Loft has been boarded - any tips on storage?

Slinky

Lysimache wrote: »

3. Everything will be kept in plastic boxes that are sealed at top because we know it's effectively like leaving stuff in a shed and there will be mice etc with time. Hmm, should we leave some mouse traps out?

Why do you assume you'll get mice? I've never lived in a house which has had mice get into the loft.

Gloomendoom

Slinky wrote: »

Why do you assume you'll get mice? I've never lived in a house which has had mice get into the loft.

I've lived in several, including the one I live in now.

I have about 12 traps set in the loft and catch around two or three of the little büggers every week.

d0nkeyk0ng

Having recently boarded my loft, I'll say two things:

1. Make sure you get some decent storage boxes. You may not get condensation but if there's a leak or something, you may not want to get things ruined. I used Really Useful Boxes - there's a size I found that's small enough to fit through the hatch. I'll reiterate what others have said - make sure you can take up and bring down the box alone. If it's too unwieldy, it's not safe.

2. Make sure you have some sort of system or layout so you know where everything is. You don't want to spend ages looking through. Label the boxes in such a way that you know what's inside without having to open and rifle through it.

Lysimache

Hmmm - we might have an air gap. No membrane. Will have a look.

[Deleted User]

Get some decent boxes because they will be up there for 30 years before you decide that you should have just got rid of the stuff in the first place.

dunroving

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

Having recently boarded my loft, I'll say two things:

1. Make sure you get some decent storage boxes. You may not get condensation but if there's a leak or something, you may not want to get things ruined. I used Really Useful Boxes - there's a size I found that's small enough to fit through the hatch. I'll reiterate what others have said - make sure you can take up and bring down the box alone. If it's too unwieldy, it's not safe.

2. Make sure you have some sort of system or layout so you know where everything is. You don't want to spend ages looking through. Label the boxes in such a way that you know what's inside without having to open and rifle through it.

Same here, in preparation for my house move, and also for long-term storage of books. Good quality, sturdy boxes that can be had fairly inexpensively if you look for deals.

The one downside is that when they are empty, you can't stack them inside each other ... (i.e., if you remove the lid and place one onto another, it sits on top, rather than sliding inside). I guess that will be true of any box with truly vertical sides but I have a load of Rubbermaid boxes from my time in the US and when empty they can be stacked inside each other to save space.

Lysimache

ALSO - anyone have any suggestions for stilts to keep boxes off the floor of the loft slightly? Occurred to me if there's a little flood ever in the roof and water pools up, might be worth having a slighltly raised boxes off the ground slightly.

stator

Water won't pool in the loft, it will leak down into your house

spadoosh

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hi,

anything stuck in a loft for more than 6 months is obviously not needed so should be chucked out.

It'll be less hassle next time you move.

Youre not one of those people who keep their christmas decs up all year round are you?