A lot of people find that garage storage is a real pain. Keeping everything neat and within easy reach might be a challenge when there is a limited amount of room but a lot of stuff to store. Sadly, many individuals exacerbate the problem by making simple storage mistakes in their garages.
Incorrectly storing things on the floor is a typical blunder. In addition to being an eyesore, this may be dangerous and take up useful floor space. Many bikes, especially those left propped up against walls or on the floor, are vulnerable to damage caused by cars pulling into and out of the garage. To sidestep this problem, use the overhead space in your garage by affixing hooks and shelves to the walls.
Another common blunder is letting too many unnecessary items accumulate in the garage. Things that don’t belong anywhere else in the house end up in the garage. But chaos and disarray can ensue in no time. To avoid this, it’s wise to frequently sort through your garage and dispose of everything that isn’t being used or needed.
Common Garage Storage Mistakes
Things that don’t have a proper home in the house usually end up in the garage. But the garage may get dangerously cluttered in a flash if things are handled poorly. Some typical blunders in garage storage that you should try to avoid are:
Failure to Utilise Vertical Space
Not making use of the vertical space is a typical storage problem in the garage. The lofty ceilings of many garages provide ample space for storing extra belongings. To keep unused things out of sight, consider putting up some shelves or racks in the ceiling.
Inefficient Utilisation of Wall Space
A second typical error is wasting wall space. Put pegboards, shelves, or slat walls on the wall to arrange tools, sporting goods, and other belongings. By doing so, you may better use the available space and locate specific items more easily.
Ignoring Potential Trip Hazards
Things kept on the garage floor, in particular, pose a hazard. Many people need to think about potential trip dangers. Avoid storing things in walkways and keep the floor free of clutter. Another measure to lessen the likelihood of slips and falls is to put anti-fatigue mats in place.
Putting Things On The Floor
Another typical blunder while storing in the garage is putting things on the floor. Damage to your possessions and issues with moisture and mould could result from this. Keep things off the floor by making use of pallets or shelves.
Leaving Things Unprotected From Mould And Dampness
Lastly, a typical error is failing to safeguard objects from dampness and mildew. Mould can flourish in damp and humid garages, causing irreparable harm to your possessions. You can use a dehumidifier or a moisture absorber to avoid damp air. Another option is to put things in plastic containers or boxes.
A safer, more organised, and more user-friendly garage can be yours by avoiding these typical storage blunders. Make good use of vertical and wall space, avoid things that could cause tripping, store items off the floor, and shield them from mould and moisture.
Do Not Store These Items in Your Garage
The garage, whether a gathering place or a mere storage area, may quickly become a haven for items with no business. There are instances where things kept in a garage might harm your well-being.
No matter how handy a garage may seem, certain things should never be kept there.
Propane Tanks
Propane is essential for any decent barbeque, and outdoor cooking with loved ones is a universally popular activity. You can fit some of the grilling supplies in the garage, but the propane tank should remain outdoors. A common source of one kind of leak is an incompletely closed valve, whereas another can occur in the tanks.
A hazardous and explosive situation awaits during a propane gas leak. Put the propane tank in a safe, enclosed area away from sparks, such as a garden shed, rather than jeopardising your life.
Clothing And Bedding
Overstuffed summer coats and linens require a summer sleeve. Racoons, skunks, and other common urban animals seek clean, fluffy nests. That alleged jumper will likely invite loved ones to join them if they feel comfortable doing so.
Alternatively, look for places inside your house to store winter clothes, such as in old luggage or sealed plastic containers.
Paper Products
More and more individuals are going green and recycling like crazy. However, recycling, if not done correctly, can lead to costly pest control issues.
Alcohol
It would help if you also didn’t keep alcoholic drinks like wine, beer, and liquor in the garage. When exposed to heat and light, they can change flavour and even transform wine into vinegar. Rather, find a dim, chilly spot inside your house to accommodate them.
Firewood
Those crackling winter fireplaces require fuel to keep going on chilly winter evenings. Please do not give in to the temptation to store your firewood in the garage for easy access: The bugs that come with that cord of wood can find their way into your garage and your home. Which option is most suitable for you? Protect your firewood from the elements by stacking it on a raised rack far from your house and covering it with a tarp.
Paint Cans
If you keep unused paint in your carport, you are not alone. But your paint will only be effective if protected in the hot garage, cellar, or attic. Put your paint in a laundry room or utility closet to keep it fresh for as long as possible.
Fresh Food
Pet food and wild bird feed are common household supplies, yet people need to keep them in the garage. The location becomes a five-star hotel with a five-star restaurant for rodents when food is stored there. Put the caps back on and put them in your pantry.
Temperature-Sensitive Items
The garage is different from the place to keep wine. When exposed to high temperatures, the wine loses its flavour and colour, rendering it unfit for human consumption.
Keep stains, paint, and refinishing solvents out of the garage since they will go bad. When certain paints separate, you may have a curdled, useless slop. In addition, a cement garage floor is ideal for rapidly rusting paint cans. That’s the scientific method.
Canned Food
Canned veggies will go bad if left in a garage throughout the winter and have a lower shelf life.
An assortment of canned goods, such as tomatoes, beans, and more, can spoil sooner if left in a room where the temperature rises beyond 70 degrees. You can defrost canned items if they freeze in the winter, but the quality can worsen.
Refrigerator
As the temperature outside increases, your refrigerator must work harder to maintain a cold interior temperature for your food. You can find it on your energy bill if it’s in the garage.
Wooden Furniture
Instead of letting it collect dust in the garage, plan to give your children or grandchildren the antique wood furniture you wish to pass down. The grain of wood swells and contracts in cycles because of the devastation caused by changes in humidity and temperature. Damage like veneer delamination and twisted wood could come from this. Some wood products can become useless after only a few months of storage in a garage.
8mm Film and Vinyl Records
Celluloid is a breeding ground for pests like mice, and when left in a hot garage, vinyl records get all wrinkled up like Grandma’s doilies.
Electronics
Consider thinking twice before donating that old DVD player, gramophone, TV, or computer to a charity if the weather is too hot or cold. After that, they won’t benefit anybody.
Bikes
Avoid storing anything with rubber tyres in an uncontrolled hot garage.
Gasoline
You can keep gas in the garage, but it’s onlyafe unifou know what you’re doing. Less than 25 gallons of gasoline is the limit imposed by several local fire rules. Be careful only to use containers that have been approved for gasoline storage.
Set the containers on a piece of plywood rather than the concrete floor to prevent condensation. This will keep them protected from extreme cold. Keep the containers in a cool, dark place, away from youngsters and direct sunlight.
Pantry Staples and Pet Food
The pantry takes little time to get cramped when you store rice in bulging sacks, flour in 5-pound bags, and cereal in family-size boxes. A fifty-pound bag of dog food? Where are you going to put it? Try to avoid using the garage as a storage option. Pests like rats and insects love to feast on food, and the unpredictable temperature changes in a garage can hasten its spoilage.
Cherished Mementos
Never store sentimental (or even monetary) valuables in the garage, including cherished stuffed animals, photo albums on CDs, vinyl records, and other cherished mementoes. Rodents, wetness, extreme temperatures, and bugs can damage your meticulously selected mementoes. Protect these heirlooms from dust and moisture by storing them indoors in airtight plastic containers, such as a closet, cellar, or attic.
Oily Rags
Never abandon used rags in a garage corner or any other unoccupied area after working with an oil-based substance, such as a stain or sealer. A single spark is all it takes to ignite oily rags, which are extremely combustible. A stack of greasy rags can self-ignite even without a spark.
Instead, lay the rags separately on a non-combustible surface to dry them. After they’re dry, please put them in a water-filled empty metal paint can, put the lid back on, and bring the whole thing to the nearest hazardous waste dump.
Books
Books, like photos, fare poorly in a garage’s damp, humid environment. As time passes, their spines bend and pages curl. The glue that holds books together is also a food source for insects like silverfish that may be hiding in your garage. Keep publications, essential documents, and photographs inside your home as well.
Plywood
Garages are a common place for people to keep discarded wood. It is typically not an issue for a short-term project. However, wood can distort with time due to changes in humidity and temperature. If you’re short on storage space, the garage can be an alternative for your scraps. Remember that the wood may have already warped and become useless when you want it.
Camping Equipment
Camping gear, including lights, coolers, and axes for cutting wood, can be packed into totes by nature lovers. Your sleeping bags should not, however, be stored in the garage. Sleeping bags are a perfect habitat for rodents and other pests, and they can quickly become mouldy if exposed to moisture.
Outdoor Toys
The garage is a great place to keep any outdoor-oriented possessions. Bikes, pool toys, skateboards, patio sets, and sporting goods fall under this category. To make extra room on the floor, put toys in boxes or totes and hang outdoor furniture on the wall.
Conclusion
Garage storage can be a hassle, but it can be improved by avoiding common mistakes. Common blunders include not using vertical space, wasting wall space, ignoring potential trip hazards, storing on the floor, and leaving items unprotected from moisture and dampness. To create a safer, more organised, and user-friendly garage, consider using vertical and wall space, avoiding tripping hazards, and storing items off the floor. Avoid storing items in the garage that may harm your well-being, as it can become a haven for unnecessary items.
Propane tanks, clothing, bedding, alcoholic drinks, firewood, paint cans, fresh food, temperature-sensitive items, wooden furniture, 8mm film and vinyl records, electronics, bikes, gasoline, pantry staples, pet food, and oily rags should be stored outdoors in a safe, enclosed area away from sparks. Keep these items in a cool, dark place, away from children and direct sunlight.
Store unused paint in a laundry room or utility closet, and keep canned food in a pantry. Keep stains, paint, and solvents out of the garage, as they can go bad. Store wood furniture in a utility closet, and avoid storing cherished mementos in the garage. Store sentimental or monetary valuables indoors in airtight plastic containers, and avoid leaving oily rags in a garage corner or unoccupied area after working with oil-based substances.
Keep books, discarded wood, camping gear, and outdoor toys indoors to prevent damage and pest infestation. Keep books, plywood, camping gear, sleeping bags, and outdoor-oriented possessions indoors to prevent mold and pests. Keep sleeping bags indoors to prevent rodent infestation.
Content Summary:
- Common storage mistakes include incorrectly storing items on the floor, letting unnecessary items accumulate in the garage, and not using vertical space.
- To avoid these mistakes, consider using overhead space by affixing hooks and shelves to the walls.
- Avoid storing items on the floor, as it can be dangerous and take up valuable floor space.
- Use pegboards, shelves, or slat walls to organize tools, sporting goods, and other belongings.
- Consider potential trip hazards by avoiding storing items in walkways and keeping the floor free of clutter.
- Avoid placing items on the floor, as it can cause damage and moisture issues.
- Protect items from mould and dampness by using a dehumidifier or a moisture absorber to avoid damp air.
- Avoid keeping certain items in the garage as it can become a haven for unneeded items.
- Propane tanks should be kept outdoors to prevent leaks.
- Propane tanks should be kept in a safe, enclosed area away from sparks.
- Summer coats and linens should be stored indoors to prevent infestation by urban animals.
- Winter clothes should be stored in old luggage or sealed plastic containers.
- Recycling can lead to pest control issues if not done correctly.
- Recycling can lead to costly pest control issues.
- Alcoholic drinks should not be kept in the garage as they can change flavor and transform wine into vinegar.
- Firewood should be stored in a dim, chilly spot inside the house.
- Paint should be kept in a laundry room or utility closet to keep it fresh.
- Pet food and wild bird feed should be stored in the pantry.
- Wine should not be kept in the garage as it loses its flavor and color when exposed to high temperatures.
- Canned food should be stored in a room where the temperature rises beyond 70 degrees.
- Old DVD players, gramophones, TVs, or computers should not be donated to a charity if the weather is too hot or cold.
- Rubber tyres should not be stored in an uncontrolled hot garage.
- Gas can be kept in the garage, but only if approved for storage.
- Store containers on plywood to prevent condensation.
- Store pantry staples and pet food indoors to prevent pests.
- Used rags should be dried separately on a non-combustible surface before storing them in a water-filled empty metal paint can.
- Books: Garages can damage books and photos due to dampness and insects. Keep essential documents and photos inside.
- Plywood: Garages can store discarded wood, but it can distort over time. Keep in mind that wood may warp and become useless.
- Camping Equipment: Totes can hold camping gear, but sleeping bags should not be stored in the garage.
- Outdoor Toys: Garages can hold bikes, pool toys, skateboards, patio sets, and sporting goods. Hang outdoor furniture on the wall for extra floor space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Neglect Garage Security When Organising?
No, it’s a mistake. Ensure the garage is secure, especially if storing valuable items. Invest in sturdy locks and consider garage security systems.
Is Stacking Items Haphazardly On Shelves A Good Approach?
No. Stack items neatly to maximise space and make it easier to access what you need without causing an avalanche of items.
Is It Necessary To Consider Weight Capacity When Installing Shelves?
Yes. Overlooking weight capacity can lead to accidents. Always install shelves and storage systems based on their designed load-bearing capacity.
Can I Ignore The Climate Conditions In The Garage When Storing Items?
No. Extreme temperatures and humidity can damage items. Consider climate-controlled options or choose storage solutions that can withstand varying conditions.
Should I Forget About Regular Maintenance Of Garage Storage Systems?
No, regular maintenance is crucial. Periodically assess and reorganise the garage to accommodate changes and ensure the storage system remains effective.
