Top 10+ things you should never store in the garage—no matter how much space you have

Cleaning your garage? Read this first.

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Key Takeaways

  • Garages are often damp and lack temperature control, making them unsuitable for items like art, important papers, and books that can be easily damaged.
  • Storing pet food and firewood in the garage can attract rodents and other pests, while hazardous substances pose significant risks.
  • Electronics and temperature-sensitive items like paint and wine should be stored in temperature-controlled environments to prevent damage.

While most of us use our garages to store our cars, they’re also ideal for storing just about everything else. From bikes to beach chairs and deep freezers—many items that we don't want to store in the house find a spot in the garage. But garages aren't ideal for storing absolutely everything. From delicate belongings that could get ruined to items that may attract unwanted pests, here are key things you should never keep in your garage.

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Art

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Whether it's a painting your kid made or a piece of art you purchased but don’t have the wall space for—keep it out of the garage. “Because the environment isn’t controlled, you’re leaving your precious artwork at risk for mold, mildew, and other conditions that could damage the works. Artwork should be stored in a temperature-controlled, clean, dry place without any humidity," says Alix Greenberg, founder of art and decor brand ArtSugar.

Important Papers

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

While most of us don’t need to access things like social security cards, passports, car titles, and other documents very often—it’s a bit risky to stash paperwork in your garage. Moisture and humidity can build up. Or unwanted pests may end up ruining these documents, which can be quite a nuisance to replace. Fortunately, paper doesn't take up too much space, so it's probably not a big deal to find a place in your home office or bedroom. If you insist on stashing documents in your garage, it’s best to keep them in a file box, locked in a safe, or in a waterproof container.

Books

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Even if you’re way past your college years, there is a good chance you’ve got a textbook or two lying around, an old dictionary (remember those?), or even that copy of War and Peace you plan on reading every year but don’t. No matter what it is, these volumes belong on your bookshelf or someplace else inside the home. Moisture will not only crinkle the pages, but can cause them to stick together, or worse—end up creating mold or mildew. If you have books you don’t want anymore, donate them to your local library or thrift shop. 

Pet Food

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

We all love our pets. So it’s only natural to want to keep extra food on hand. But it’s best to leave that 40-pound bag of kibble indoors. Unless you want to attract rodents and vermin, storing pet food in your garage is a terrible idea. These critters are not only attracted to the scent, but they can eat through paper bags and contaminate the food. 

Paint

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

While it’s okay to store paint in the garage for a few days in the middle of a home renovation project, it’s not a good idea to keep those extra cans there long-term. Most paint should be stored between 60 and 80°F. Extreme heat or cold can ruin the paint’s consistency. While there’s a chance frozen paint will be usable when it thaws—it’s simply not worth the risk. 

Wine

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Did you buy an extra case or two of wine to give friends and family for the holidays or to keep on hand for summer celebrations? It’s probably time to invest in a wine rack or fridge instead of storing it in your garage. Wine needs to be kept in a temperature-controlled environment or it could impact the taste.

Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Whether it’s sweaters you only wear during ski season, extra bedding and towels, or even sleeping bags, anything that’s made from fabric shouldn't be stored in the garage. Moths can eat through clothing and ruin it. Moisture can cause mold or mildew to grow. Rodents can nest in and chew through those old jeans. If you absolutely must store clothing in your garage, invest in vacuum-sealed bags and airtight containers. 

Firewood

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

You do need to keep your firewood dry to ensure that it lights properly, but a stack of firewood is a total pest magnet—so keeping it inside could mean bringing mice, insects, and other creepy crawlies into close proximity of your home. Use tarps or firewood racks to store it far away from the garage.

Electronics

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Unless you have a temperature-controlled garage, the humidity and temperature fluctuations in your garage could damage sensitive electronics equipment.

Hazardous Substances

Key Takeaways, Important Papers, Pet Food, Clothing, Linens, or Other Textiles, Firewood, Electronics, Hazardous Substances

Hazardous chemicals like pesticides can leak in your garage, creating a toxic environment. And gas cans and propane tanks can also leak, leading to a fire hazard. It's best to store hazardous products in a separate outdoor shed away from your house. If you do need to keep it in an attached garage, you should put it out of reach of kids and pets, and in a well-ventilated spot away from electrical outlets or flame sources like pilot lights or heaters.

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