# What kinds of things do you keep in your attic? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2019, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010 "2019-06-04T12:57:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/21 "2019-06-04T17:49:02Z")
If I fight through my clothes, I can walk into my attic. It gets hot in the summer, and cold in the winter, but it’s dry. My basement stays an even temp, but can get damp. So I store empty boxes, some unused clothing/costumes, extra luggage, furniture that should be repaired, and herbs I am drying in the attic. The basement is where the Christmas tree ornaments live. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/22 "2019-06-04T20:31:44Z")
I am also in the “empty attic” club. It’s too much of a bother to get up there to put things in there and then take them out again. The closest I have been to actually going into the attic is, I attached a small knob to each side of the attic “door” (it’s one of those where the entrance to the attic is just a piece of painted plywood that you knock out and then put back in place) so I wouldn’t ever be in a situation where, somehow, I accidentally “locked myself in” inside of the attic that I never go into. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/23 "2019-06-04T20:42:07Z")
You mean besides grandma? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/24 "2019-06-04T20:57:00Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Nothing. When we bought the house we found it had very thick blown insulation up there. It is significantly above the height of the ceiling joists. If we put anything up there to make a “floor” to put other items, we will smash down that insulation and make it less efficient. > > Good for energy bill, bad for storage. This^, plus the fact that I have 3 permanent outbuildings, a detached garage and a barn. If I have to start storing stuff in the attic we have major issues! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/25 "2019-06-04T22:26:39Z")
We had put a lot of our daughter’s stuff up there, including her childhood books, which are now part of our granddaughter’s library. Most of what’s up there belongs to our daughter and SIL, until they get their own place. Before that, I think we had a few random things, but not much - we’ve got a full basement, and when we moved here, we got rid of a lot of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/26 "2019-06-04T22:54:46Z")
Nobody mentioned having flowers in the attic . . . ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/27 "2019-06-04T23:47:26Z")
Huge pile of empty cardboard boxes–in case I move. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/28 "2019-06-05T00:04:31Z")
We store everything in the attic that we don’t want to store anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/29 "2019-06-05T12:31:53Z")
Mainly holiday stuff. Christmas ornaments, etc. A little bit of old stuff of the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/30 "2019-06-05T12:47:22Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Nobody mentioned having flowers in the attic . . . First thing I thought of when I saw **Jophiel** had a couple of toddler beds up there. And this has nothing to do with the actual thread topic, but holy crap! [There’s a new Flowers in the Attic prequel.](https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Attic-Dollanganger-Family-Andrews/dp/1982114398) ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/31 "2019-06-13T12:47:16Z")
My attic space is extremely limited; even though the attic is of a decent size, the builder only put flooring on a tiny section, and I haven’t felt enough need for non-climate-controlled storage to do anything about that. The water heater (yes, that was loads of fun when it sprang a leak) and HVAC equipment take up most of the space; I also keep some spare tiles, window screens, kiddie furniture, and cardboard boxes up there. I think there are a few boxes of crystal and ceramic things up there too. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/32 "2019-06-13T17:46:01Z")
Just a portrait of myself as I would look were I, oh 400 or so years old. And toys, lots of toys. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/33 "2019-06-13T18:49:58Z")
Since we got it insulated, the only thing we keep up there is luggage (wrapped in oversized trash bags to keep clean). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/34 "2019-06-13T19:56:48Z")
Our attic has a full stairway, so access is simple (I think the house was designed with the idea of turning it into living space). We keep our holiday decorations, winter coats (in the summer), extra blankets, old clothing (many of which we probably should get rid of), Christmas gifts (we often buy them years early), old toys we’re sentimental about, and various papers we want to keep. My wife also keeps her sewing machine there. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/35 "2019-06-13T20:30:55Z")
When we first moved in to our current house, we discovered this [giant paper mache shrimp](https://flic.kr/p/N5fkB5). So we didn’t look any further. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/36 "2019-06-13T22:10:29Z")
Making an attic into a livable space with a dormer is quite afforable, and gives you an extra room. Perhaps a guest room, or a room to rent out. > **[How to Finish an Attic: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow](https://www.wikihow.com/Finish-an-Attic)** > > Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage. If your home is smaller than other homes in your area, or simply lacks the necessary amount of storage or... These [newfangled windows-that fold out into a dormer & balcony are awesome.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-7d0akwEOQ) I don’t have an attic or basement, but I do have a little shed in the garden. It contains junk. Not insane amounts, but still. If I were more disciplined in throwing out junk, I could follow my own advice and make the shed livable. Unfortunately, a finished shed is less useful then a part of the house. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/37 "2019-06-14T00:29:58Z")
Wood that I may or may not use in the future. I’m glad the tri-fold is there. I was able to install my 5.1 and later 5.2.1 speaker system, but honestly, it’s not all that practical. I actually want to take the wood/lumber/timber out and store it in the garage. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/38 "2019-06-14T01:05:06Z")
Toys…:D:cool: ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/39 "2019-06-14T03:39:57Z")
> [@BobBitchin](#): > > Toys…:D:cool: Iswydt ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010/40 "2019-06-14T03:59:28Z")
Empty boxes for stuff I may resell in the future. Christmas lights (but not the decorations, decorations may be damaged by heat, or dropped while carrying up the ladder). Also a couple of bicycles that aren’t currently being used. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-things-do-you-keep-in-your-attic/835010.md?page=3)