It takes both time and effort to pack away everyday items, so, once you fall into the groove of an organizational system that seems to work, it can be a hard thing to let go of. But believe it or not, there are many common household items that you’re probably storing in the wrong places.
To increase your organizational system’s efficiency and effectiveness, we chatted with cleaning and organizing pros. Here, they identify what items are stored in the wrong places and where they should be kept instead.
Meet the Expert
- Ashley La Fond is a professional organizer and founder of the home organization company, Of Space & Mind.
- Marie Potter is an eco-friendly professional organizer.
Lightbulbs
While obviously fragile, as they are made of glass, lightbulbs’ materials make them very sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
Ashley La Fond, a professional organizer and founder of the home organization company Of Space & Mind, explains how heat can often shorten a lightbulb’s lifespan and make it less efficient. Therefore, lightbulbs shouldn’t be kept in attics or garages where they can be susceptible to heat, cold, and water damage.
Instead, store them inside where temperatures can be kept more stable like a laundry room, linen closet, or even a basement, La Fond explains.
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Paint
This is another common household item that’s sensitive to temperature changes.
“Avoid storing paint in sheds and garages where heat and light can cause the paint to become unusable,” La Fond explains.
As temperatures fluctuate, the paint inside the paint cans will actually break down as the chemicals and compounds used to create the colors clump together or separate into messy globs. A better place to store paint cans is inside a temperature-controlled house. Think storage spaces in mudrooms or laundry rooms, as even garages and attics may become too cold or warm depending on the season.
However, also bear in mind that paint cans have a short shelf life once opened, and it is always best to keep track of how long your paint cans can last.
Rugs
When not in use, rugs shouldn’t be kept in the basement or garage.
“Humidity and moisture can cause mold and mildew to form, and rug fabrics cannot recover from either,” La Fond says.
And since these spaces are prone to both humidity and moisture, it’s best to keep your rolled-up rugs somewhere else. Perhaps even more concerning, mice, insects, and other pests in the basement or garage might choose to call your rugs home, so we recommend keeping your rugs rolled up in a linen closet, mudroom, laundry room closet, or elsewhere.
“If you must keep fabrics in the basement, make sure they are stored in sealed plastic,” La Fond recommends.
Documents
Whether it’s financial records, loose letters, or Christmas greeting cards, documents are almost always stored in the wrong place.
“Many people keep them very often in piles, or even worse in damp areas like basements or garages,” Marie Potter, an eco-friendly professional organizer, says.
While piling papers may seem like a convenient way to keep your documents together, it makes organization impossible and adds to overall house clutter, Potter says. Potter explains how storing papers in a damp environment is also a poor choice because the paper absorbs moisture, causing fibers to weaken and ink to fade.
Instead, file your documents and papers vertically through a combination of file folders and filing cabinets or a desktop filler.
Medication
Keeping medicine in the bathroom is a common mistake, as they lose effectiveness due to moisture and heat.
“Since many homes come with a ‘medicine’ cabinet in the bathroom, people naturally associate that with the correct place for storage,’” Potter explains.
But the name of this storage space is misleading. There are better medicine organization ideas. According to Potter, medications are better kept in a cool, dry area like a linen closet or a nightstand drawer. Even better if these areas come with locks to keep the medicine away from children and pets. Potter emphasizes the importance of always following special storage instructions, such as keeping certain medications refrigerated when required.
Photo Albums
These items are often wrongly kept in basements, garages, or attics, which are all bad spots for photos because heat, humidity, and fluctuating temperatures can cause significant damage.
“In these spaces, photos may stick together, discolor, curl, or become brittle over time,” Potter points out.
As an alternative, keep your photo albums in a cool, dark, dry environment like in a bookcase located in your office or bedroom. For even better preservation, consider digitizing photos and backing them up in the cloud to protect them from physical damage, Potter says.
