Four Things You Shouldn’t Store in Your Garage or Shed

Garages and sheds can become dumping grounds for all sorts of stuff, but there are some things you need to find space for in your house. Between the heat, the lack of great ventilation and the increased risk for interference from rodents and bugs, here are four kinds of things you shouldn’t store in your shed or your garage:

Clothing, Bedding & Anything Fabric

It’s easy to put coats, linens, bedding and other bulky fabric items in the garage or the shed, but the same qualities that make those items soft and warm for you also make them soft and warm for critters. To avoid having small creatures make their homes in your boxes or tear up your fabrics to make their homes elsewhere, keep those items inside. Using space saver or vacuum bags can help reduce the space those items take and keep them from getting musty while not in use.

Food & Wine

Any kind of food can attract vermin and insects looking for an easy meal (even wrapped items) l and some non-perishable food – including canned food – is temperature-sensitive. Letting canned goods get too hot or too cold can diminish the quality and shelf life.

If you need to store pet food or birdseed outside, be sure to put it in plastic, airtight containers to keep it fresh and free of pests.

While we’re on the subject of food, lots of people store drinks in the garage. That’s mostly fine, but some beverages, especially wines, go bad when they get too hot.

Electronics, Vinyl Records & Film

Most electronics are heat sensitive, including televisions, computers, media players and game systems. While we’re on the subject of media, we’ve included vinyl records (which warp in the heat and get brittle in the cold) and film (which is a popular nesting item for rodents).

Paint, Stain & Solvents

It might seem like a no-brainer to keep these things in the shed or the garage – they are industrial and you don’t use them often – but you’ll want to avoid extreme heat for two reasons: (1) they spoil in extreme heat. Some paint will even separate. And (2) when paints, stains, and solvents are exposed to extreme heat, the chemicals cause smelly, dangerous fumes.

If you need help creating storage solutions, find your local TruBlue Total House Care technician today!