Although outhouses can be a great source of extra storage there are common household items which simply won't survive the temperatures and weather conditions over autumn and winter.
Whether or not you follow the yearly garden trends, the chances are you have a shed or outdoor storage space in your garden. Typically used for storing tools, lawnmowers and other items, sheds can often become emergency storage units for common household items.
Before you know it your shed is filled with paint, leftover garden chemicals and excess pet food bags. However, one garden expert has warned homeowners that these common items and others won't survive in your shed over winter.
So when you're sorting your garden out this season you may want to rethink your storage solution and find alternative homes for the items below.
Things you should never store in your shed over winter
You might have thought you'd done everything when ticking off the essential jobs to get done in your garden in September, but your shed may need further consideration.
"Garden sheds are really handy for storage, but it is important homeowners don’t mistake them as a storage space for all household items," says Laura Bamborough, Shed expert at GardenBuildingsDirect. "Storing items incorrectly can come at a cost and creates unnecessary waste."
So what items should you be storing elsewhere?
1. Paint
After you've filled your home with some of your favourite interior paint colour trends, you're probably tempted to just stick all the paint cans in the shed and not have them fill up your loft or cupboards. Although paint seems pretty indestructible, this isn't the best idea.
"Keeping leftover paint in the shed is a common mistake. Storing paint properly is key to maintaining its quality and making sure it can be reused in the future," says Laura.
"Keeping leftover paint in the shed during the winter months could cause it to congeal, separate or dry out," she explains. So if you plan on using your best living paint colour for touch-ups, don't store it in the shed over winter.
2. Power tool batteries
Sheds are the perfect spot for keeping your electronic outdoor appliances such as lawnmowers, strimmers and chainsaws. However, when it comes to your smaller power tools and more specifically their batteries you may want to reconsider.
Laura explains, "Cold temperatures can reduce the efficiency and lifespan of power tool batteries, so leaving them in the shed during autumn and winter could mean you have to replace them."
Instead, why not try out some under-stairs storage ideas so you have extra space for both your power tools and their batteries?
3. Bedding and fabrics
You're probably not going to be storing your best sheets in the shed anytime soon but you may have old bedding that comes in handy for surprise guests or camping trips. Things like this can be often thrown into your shed or other outhouse without much thought, but through the winter these materials can be quickly damaged.
Laura says that any old pet bedding, toys or fabrics can become easily damp and mouldy when stored in a shed and left exposed to the elements. Instead, she recommends using some home organisation ideas to find a place to store them indoors.
"Mice and other rodents may also seek shelter inside of bedding or other materials in your shed," she adds.
RRP: £9.99 | This protective storage bag is ideal for making use of the area under your bed. The clear viewing panel allows you to see exactly what you need when you need to retrieve it.
RRP: £26.99 for 2 | This frankly genius storage solution makes storing bedding easier than ever before. You can fold and file bedding and blankets in a cupboard to create a 'library of bedding'.
RRP: £18.99 | This clear sealed storage box can fit under teh bed but alternatively it can be stacked out of the way, if you are storing items you won't need over winter.
4. Pet food
Depending on the size of your pet and their dietary requirements, you might find yourself surrounded by bags of food and treats quite often. There's also the fact that buying in bulk sometimes works out cheaper but of course takes up a lot more space. Surely the shed is safe for sealed bags? Unfortunately not.
"Make sure to remove any surplus pet food from your shed ahead of the colder weather. The scent of pet food attracts pests like mice, so it is best to keep any food items indoors and away from rodents," says Laura.
If you're trying to stop rats coming into your garden then keeping any type of food source out of the way is the best way to do it.
RRP: £60 | This powder coated stoarge bin is the ideal way to storage dried pet food undetected in a kitchen cupboard – it's even chic enough to have out on display if needs be.
RRP: £129.95 | Expensive sure, but the 4.9 out of 5 star reviews on John Lewis indicates that this pet food storage solution is worth it. The 25L Superhuman design features a robust lock-tight lids that forms an airtight seal so food stays fresh.
RRP: £15.99 | This more affordable container is a best selling product on Amazon. The 30L plastic container provides a generous, airtight place to store pet food in a kitchen, pantry or garage.
5. Chemicals
This one might surprise you as you'll often store your pesticides and weed killers in the shed without a second thought. However, after you've got rid of the weeds in your grass without ruining your lawn you may want to store your products somewhere else.
"Some liquid pesticides can crystallise in cold temperatures. Cold conditions can damage the chemicals and make them more difficult to work with or completely unusable," explains Laura.
6. Electronics
Although your larger electronics are safe from the weather in your shed over the winter, there may be a different more furry threat to consider.
Laura points out that rodents both big and small will seek warmth in outbuilding during winter and may nibble on electrical chargers and break expensive equipment.
For the same reason you want to prevent mice from entering your home, you might consider keeping your electronics off the floor of your shed or even mouse-proofing the whole structure.
Shop additional storage solutions
RRP: £30 | If you're finding yourself running out of outdoor storage these chest models are perfect, they don't take up much room and yet still fit heaps of stuff in. It's also lockable when you add a padlock so your favourite tools will be safe.
RRP: £7.98 | These bags are perfect for storing the cushion from your garden furniture. Not only are they waterproof, but they're also heavy duty, Anti-UV and have helpful handles for transporting. They're currently 50% off and we couldn't recommend them more.
RRP: £49.99 | If you want to keep storing your power tools and electronics in your shed, aside from rodent-proofing it you can invest in heavy-duty storage containers. This can't guarantee that the mice won't try to chew through but it will stop them having easy access to wires.
Now your outbuilding is dealt with it's time to prepare your home for the cold weather ahead. Participating in some rituals to reset your home for autumn won't just get you in the cosy mood but also in a relaxed mindset for a new season.
