What Not to Store in Your Garage | So Francy! Straight Talk with Kristin Francy

If you’re like most people, your garage is the main storage place in your home. Garages make the perfect storage spot because they’re large, and everything instantly becomes out of sight out of mind. However, depending on what you store in your garage, you could be placing your home and auto at risk! Below are just a few of the many items you could be storing in your garage that are putting you at risk. If you have questions about the items you have in your garage, give me a call or comment below.

Fire Risks

There are the obvious fire risks like extra fuel and chemicals, but even paint can be a fire risk. You never know how the chemical components might change, and if they are close to a heat source that could potentially start a fire. Having a lot of paper like documents or items packed with newspaper make great fuels for any small fire that might start.

Pro tip: I highly suggest not storing extra paint, but if you must I would move it to a smaller container. Put a marble in the airtight container to help it stay fresh. Make sure it’s sealed tightly and keep it inside out of reach of pets and children.

Heat Ruins Quality

Remember that your garage is going to get hotter in warm months and colder in cold months, making it a not so great storage area for things like furniture, clothing, artwork, pictures, and electronics. If you’re going to store these items in your garage, make sure they are properly wrapped and sealed so they don’t lose their quality in the extreme heat or cold.

Pro tip: do not store furniture for long periods of time, chances are the longer you store it the less likely you are to use it anyways. Same goes for clothing. Resell or donate furniture and clothing rather than storing them and risking losing their quality anyways. Keep artwork and pictures in sealed plastic storage containers so they are less susceptible to heat.

Food

Whether you are storing human food or pet food, both attract rodents. I can’t tell you how many people I have had come in to report an auto loss due to rodents getting up under their vehicle in the garage. When you store food, you increase your risk of getting rodents. Rodents can also cause damage in your attic and insulation, something you might not realize until the problem is really big.

Pro tip: keep your pet food in airtight plastic containers, don’t buy in bulk if you’re going to have it for more than 2 months at a time. Keep all food (pet and human) stored inside the house. This way you know you have it and can rotate items that have expired. Canned food and some boxed items also make great donations to your local food bank! Go through your pantry every 1-2 months to throw out any expired food items and donate the rest.

Items You Should Store in Your Garage

Things like tools and toolboxes or heavy equipment like a saw or lawnmower are great. I also suggest keeping your gardening supplies and sporting equipment in your garage as well. Make sure your garage doesn’t become a dumping ground. Make sure you keep items off the ground, even just a couple inches, to keep them safe from potential water damage should you have a leak or small flood. There are many claims each year for fire damage that starts in the garage. With fire season around the corner, now is a great time to clean out the garage!

The insurance agent in me also must suggest that you keep an inventory of everything you keep in your garage. Better yet, take pictures too! This way, should you have a loss, it makes replacing everything go a lot smoother.