Things that should not be stored in a garage
There are a lot of articles out there that will help you learn how and what you should store and keep in a garage at all times. But today we are going to look at the other side of the story. What should you not keep in a garage? The basics here are simple to understand. A garage is a place where you will park your car and where you will keep the tools and equipment you will need at some point. With proper organization, you can maximize the space and boost the storage capacity you have at your disposal. Anyway, let’s see what should not be kept in a garage.
Quick Answer: Keep Heat-Sensitive, Pest-Attracting, Valuable, And Flammable Items Out
A garage is useful for tools, outdoor gear, seasonal equipment, and durable storage bins. It is usually a poor place for food, keepsakes, documents, art, delicate fabrics, wood furniture, propane cylinders, gasoline, paint, varnish, and other household hazardous waste. The main problems are heat swings, freezing, humidity, pests, theft risk, and ignition sources.
If you must keep something in the garage temporarily, use the shortest practical time, keep it off the floor, label it clearly, protect it from water, and move hazardous or sentimental items to a safer location first.
| Item type | Why the garage is risky | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Food, pet food, and drinks | Heat shortens shelf life, freezing can damage containers, and food attracts pests. | Use indoor pantry storage, sealed indoor containers, or a temperature-controlled refrigerator/freezer. |
| Photos, documents, art, books, and clothing | Humidity, leaks, pests, and temperature swings can cause mold, warping, fading, or paper damage. | Use indoor climate-controlled storage, archival boxes, or a fire/water-resistant safe where appropriate. |
| Wood furniture and valuables | Moisture and temperature changes can warp wood and garages are easier theft targets than living areas. | Store indoors, in conditioned storage, or sell/donate items you cannot protect. |
| Propane, gasoline, oil, paint, varnish, solvents | USFA garage fire guidance says to store these away from the home; vapors and ignition sources are the concern. | Follow product labels, local rules, and household hazardous waste disposal guidance. |
| Batteries and chargers | Cold, heat, moisture, and poor charging practices can shorten battery life or create fire risk. | Store and charge according to the manufacturer instructions; avoid overloaded outlets and extension cords. |
Related GarageSanctum guides: organize durable items through the garage storage hub, compare bike rack storage choices, or review hitch bike racks for gear that belongs on a rack rather than loose on the floor.
Safety Notes Used For This Refresh
- U.S. Fire Administration garage fire guidance says to store oil, gasoline, paints, propane, and varnishes in a shed away from the home.
- EPA household hazardous waste guidance warns that products such as paints, oils, and cleaners can pose risks when improperly stored or disposed of.
- Extension food-storage guidance notes that canned foods stored above 80 degrees F have shorter shelf life and above 95 degrees F can develop food-safety risk.
- Paint storage guidance commonly emphasizes preventing freezing and keeping leftover paint sealed, labeled, and stored under appropriate conditions.
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Food
Food must not be kept in a garage unless you have a fridge here. Here’s why. Food will attract rodents and insects which will probably ruin a thing or two in your garage, including your car. Rodents can damage the wiring and insulation of your car, which can become a serious repair problem. The situation is even worse if we know that it will produce a bad odor after some time, which is another problem.
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Items you use daily
All of us have items and tools that are used daily. Those items should be kept within easy reach at all times and not in a garage. Simply said, you will have to open your garage, go there, find the tool, use it and then put it back in place. There is no need to do all of that when you can simply place the item at a better location where it will be easy to reach at all times. As simple as that.
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Wine and beverages
We know that wine cellar is a desire of us many but it is completely opposite than your garage. Wine and most other beverages require steady temperature, something that isn’t constant in your garage. When you keep the wine in a garage it will go bad after a short period of time and it will be ruined. This applies to most beverages you are planning to store in your garage. The only exception is when you store it in the refrigerator.
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Important paintings
Paintings should not be stored in a garage due to the same reasons as with the wine. A garage doesn’t have a constant temperature and humidity levels. This is even worse if we know that sunlight can affect the paintings as well. They will soon be damaged and you will lose precious painting. We were referring to the expensive and rare paintings but the situation is the same for all the paintings you may have.
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Jewelry
Jewelry is obviously better in the house thanks to the better protection your house has compared to your garage. Some of you will still keep jewelry in a garage and that is fine, but only if you have a state of the art security system. You should avoid keeping it there because burglars target garages first and they will be pleasantly surprised when they find jewelry inside a garage.
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Important or valuable documents
A garage can be a damp place that affects the condition of your documents. That’s why they should be kept in a dry place such as a living room or bedroom. You can still keep all the documents in a garage, but just remember that in a case of flood or damage you will lose those documents. They will cost you money to get new ones and they will require a lot of your time.
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Photos of your family and friends
Although we are referring to the photos of your family and friends, all-important photographs should be kept away from a garage. The reasons are the same as with previous cases. A flood or moisture can ruin the photos and you will lose them forever. Even if you have a photo album, photos of this type are not safe in a garage. In a bad moisture or flood event, you may lose them permanently.
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Clothing
Clothing can be placed and kept in a garage but isn’t recommended. This is especially important if you are looking for a place to store sensitive pieces of clothing. Moisture, temperature fluctuations, and humidity will ruin the clothing and you will have to replace it. After all, it should be kept in a closet and not in a garage.
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Furniture made from wood
Wood furniture should be kept in a dry place where temperature and humidity are reasonably stable. In a garage, the temperature will go up and down all the time. Wood contracts and expands with the temperature changes and will become damaged soon. Add high humidity and you are making the worst possible atmosphere for wooden furniture. If your garage suffers from moisture and floods, avoid keeping steel furniture as well. It will start rusting soon and it will be ruined.
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Gas tanks
Propane cylinders and other flammable gas containers should not be stored in an attached garage. A leaking cylinder, fuel container, solvent, or paint vapor near ignition sources can create a serious fire or explosion risk.
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Paint and filler
Paint is usually linked to fillers of some kind. Paint and fillers should be stored according to the label, protected from freezing, heat, and moisture. A garage isn’t such a place so you should keep them far away from the garage. If you still decide to keep paint in a garage, keep in mind that it won’t be usable after a few weeks.
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Car batteries
Batteries can lose charge or degrade when exposed to temperature extremes, moisture, or poor charging conditions. In addition, the car battery on your car is insulated so this won’t affect it. We should add that this refers to all types of batteries.
The bottom line
A garage isn’t a place where you will dump all the things you don’t need. It is a place where you will keep all the items you need and you are planning to use. Always keep in mind that the garage is suitable for items, tools, belongings and things in general that are immune to temperature fluctuations, moisture, and water. They won’t be damaged regardless of the fact how long you keep them in a garage and wherein a garage you place them. Use this guide as a filter: durable, non-hazardous, moisture-resistant items are better garage candidates than food, valuables, paper, fabric, wood, flammables, or sensitive electronics. Simply avoid the aforementioned types of things and you won’t have any complications.
