We’ve all been there – running out of space in our homes and thinking, “I’ll just put it in the garage for now.” Before you know it, your garage becomes the catch-all for everything from old furniture to holiday decorations. But did you know that storing certain items in your garage could actually be damaging them or even creating safety hazards for your family? Many common household things simply aren’t meant to handle the changing temperatures, humidity levels, and other conditions typical in most garages. Let’s look at what you should think twice about before stashing in your garage space.
Propane tanks and other flammable materials
Storing propane tanks in your garage is actually very risky, even though many people do it without thinking twice. These tanks are highly combustible and can leak, creating a serious fire hazard. If your car backfires or a spark occurs from turning on a light switch, it could potentially cause an explosion. The same goes for other flammable items like gasoline cans, oil-soaked rags, or certain chemicals. Even a small leak combined with poor ventilation can create dangerous conditions in an enclosed garage space.
Instead of keeping propane tanks in your garage, store them outside in a well-ventilated area away from your home. Make sure they’re protected from direct sunlight and extreme weather. For oil-soaked rags and towels, be particularly careful as these can actually spontaneously combust without any external heat source! Either dispose of them properly right away or keep them in sealed metal containers specifically designed for flammable materials. When it comes to extra fuel or paint thinners, consider whether you really need to keep them at all.
Refrigerators and freezers waste energy
Many homeowners place their second fridge or freezer in the garage, thinking it’s a perfect out-of-the-way spot. But this common practice is actually costing you money every month. When temperatures rise in summer, your refrigerator has to work much harder to stay cool, drastically increasing your energy bills. In winter, if temperatures drop too low, the freezer might not run as often as needed because the thermostat senses the cold air around it, potentially allowing food to thaw partially and refreeze.
If you really need that extra fridge space, consider placing it in a basement or utility room where the temperature stays more consistent throughout the year. These areas still keep the appliance out of your main living space but don’t force it to work overtime. If you must keep a refrigerator in the garage, try to position it away from direct sunlight and not against an exterior wall that gets hot in summer. You might also want to track its energy usage to see just how much extra it’s costing you compared to your kitchen refrigerator.
Paper items get ruined quickly
Those boxes of family photos, important documents, books, and other paper-based items might seem safely tucked away in your garage, but they’re actually at serious risk. Paper products are extremely sensitive to moisture and changing temperatures – two things garages have in abundance. Humidity can cause photos to stick together permanently, documents to become warped and unreadable, and books to develop mold and mildew. Even in sealed containers, temperature fluctuations can cause condensation that damages these precious items.
For irreplaceable items like family photos and important documents, invest in proper storage inside your home where climate conditions remain stable. Consider digitizing old photographs and important papers so you have backups. If you absolutely must store paper items in the garage, use waterproof storage containers with desiccant packets inside to absorb excess moisture. Even with these precautions, check on these items regularly for signs of damage. Remember that some documents, like birth certificates and social security cards, should never be stored in vulnerable locations regardless of the container used.
Food items attract pests
Those extra canned goods, bags of pet food, or backup supplies from your last big shopping trip might seem perfectly fine in the garage, but they’re actually sending an open invitation to pests. Rodents can smell food even through packaging, and garage doors rarely provide a perfect seal against mice and other small creatures. Once pests discover a food source in your garage, they’ll keep coming back and likely make their way into your home too. Even canned goods can be affected – extreme temperature changes can break down food quality and potentially compromise the seals over time.
All food items, including pet food, should be stored inside your home in cool, dry locations. If you buy in bulk, consider how much you can realistically use before it expires rather than stockpiling extras. For pet food, transfer it to airtight containers even inside your home to maintain freshness. The same applies to bird seed and other animal feeds. Remember that emergency food supplies need proper storage conditions too – instead of the garage, allocate space in a pantry, closet, or cabinet for these items. Your future self will thank you when you don’t have to deal with a mouse infestation.
Electronics degrade in changing conditions
That old TV, computer, or gaming system you’re not using anymore but can’t bear to part with? Storing it in the garage is basically ensuring it won’t work when you finally decide to use it again. Electronics are particularly vulnerable to humidity and temperature swings. Moisture can condense on circuit boards, causing corrosion and permanent damage. Cold temperatures can crack components, while heat can warp plastic parts and damage sensitive elements. Even if the item still functions after garage storage, its lifespan will likely be significantly shortened.
If you have electronics you want to keep, find room for them inside your home where the climate is controlled. For items you rarely use, consider upper closet shelves or under beds in storage containers. If you’re storing electronics because you plan to sell them later, remember that their value decreases every year – and drops even faster if they’re kept in poor conditions. Sometimes the smartest choice is to sell or donate unused electronics while they still work properly and have some value, rather than storing them until they become worthless or non-functional.
Clothing and fabrics become damaged
Storing off-season clothes, extra bedding, or fabric items in the garage seems like a space-saving solution, but it’s actually putting these textiles at risk. Fabrics easily absorb odors from car exhaust, lawn chemicals, and other garage fumes. They’re also magnets for moisture, which leads to mildew and musty smells that can be impossible to remove. Moths and other fabric-eating pests often find their way into garages and can chew through your favorite sweaters or family heirlooms without you noticing until it’s too late.
Instead of using your garage for textile storage, look for space inside your home. Under-bed storage containers, vacuum-sealed bags that reduce bulk, and rotating seasonal items in your closet are all better options. If space is truly limited, consider whether you really need all the clothes and linens you currently own – many of us keep far more than we actually use. For special items like wedding dresses or quilts, invest in proper archival storage rather than risking damage. Remember that even plastic storage bins in the garage won’t fully protect fabrics from temperature extremes, humidity, and persistent pests.
Wooden furniture warps and cracks
That beautiful wooden table you’re saving for when your kids get their own place? Or the antique dresser you inherited but don’t have room for right now? Storing these wooden treasures in your garage is a recipe for heartbreak. Wood is highly responsive to humidity – it expands when moisture is high and contracts when air is dry. These constant changes cause warping, cracking, and splitting. Even worse, wood is vulnerable to termites and other wood-boring insects that can destroy furniture from the inside out, potentially spreading to the wooden structure of your home.
For valuable or sentimental wooden furniture, the investment in a climate-controlled storage unit is worth considering if you can’t keep it inside your home. If you’re storing furniture temporarily, consider whether friends or family might use and enjoy these pieces until you need them back. For wooden items you do keep at home, use furniture wax or polish regularly to protect surfaces. Some wooden items can be disassembled to take up less storage space – just make sure to keep all hardware together and take photos before disassembly so you remember how to put it back together. Wrapped properly, some wooden pieces might fit under beds or in other indoor spaces.
Paint becomes unusable in extreme temperatures
Many homeowners store leftover paint in their garage, thinking it’s a perfect out-of-the-way solution for these bulky cans. But both latex and oil-based paints are sensitive to temperature extremes. When paint freezes, the ingredients separate and the texture becomes lumpy or stringy – making it impossible to use for touch-ups. High heat can cause paint to dry out or develop a thick skin that ruins the consistency. Even if the paint still looks okay after garage storage, its color-matching properties may have changed, meaning your touch-ups won’t blend with the original paint job.
The best place to store paint is in a temperature-controlled environment like a basement or indoor utility closet. If you must keep it in the garage temporarily, place it on an interior wall away from doors where temperature fluctuations are less extreme. Consider transferring leftover paint to smaller airtight containers that take up less space and are easier to store inside. Label each container with the room, brand, color name, and date. Actually, many homeowners don’t realize that latex paint only stays good for about 2-3 years even in ideal conditions, so if your paint is older than that, it might be time to properly dispose of it according to local regulations rather than continuing to store it.
Now that you know what not to keep in your garage, you can make smarter storage decisions that will protect your belongings and keep your family safer. Remember that your garage works best for storing tools, seasonal outdoor equipment, and cars – items that can handle temperature and humidity changes. For everything else, finding proper storage inside your home or investing in climate-controlled storage elsewhere will save you money and heartache in the long run.
