The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-14
MODERN HOME FORBIDS
 GARRETT ROMANCE

From the Knsas City Star.
 The romantic garret of our imagina- tion, which harbored chests and trunks containing untold Urea sures which were always brought to light at psychological moments, does not exist today These mysterious spaces under the roof are now converted into as bright and sunshiny a room as possible. and the trunks and boxes are opened each spring and receive our careful attention. Garments are brushed and aired and space being at such a premium in the modern house. only those things of real value or use- fitness should be stowed away from year to year.
 More and more are we beginning to realize that an accumula tion of old junk is not to be tolerated, for it only makes the housewfe's burden heavier, and gives larger scope for the ravages of things are often harbored for sentimental req sons. A broken chair may hold mem ories of a member of a family now gone "a frayod token may have belonged to a dear friend. and so 1t would seem sacrile3e to destroy them. But do we need these material reminders to revive memories of dear ones? It IS far better to dispense with these things Ut once and not make our garrets bear the brunt of
 
 by being made the repository for all those household articles which are too bottered or too ugly to be placed else- where odd pieces of bric-a-brac. pictures, unmended furniture, personal belongings, all find their way to the storeroom as "a last resting place, and it needs a strong mind with the true courage of convictions to destroy them utterly.
 V Of course, one must have some place to keep unused articles of value, if one is fortunate enough to possess some really good furniture made of well sea soned wood which can be done over' some day and utilized the garret Is their proper place. But they should be arranged with some idea of system to space. Why not divide your attic into sections so that there will be room to accommodate all your belongingse One large wall space should be kept for these odd pieces of furniture. the lar ger ones being placed next to the wall the smaller ones reaching into the room, that they may be accessible without climbing over large ward robe or bureau to reach them. Another part of the room should be kept for trunks, those which hold clothes that are in constant demand should be placed conveniently, those that are used for storing away garments which are needed but occasionally can be left in the rear. And empty trunks that are
 needed for travelling should be easy to get at In many households every trunk Is filled to overflowing with all manner of odds and ends, so that if a member of the family makes a jour- ney much time and trouble Is expend- ed in unpacking a trunk and finding place to store its contents. Try then,
 always to keep one or two trunks empt.N ready for use.
 The garret should be kept as tidy and
 c1pa any other. room in the hOu9e.
 It should have its regular cleaning day
 and if this is done conscientiously, the task of spring cleaning will not be such
 an arduous one Unfortunately. many
 garrets are unpla stered, and the rough
 boards and beams become inviting refuges
 for moths, cobwebs and dust. so when the
 time for thorough cleaning. comes remen1- Der to brush down the roof and walls first, penetrating thoroughly into each corner and creyice with a stiff brush Every garret should contain several rows of shelves, for there must be some place to hold the smaller articles which are vet too large to place in drawers Hat boxes--indeed. boxes of all sizes can be placed on shelves. and much time and labor Is saved by dictinctly marking these boxes with full recount of their co,, tents Summer and winter apparel GU: thus be dist nsuishe1 easily and each arr t!cle will have its particular place. If some such system will be carried out in this far-or realm, the garret's name will be shorn of it's terrors and the householder } will not have to dread it's annual clean ing day. Avoid bling furniture and trunks against attic windows. for they should he reached easily that the room can be aired frequently. And should the windows be allowed to be dirty and cob- webby because none but the family sees themf