We’re gearing up to replace the deck on the back of our house.  After talking about it for a year, demolition begins this weekend.  I joked with the contractor that this was not a “Gee, I’d really like a new deck” job, it was more of a “Hey!  Be careful, that railing isn’t actually attached anymore” job.  It’s pretty bad back there.

What’s worse, though, is under the deck.  There is a storage area under the upper tier of the deck, about five feet high.  There are exactly three items we are storing there:  a large lawn cart, a lawn mower, and the (ahem) “scooper” for cleaning up the yard.  Unfortunately, the previous owners left us with a vast assortment of “goodies,” stretching back even under the lower part of the deck.  Plant pots, tomato cages, old fencing, a rusty old wheelbarrow…the list goes on and on.  I told the contractor I couldn’t guarantee we wouldn’t find a body under there somewhere.

That’s the problem with a storage area like that:  out of sight, out of mind.

The truly sad part is that some of that might have been usable before it was left to rot in a not-really-all-that-covered area.  Now it’s nothing but trash.

Our new deck plan involves getting rid of the built-in benches, the two levels, and the trellis, and instead putting in a simple landing with stairs leading to the large deck below.  No storage under the bottom level; it’s too low.  Covered storage under the stairs, where I’m measuring to ensure things fit exactly.

Once it’s done, though, it’s our job to make sure that area is not where things go to be forgotten.  There will be no more blaming it on the previous owners; it’s all on us.  I hope I’m ready for the challenge.