Attics are the handiest places to store seasonal decorations, winter (or summer) clothes, luggage, large (but rarely needed) kitchen pots, and Grandma's ceramic serving platter.

Attics are terrible places for storing things that heat damages, such as photos, candles, crayon drawings, books, and anything containing adhesives. Attics are miserable places for storing heavy things, such as chairs, folding tables, artificial Christmas trees, and baby strollers, which are awkward or heavy to move up and down narrow stairs.

To help you clean up your attic, collect a few medium sized moving boxes (for give-aways), a trash can, and a few cleaning rags. Select one small area at a time, such as one shelf, one box, or one stuffed corner. Touch each item and ask yourself:

Do I like this enough to justify keeping it?
Will I honestly use it within the next 12 months?
Why am I really keeping this?
Does someone else have a greater need of it?

These questions will help you determine what to do with (keep, trash/recycle, give away) every thing in your attic.