Your garage is a great place to store excess items and if you are like many people, it may have even turned into a space for shoving and hiding away pretty much everything but a car. While it certainly is an ideal home for lawn equipment, tools, and sports gear, there are certain things you should never store in your garage. Because it is difficult to regulate temperatures and moisture levels in your garage throughout the year, some items could get ruined and might even pose a health risk to you and your family. Here is a list of common items that should never be kept in a garage.

Paint

We all have those half-used cans of paint leftover from a home improvement project that we are holding on to for touch-ups. However, the garage is not the best place to store them. Paint does not store well in extreme heat or cold. As the temperature in the garage begins to fluctuate, the paint will separate and become gel-like, rendering it unusable. The best place to store your paint is in a temperature controlled space such as a closet or basement.

Any Kind of Food

If you like to purchase food in bulk or take advantage of sales and coupons to stock up,  remember that the garage is not a good place to store it. Food is a sure fire way to attract mice and other unwanted pests. This applies to pet food and canned food as well. Canned food can be affected by fluctuating temperatures, causing it to spoil.

Books and Papers

The garage is not a good place to store your collection of books, magazines, or files of important papers. Since the humidity levels in a garage cannot be regulated, the humidity will eventually cause the papers to curl and warp. Paper is also highly susceptible to becoming moldy in these conditions.

Photographs

Over time you may have accumulated boxes of family photos but you shouldn’t store those cherished photo albums in the garage. Pollutants, moisture, and heat will quickly destroy your photos. The colors will fade, the paper will curl, and the images will eventually be destroyed as a result of the humidity.

Electronics

Perhaps you have an old television, gaming system, computer, or other electronic device that you would like to hold onto. Electronics are not ideal for storage in a garage, as the humidity and extreme temperatures can damage the circuitry. In addition, electronics are susceptible to moisture getting into the circuits and this can pose a serious risk of electrocution.

Propane Tanks

Propane tanks for your grill should never be stored in a garage. Rather, they should be stored outside in a well ventilated area. Putting them inside a garage is a safety hazard. The fumes could ignite when you start your car or there is a risk that your propane tank could leak, causing a potentially life-threatening hazard.

 Extra Refrigerator

Keeping an extra refrigerator in the garage is very common, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Refrigerators are most efficient when used in a temperature controlled space that hovers between 65 and 78 degrees. Since garage temperatures can reach well above that range, your refrigerator will be forced to work extra hard, which can hike up your electric bill and eventually cause the fridge to go out.

Firewood

While it may seem like a better place than the back patio, your garage is not an ideal storage spot for firewood. Unfortunately, wood piles attract insects, rodents, and other pests that could make their home in your garage. It's best to store firewood on an elevated rack, covered with a tarp at least 20 feet from your home.

Bedding and Clothing

It might seem like a good idea to store your out of season clothing out of the way, but a garage is not recommended for bedding and clothing of any kind. Sleeping bags, pillows, mattresses, or any other fabric for that matter should never be stored in a garage. Heat, moisture, and insects are the top enemies of linens and clothing and all of these are likely found in a garage.