Don’t Store These Things in Your Garage!
If you’re like most homeowners, storage space is at a premium. When closets are full and there’s no room under the beds, the garage can feel like the perfect spot for overflow. But how safe is it to store certain items in your garage? Some belongings can be damaged by heat and humidity, while others can even create fire or pest risks. The team at Ernest Homes rounded up expert advice on what not to store in your garage—and where those items are better off living.
Giant Sacks of Pet Food
Those 50+ pound bags of chow from the warehouse club can be great money savers, but only if you store them correctly. Cardboard or paper packaging is an open invitation for rodents and insects to move in. If you have no choice but to keep bulk pet food in the garage, pour it into snap-tight plastic storage bins or an old-school aluminum trash can with a secure lid to keep pests out.
Fabric and Soft Goods
Clothing, sleeping bags, rugs, bedding, plush toys, and mattresses should stay far away from the garage. Heat, humidity, and bugs are natural enemies of fabric—and all three are common in this space. Unless your garage is fully conditioned, fabric items are at risk of mold, mildew, and insect damage. Store them in labeled bins inside your home or in a climate-controlled storage area instead.
Fuel, Firewood, and Propane Tanks
It’s tempting to stash firewood just outside the interior door for easy access, but wood attracts pests that hitch a ride into your home. Keep firewood outdoors and off the ground. Propane tanks should never be stored in the garage; they’re designed for outdoor storage only. A leaking tank can allow fumes to build up, creating both poisoning and explosion risks.
Gasoline is another item to handle with care. If you must keep small amounts on hand, use an approved plastic container and place it on a piece of plywood instead of directly on concrete. Store it away from direct sunlight and any ignition sources.
Overflow Refrigerators and Freezers
Many homes have a “spare” fridge or freezer chugging away in the garage, holding extra drinks or frozen food. Unfortunately, garages often get much hotter or colder than the ideal operating range for these appliances. Refrigerators work best between about 65° and 78°F. In summer, a garage can easily exceed 100°, forcing appliances to work overtime and driving up your electric bill. In winter, very low temperatures can cause food to freeze or spoil.
Electronics and Old Devices
Humidity is the enemy of electronics. Delicate circuit boards can corrode or fail when exposed to moisture. Tiny insects can also crawl inside and damage internal parts. Instead of stacking old computers, printers, game consoles, and media players in your garage, consider donating or recycling them as soon as you replace them.
Printed Photos and Paper Documents
Non-digital photos and important paperwork need a cool, dark, dry space. In a garage, temperature swings and humidity can cause photos to fade, curl, or stick together. Paper files, tax returns, and keepsake books can become food and nesting material for insects and rodents. Store these items in sealed containers inside your home, in a closet or under-bed storage.
Paint and Household Chemicals
It’s fine to keep paint in the garage for a short time while you’re actively working on a project. Long term, though, extreme temperatures can cause paint to separate, clump, or spoil. Seal the can tightly and move it to an indoor utility closet if you plan to keep it for touch-ups. The same rule applies to many household chemicals that are sensitive to heat and cold—always check the label for storage recommendations.
Wine and Other Temperature-Sensitive Foods
Wine needs to be stored in a stable, moderate environment to preserve its taste, color, and aroma. Garages, with their big temperature swings, are one of the worst places to keep bottles for more than a very short time. Canned goods and home-canned foods also do best in spaces kept between about 50° and 70°F. High heat and humidity can shorten shelf life and even make food unsafe. Move these items inside to a pantry or interior closet.
Greasy, Oily Rags
If someone in your household loves tinkering with engines, tools, or DIY projects, pay extra attention to how oily rags are handled. Rags soaked with oil or grease can spontaneously combust if they aren’t dried and stored properly. Lay them flat outside to dry completely, then place them in a sealed metal container for disposal. Once a rag is saturated with oil, it should never be brought back into the house or stored loose in the garage.
Make the Most of Safe Storage
Your garage can still be a valuable storage zone—just choose the right items. Tools, seasonal décor in sealed bins, lawn equipment, and sports gear all do well in this hardworking space. For everything else, think “cool, dry, and clean” and move it indoors.
Looking for a new home with smarter storage and thoughtfully designed garages? Explore Ernest Homes communities or contact our team to learn more about our new construction homes and storage-friendly floor plans.
