What Items Should I Avoid Storing in My Garage & Why?

You enjoy hosting backyard barbeque bashes during the warmer months. To effectively power grills and cook up the best burgers, you’ll need quick and convenient access to a propane tank. However, this is an item that should never be stored in an enclosed area, including your garage.

A leaky propane gas tank can swiftly lead to an explosion and be deadly. Any small spark, including starting your car, can lead to a fire. Instead, store it outside in a far, shady corner of your backyard and always keep it in an upright position, away from direct sunlight and heat.

You may think that it's a smart idea to stash large, heavy bags of pet food in your garage. Unfortunately, this is a bad idea.  If stored there, you may be faced with enticing some unwanted guests, such as insects and rodents into your home. Rodents can swiftly chew through cardboard or paper packaging and contaminate the food. 

Instead, opt to keep it in a large, clear, plastic bin in your pantry with a tightly sealed top. The plastic will effectively keep both the pet food and your home, safe and pest-free.

If you’re a mechanically-inclined person or have a motor lover in your house, you may have old, oily rags lying around, especially in your garage. As with leaky propane tanks, oily rags can spontaneously combust and cause a devastating house fire, putting your family at risk.



Always safely dispose of oily rags and use new ones instead.

Warm coats, bulky bedding, and thick linens need a safe place to be stored during the summer months. However, a garage-type environment would not be the optimal environment to store them. Animals such as skunks, raccoons, and mice are always on the hunt for a warm, comfortable place to rest during the winter season. If they get into your garage, they’ll quickly form a nest in your beloved bedding.

Store seasonal apparel and bedding in clear, sealed plastic bins and place them underneath your bed, in the attic, or in the basement. This way, they’ll be safe from vermin and stay clean until you need them again.

Instead of taking up precious real estate in your fridge, you may be tempted to stockpile fresh and canned foods in your garage. However, this isn’t the best idea. Fresh food can easily spoil in extreme weather conditions and also attract pests. Even if you keep it in a second fridge, you’ll suffer from higher utility bills, especially in the summertime. To avoid a headache, simply keep all fresh food inside of the refrigerator in your kitchen. 



Like fresh food, canned goods will also become damaged if stored in the garage. This can lead them to have a significantly shorter shelf life. In fact, Good Housekeeping notes that if your garage reaches above "70 degrees" your food may be at risk of going bad. Keep canned goods that you use often in your kitchen pantry.

Many eco-conscious people are trying to adopt a greener lifestyle and are religious about recycling. However, paper products you’re keeping in your garage until recycling day can pose a major threat. If improperly stored, pests, such as silverfish and termites, can make nests out of your newspapers and other paper products.



Store your vital documents in folders in your home office or keep digital copies on your computer. Keep paper you’re planning to recycle in a large, sealed recycling bin next to your large trash cans.

Nothing is as cozy as a roaring fire on a cold winter's day. Resist the urge to store your firewood in your garage. Not only will it attract pests, but it will also lose its ability to burn effectively. Instead, stack your firewood on an elevated rack in your backyard and cover it with a plastic tarp to keep it dry.

You may not have any room in your home to house your precious heirlooms, but storing those antiques, including wood furniture, in your garage is not advisable. If kept in your garage, humidity and fluctuating temperatures will cause the wood to swell, contract, and crack. To ensure that your antique wooden furniture is safe, keep it in a temperature-controlled environment, such as a spare guest room or closet.

If you have old computers, gaming consoles, or an old stereo lying around, resist the urge to store them in your garage. Old electronics that still work will quickly get ruined from high humidity levels, which will damage their internal printed circuit boards. Instead, consider donating or selling them.

In order to preserve precious memories, don’t keep old printed photos in your garage. They can easily stick together because of moisture, fade, and quickly get ruined. Keep your cherished photos in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as in the back of your closet or displayed in a decorative album in the living room.

From dangerous propane tanks and paper products to cherished photos and antique wooden furniture, there are certain items that could become irreparable if stored in your garage. Keep your home and your possessions safe and sound by finding alternative storage methods, such as those mentioned above.

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