13 Things You Should Never Store in the Basement

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Basements are often considered the perfect place where items like holiday decors, old furniture, among others are stored. But the usefulness of these spaces is not entirely idealistic because not all items are designed to hide in those shadows. When factors such as humidity or temperature or pests are brought in, then your prized possessions are either rendered a soggy mess or food for these pests.

You don’t want mold, mildew, or water damage to affect the items you store in the basement or to have health problems due to accumulated dust and dim light; or do you? So, let me tell you about some items that are best not to be stored in the basement if you want it to be that haven for your things rather than a lair for disasters.

Important Documents

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Your basement may seem like a safe place for documents you don’t need every day, but think twice before shoving your important papers down there. Water is the enemy of paper because it causes mold growth and the destruction of the paper. Rather, keep important papers away from water sources and pests in some other part of your house, like a safety deposit box or file cabinet or a home office.

Electronics

Who has not had appliances they cannot throw away? Electronics should not be kept in basements. It deprives sensitive operation, instrumental and electrical parts of it vital leads and makes them unresponsive due to the wetness and temperature fluctuation. If you feel like having your devices work when you pull them out after hours, then store it in a climate controlled environment.

Perishable Food

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It is possible to preserve food in the basement in case you want to declutter the kitchen area or organize it in some better ways. However basements can be damp and cold, which are not friendly conditions for most of the foods we consume. Produce such as fruits vegetables and dairy products are sensitive and can easily get spoilt in such an environment that also ferments bad smells and attracts pests. Just store your snacks, in a cool area instead then this can be appropriate.

Family Photos

It’s so sweet to have memories to look back at and so you should not tarnish those memories by storing your family photos in the basement. High humidity along with no exposure to direct sunlight can ultimately cause mold and fading of furniture surfaces. However, retain those special photos in a dry place, preferably in an album or a box that would his the photo from extreme conditions.

Paint

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Although the basement is probably the most inconspicuous and hidden area of the house, it is not suitable both for storing paint as it can split or dry out submerging to temperature fluctuations. Worse still, if it freezes, what is often in your hands is an unworkable heap of a mess. A dry area comparatively free from sunlight is a more suitable place as far as paint preservation is concerned.

Wood Furniture

It might be tempting to put your wood furniture in the basement because there is a lot of space there, but the moisture will damage it. To carry out this calibration, the sensitive pieces may require keeping in a climate control chamber. A little effort goes a long way when it comes to adding love into the maintenance of your furniture.

Seasonal Clothing

It is quite tempting to move winter coats and decorations for the holiday up to the basement but this could be fashion suicide. It can produce mold and the goodness only knows what might decide to make its home in your favorite sweaters. However, vacuum sealed bags ought to be stored in a dry closet for the storage of those seasonal clothing pieces.

Cleaning Supplies

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Cleaning supplies should be removed from basements. Low temperatures combined with possible flooding produce various chemical reactions which may be rather dangerous. However, store the following essentials in a dry location, ideally in the kitchen below the counter or in a foods storage area.

Bicycles

It might seem that a basement would be ideal for your bike and it is actually quite dangerous. According to Latem Industries, high humidity results in early rusting on metallic parts; dampness on the other hand affects tires and other demanding parts. Thus, it should be kept in a dry garage or shed in order to keep it in good riding condition.

Musical Instruments

I bet everyone who plays an instrument understands the importance of keeping it in extraordinary condition. It can cause the wood to warp or produce mold, which is much worse when it reaches delicate parts. This means that to protect your guitar, piano, or any other musical instrument keep it in an area that is not overly hot or humid.

Antiques

Jewelry and antique furniture or other items need special environment and that a basement cannot offer. This causes deterioration of your items and pests might also be very much interested in items of such value to you. The items, which are labeled as antique, should be stored under optimum environmental conditions to keep them charming and valuable.

Luggage

While it may sound like placing your luggage in the basement is convenient it is common to find them smelling like mould after sometime. Do not throw them messily into the bag, but put them in a clothes closet or another protected area so that they are clean and can be used the next time, not requiring washing before this.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.