Winter-Ready Garage: Storage and Patio Prep Checklist
Once the yard work is done, the garage becomes home to everything from patio gear to holiday boxes. A few hours of setup now keeps it safe, dry and easy to use all winter.
Get things off the floor
Heavy-duty shelving keeps bins, tools and supplies off a cold, damp floor and frees up room to park. Put the heaviest items on the lowest shelves and anchor tall units to the wall.
Bring in canopies and outdoor fabric
Pop-up canopies are not built for snow or strong winter winds. Clean and fully dry the fabric before folding it, so it does not mildew in storage.
Drain anything that holds water
Water left in hoses, pumps and sprayers expands when it freezes and can crack them. Drain everything, disconnect hoses from the house and coil them indoors.
Store fuel and batteries safely
Keep fuel in approved containers away from water heaters and furnaces, and store batteries and power stations somewhere dry that will not drop far below freezing.