4 Garage Storage Mistakes
Your garage is a very useful space in your home. You can use it as a place to pursue hobbies or do work, a place to hang out or a place to store things you’d rather not have or can’t fit in your home. But, when storage takes over your entire garage, it can limit what you can do with your garage.
If your garage is overcrowded and disorganized, it might not be that there’s not enough space; it might actually be that you’re making garage storage mistakes. Not to mention, some things you just shouldn’t store in your garage. So, here are four storage mistakes you could be making.
- Bikes
One common mistake with garage storage is leaving bikes on the floor. When you do this, you’re taking up valuable garage floor space. You’re also posing a safety hazard.
Freestanding or leaning bikes with their kickstands out also increase their risk of becoming damaged by your vehicle leaving and entering the garage. Consider how much your vehicle weighs. We’re talking several thousands of pounds. That doesn’t take much to damage your bike’s frame, wheel rims, tires or gears.
It’s a better idea to hang your bikes on the walls of your garage which:
Stores them securely
Saves floor space
Protects them from damage
You can add some slatwall panels on the walls to hang your bikes up with strong hooks, allowing you to store the bikes vertically or horizontally. Also, you can add hanging accessories for keeping your biking accessories and gear organized in a single area.
- Chemicals
People often store dangerous chemicals in their garage, including toxic chemicals like antifreeze and flammable liquids like gasoline. Store your chemicals away from things that could create a spark such as lawnmowers, hot water heaters and grills. Keep them out of reach from your children too, preferably on a shelf they can’t reach.
You may wish to store chemicals in a detached shed or outdoors (again out of reach of kids) because the fumes from these chemicals can build up in your garage and are also dangerous. If you must store these in your garage, you’ll want to at least use a garage exhaust fan to properly ventilate your garage of the fumes.
- Yard Tools
Yard tools are another common garage storage mistakes. Many people store their yard tools:
In a low-quality tool caddy
Leaning up against a wall
Hanging on rusty nails or hooks
A better way of storing and organizing your yard tools is to put them on a slatwall storage system.
- Paint
Pain can spoil if you don’t seal it correctly and it’s exposed to intense temperatures. Store them in a dry, dark and cool space like a mudroom or utility closet. Don’t forget that paint can also give off fumes and when you have enough cans lying around, these fumes can build up. So again, if you must leave paint in your garage, be sure to use a garage exhaust fan to help properly ventilate your garage of the fumes.
Keep in mind, most all garages get hot in the summer. If you’re storing your belongings in your garage, you’ll want to protect them from the damage this heat can do. In this case, a garage exhaust fan can help keep the garage cooler and well ventilated.