plastic containers provides much better protection.
Cardboard boxes are plentiful and usually free or inexpensive and a poor choice of containers in the attic. They absorb moisture and grow mold, attract rodents and bugs, and disintegrate when wet.
Heavy plastic lockers or 5-gallon pails with tight lids provide superior protection for everything stored in attics. They are stackable and easy to label. Very water resistant and reusable. They cost more than cardboard but usually last a lifetime.
Plastic containers expand the list of items that can be stored safely in an attic. Books, pictures, and fabric are much safer in plastic than cardboard.
What To Keep Out Of the Attic
Some items should never be stored in attics:
- Food – Even factory-canned food is affected by large temperature fluctuations.
- Electronics – Humidity and condensation rust and corrode electrical equipment.
- Photographs – Humidity can cause permanent damage.
- Clothing – Mold, moths, musty smell, cracked leather.
- Books, Magazines, and Documents – Damaged by humidity and chewed by pests. Some insects like cockroaches and silverfish eat the glue of book binding.
