What Not to Store in the Garage

Skis. Bikes. Sports balls of all sorts. A lawnmower. Old toys. 

It’s easy for a garage to turn into a catchall storage unit. For most items that’s fine, but some things simply don’t belong in a garage, and they can even become a home hazard without proper storage protection. This list of common red-flag items can help identify what doesn’t belong in the garage. 

• Extra fuel. Stashing portable gas cans and propane tanks in the garage can be dangerous: Highly flammable fuel poses a leaking risk. If you store any fuel in the garage, do so only in dedicated, leak-proof containers out of the reach of children and pets and away from potential sources of ignition such as water heaters or power tools. A shed away from your home is a better storage spot. 
• Paint or home-improvement chemicals. Some liquids, such as latex, freeze at the same temperature as water. Others may need a temperature-controlled environment. Check the manufacturer’s directions for guidance. 
• Furniture. Unless your garage is climate-controlled, its interior is subject to wild swings in heat and humidity. This, in turn, can warp wood, and pests such as rodents may root (and ruin) upholstery, fabric or mattresses. If the garage offers your only option for furniture storage, find a clean, dry spot that’s elevated off the floor. Then thoroughly clean and take apart furniture before wrapping or covering. 
• Clothing. A better spot for out-of-season clothing is a sealed container in an attic, basement or the back of a closet. In a garage, clothing may soak up fumes and dust and be at risk of insect or pest damage. 
• Food. This means any food — food for birds, for pets and for humans. Perishable items are far too tempting for rodents and vermin, and canned food may spoil more quickly in temperature extremes. And think twice about that extra fridge in an unheated and un-air-conditioned garage: The appliance may struggle to operate efficiently as temperatures fluctuate. 
• Anything fragile or valuable. Photographs, artwork and electronics: These are just a few of the items that need the stability of climate control so expensive or delicate elements aren’t damaged. Remember: If you couldn’t bear to see it lost or destroyed, then it probably shouldn’t be in the garage. 

Items safe to keep in the garage: 

• Lawn care tools and equipment 

• Gardening supplies 
• Plastic storage bins (rather than cardboard boxes) 
• Hoses (after draining) 
• Sports equipment 
• Cars, of course 

Change a Life: Why Mentor Reading Works

 Access, socioeconomic level, ability: There are many contributing factors that may lead a child to struggle with reading, but any lag in this essential skill for younger children has far-reaching consequences. Take high school graduation. If a child isn’t a reader by the end of third grade, they are far less likely to receive a diploma, according to the National Research Council. And recent tests by the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that nearly 1 out of every 3 fourth graders struggles with literacy skills.

But there’s good news and an immediate way to make a positive impact for kids: mentor reading. Studies show that adult involvement improves not only reading skills and enjoyment but also attitudes about school, participation in extracurricular activities, outlook on the future and, in the end, a child’s chance of continuing education. Ready to make a difference in your own home and for other children? Try these ideas:

1. Boost a child’s ability
   Literacy mentors — part coach, part cheerleader — can be found in schools and community organizations across the country. These volunteers’ one and only goal? Help children learn to love reading. How they accomplish that varies. Some may read (and be read to) for an hour a month with one child or a whole class. Some may complete formal training and commit to a weekly reading session that aligns with a specific curriculum.

   Your next step: Search an online volunteer database, such as NeighborhoodOfGood.com^®, or contact your local school for connections to childhood community literacy programs.

2. Boost a child’s access
   You may have heard of the concept of a food desert: an economically challenged area in which residents have little or no access to fresh food. Some literacy experts have begun to use the idea of a book desert to characterize lack of access to reading materials for children. Their findings can be stark. In one recent study, a low-income neighborhood in Washington, D.C., had just 1 book for every 830 K–12 children. Reduced access may lead to literacy difficulties. If there are no books to check out from a library, no books to buy and no family resources for purchases, there may be an impact on interest and ability.

   Your next step: Struggling schools may not have a volunteer organization that can fund a book distribution plan — but you may be able to. Consider a book drive among friends, and work with literacy experts at a school to provide a book to every child in a classroom to take home as his or her own.

3. Boost a school’s resources
   School libraries continue to be affected by shrinking public school budgets: Nearly one-fourth of school libraries have had budgets cut by 40 percent since 2010. And 13 million students — 3.4 million of them in poverty and 6.6 million of them students of color — have less than 10 items per student of reading material. Exposing children to a range of writing and reading types can help improve language and interest in reading.

   Your next step: Volunteer to organize a book drive to benefit a school in need in your community. Work with your school district’s literacy staff to identify particular needs, and ask friends, neighbors and coworkers to donate.