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| attic treasures (Photo credit: GWSA) |
Some homes have attic space converted into extra rooms, but those homes typically set out to make that accommodation by design. Many attics are difficult to get into, requiring a ladder and the agility to shimmy into a hole in the ceiling. These attics are usually uninviting areas of exposed rafters and unfloored with wooden beams and insulation material. Sometimes if you step in the wrong place you can fall through the ceiling of the room below.
Once the attic was a valued space for storage in many larger homes. We often see these types of attics in old films. These are the attic spaces filled with steamer trunks, unused furniture, dressmaker mannequins, boxes, and many other accumulated treasures. The attic of films is the place for hiding, mystery, exploratory adventure, and scary occurrences.
Currently I live in a newer house with the unoccupied inhospitable attic where only termite inspectors and air conditioner repairmen have ever ventured. I've poked my head through the opening thinking that I might use the area for storage, but quickly determined that our attic was not functional in its current state as a place for storage.
The houses I grew up in were a little more useful for storing things like Christmas decorations or other things that didn't need to be accessed often. I can't ever recall us having an attic you could go into and walk around, but they at least had flooring at the openings where you could put a few boxes.
The big attics of old are the ones the can hold the real treasures. I have a friend who told me that sometimes he'd go up to an old house with an offer. He would clean out their attic and haul off anything they no longer wanted. Now and then he would get a taker on his offer. A few hours of dusty, often hot, work and he'd haul off the goods to the dump, keeping whatever he thought he could use or sell. He actually went into business reselling toys that he had found in attics or elsewhere. I don't think he inspired the Aerosmith song "Toys in the Attic", but who knows?
Maybe you are fortunate enough to have a big old house with an attic filled with treasures, or maybe have some relatives or friends with such a place. If you've never taken the time to explore these old attics then maybe now's the time that you should. With the cooler weather the attic shouldn't be as hot. Dig through the archives of material accumulation to see what you might find.
Do you have an attic in your house? Have you ever explored an old attic filled with things? What are some treasures that you keep in your attic? What are some of the treasures you have found in attics?
I'm a renter, and I think there might be an attic (there's what looks like an old entrance in my bedroom ceiling), but who knows what's up there. This is an old house -- could be anything. Great, now I'm going to have creepy dreams.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was married to my late husband our house had an attic, old ornaments, children's school books and anything that wasn't being used at the time found it's way to the attic.
ReplyDeleteOne day my daughter had to attend the hospital for a knee condition, husband was in bed as he did shift work, We rang him to ask if he could collect us, on our return found the attic floor had colasped on the bed plus other ceilings, due to a burst pipe. After that nothing was kept in the attic.
Yvonne.
Since my mom is an OCD and compulsive purger, there was nothing in the attic of their house (built in 1889). My dad kept boxes of his plumbing paperwork up there in the 60s and 70s but after he retired, he had the attic sealed off. I never once even stuck my head up there. It didn't have pull down stairs or a ladder.
ReplyDeleteI live in a newer Florida home. No basement and no attic.
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate,
Shelly
We don't have any kind of attic space. No special treasures to be found. : (
ReplyDeleteI'm scared to go in the attic. I'm sure it's filled with spiders!
ReplyDeleteReal attics went the way of big front porches and side or back doors (the one family and friends used). I think we lost something there.
ReplyDeleteI remember there was a real attic in my paternal grandparents farmhouse but I never got to explore it. Our house today has one of those inhospitable kind. I couldn't get up there even if I wanted to. Attics are great fun for novels and movies though.
ReplyDeleteNo attics here, I'm afraid. Just an ever increasing desire to keep the clutter at bay. I swear this stuff breeds like rabbits sometimes!
ReplyDeleteKelly - What you describe creeps me out. An attic entrance in your bedroom is spooky. You should write a horror story using that prompt.
ReplyDeleteYvonne -- How fortunate everyone was away. That must have been horrifying.
JoJo -- Someday someone may unseal that attic and get a surprise.
Shelly -- Attics don't seem to be as frequent in newer homes. I guess they're considered impractical space.
Lorraine -- Spiders and who knows what other critters.
LD -- Love the old front porches. And you're right come to think of it about the back and side entrances.
Patricia -- Attics make a great story setting. So much mystery and a good place to hide.
MJ-- I've been keeping most of my clutter at bay. My wife still accumulates clothing and accessories though.
Lee
I don't think Aussies do attics like the northern hemisphere...or not as a general rule. Perhaps our "under the house" in tropical places, serves a similar purpose but isn't as weather proof. I hate to think how much more clutter I'd have with an attic.
ReplyDeleteDear Lee, the attic in this 2002 home in which I live if accessed through a narrow rectangle cut into the garage ceiling. I've never been up there, but I suspect a squirrel or two has because sometimes I think I hear the scurry of their nails.
ReplyDeleteThis sentence of yours brought back memories of the 1943 home in which I lived. "Sometimes if you step in the wrong place you can fall through the ceiling of the room below." Mom did go up into the attic and the next thing we knew, her legs were dangling over the dining room. Fortunately she wasn't hurt badly, but her inner thighs were scraped, red, and sore. Needless to say, no one ever again ventured into that attic. Peace.