Why you shouldn’t keep your clutter in the garage

THE garage often ends up being crammed with furniture, old TVs and boxes of clutter you’ve been meaning to sort out – with little room for the car.

But families shouldn’t really be leaving household items there, according to domestic experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Unless it is fully converted, a garage is likely to be poorly ventilated and suffer temperature extremes, which can damage all kinds of materials. Changes in humidity cause fibres in wood furniture to swell or contract, causing cracks, and make paper in books and photo albums curl.

Electronic devices could end up broken as a result of condensation caused by changes in temperature. The experts also warned against putting large appliances in the garage. When washing machines are in a poorly ventilated space, the heat can cause condensation, which can make the motor rust. There is also the danger of water pipes freezing in winter.

Condenser tumble dryers will not dry properly when the temperature falls below 5C (41F). Fridges and freezers also struggle when the outside temperature is not consistent, and use up more energy to keep their internal temperature the same. Even paint cans shouldn’t be kept in garages as the contents will not survive very high or low temperatures.

The GHI said: ‘If you’re storing a lot of overspill from the house in your garage, you may need to reassess whether your possessions are really in the right place because, crucially, it’s difficult to regulate the temperature and moisture levels all year round.’