storing items in the heat (live in, storage, stores)

[meem]

Hi - we, like many others are moving to the Ft Worth area. I was wondering what people's experience has been with storing items in your garage in the heat? Does it damage clothes? Or holiday decorations? Etc.

I've read about the bugs (cockroaches) and their love of cardboard.

Anything else to look out for?? We are coming from having a HUGE storage room in our basement and I just look at all our stuff and wonder - WHERE am I going to put this all??? Thanks in advance for the help!! amy =)

[pfw]

I've never had any problems storing stuff in the garage or attic. Just remember, do not store any holiday candles in the attic, they'll definitely melt.

[MaryS80]

You can get roaches, mice, rats, possums, and raccoons in your garage. The larger critters need a place to hide so they are less common. Rodents and bugs can come in through and small crack or opening, and hide anywhere. Since our we don't have a long enough hard freeze, bugs are a part of life. Even the best of housekeepers has an uninvited guest sometimes. If you don't have any outdoor pets, you can prevent a lot of pests by sprinkling bug poison around the perimeter of you house.

The heat isn't really a problem for most anything that can be stored in a garage. Moistures is what you have to watch out for. Not all garage doors have seals on the bottom, or sit flush with the ground. During one of our torrential down pours water can accumulate on the driveway and seep in to your garage. This can ruin things like books, magazine and photos.

[Canine*Castle]

I have found that storing items in the garage is not wise. The heat does damage things such as wood, cracking it and drying it out terribly. I would never store my Christmas decorations that I care about in the garage because if the heat doesn't get them, the mice, or worse, will.

Clothes may get attacked by moths and damage them. Moth balls stink, so for me that wouldn't be an option. Other than that, I would think it would be safe to store them even though I wouldn't. There are just too many bugs and critters to worry about, but in seal-tight plastic tubs, I suppose they'd be safe.

Storing precious photos in a Texas garage would be unheard of, I would think. The humidity we have can't be good for them. I think it would make them stick together. I only store things in my garage that aren't important to me.

[Guingirl]

We had most of our belongings in a unclimatized storage unit all last year and didn't have too many issues. We moved most of our things into our attic. We do have a few boxes in the garage still and if you have a bug spraying service, we haven't seen too much.

[MaryS80]

After having horrible luck with the garage in her last house, my mom now stores all her stuff in those giant air tight plastic bins. You can get them at anyplace like Walmart or Target. They are humidity proof and bug proof.

[Power Strokin']

I second the Rubbermaid air tight tubs and bins...What a life saver!

[meem]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the advice and suggestions!! amy =)

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I prefer to use those plastic storage containers rather then cardboard. Anywhere you live something like a mouse, rat or squirrels can get into something like that. It wouldn't hurt to scatter moth balls but you must keep putting them down rather then just a one time thing.

I live in Florida where there are no basements either and we also have alot of humidity. I store holiday decorations (minus the candles of course) in the garage. I store some old breakables in the attic since they really can't be damaged by heat.

[ChristieP]

I've stored Christmas stuff in a Rubbermaid bin in our garage for many years, and I've never had anything damaged. I have numerous wood things, too. Our tree ornaments are in a divided bin from the Container Store. The only things you shouldn't store outside are, obviously, candles. Everything else will probably be just fine.