Things You Should Never Store in Your Laundry Room

Laundry rooms can quickly turn into the junk drawer of the house—an easy place to toss cleaning supplies, appliances, or unused items out of sight. However, not all items belong in the laundry room.

It’s not just about taking up unnecessary space. With machines constantly tumbling, laundry rooms can develop high heat and moisture—and there are certain materials that are prone to wear when they sit in damp, warm environments.

To help you avoid any unwelcome surprises, we tapped two professional organizers for the top items you should avoid storing in laundry rooms—so that you’re left with a clutter-free and worry-free space.

Paper Goods

Anything made from paper is a no-go in laundry rooms.

Excess moisture can even lead paper goods to develop mold and mildew, which can not only be unpleasant to look at, but also unsafe to be around.

Cleaning Supplies

While storing a couple of cleaning products in the laundry room is fine, overloading the space with them can be risky.

Paint

Like cleaning supplies, paint can similarly lose its effectiveness—or even spoil—when stored in laundry rooms.

Paint cans that are already opened or not fully sealed are particularly more susceptible to wearing down in warm, humid areas.

Tip

If you truly don’t have anywhere else to store items besides the laundry room, it’s not a lost cause.

Have them behind cabinets or, even better, in lidded bins. This will protect them from the moisture and humidity in the room and, as a bonus, it will keep the items organized and easy to find when you need them.

Food and Pantry Items

Laundry rooms are prone to temperature fluctuations, which causes food to spoil faster. That, with the added humidity, can also attract pests..

Candles

If you’re a candle collector, any surface is coveted for storage space. However, Saltman notes that heat and humidity can leave you with warped, melted candles—or worse, a waxy mess that’s a pain to clean.

In particular, you’ll want to avoid keeping candles that are not jarred in high-heat areas. Since they don’t have a barrier under the wax, it can end up melting and hardening onto the surface beneath it.

Keepsakes

Precious belongings like photographs, keepsakes, or electronics are not friends with moisture.