There are tons of people who try to keep garbage cans as far away from their homes as they can. You know that garbage cans have a tendency to be a bit stinky, and it makes sense not to want to have them right by your house if you can help it.
It also seems like a bad idea to keep garbage cans far away from the house in your yard. You don’t want animals to get into the garbage, and you also don’t want to have to walk a long distance just to put garbage bags in the garbage cans.
Would it be a good idea to keep a garbage can in your garage, though? Or would keeping a garbage can in the garage somehow be a bad idea?
There are actually some good reasons to keep your garbage cans in your garage as well as some bad ones. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of keeping garbage cans in your garage.
You Can Keep Animals Out of Your Garbage
One of the best reasons to consider putting your garbage cans in the garage is that it can prevent animals from getting into the garbage. If you keep your garbage cans outside in the yard somewhere, then it’s likely that certain animals will try to get the food inside.
Many people have raccoons try to rip open garbage bags after knocking down garbage cans. These animals are scavengers that have learned to steal food out of garbage cans very easily.
This can definitely make a huge mess, and it’ll be very nasty to have to clean it all up. No one wants to have a bunch of garbage strewn all over their yard, but it’s hard to avoid this if you keep the garbage cans outside like this.
You could potentially avoid issues such as raccoons getting into the garbage by purchasing better garbage cans. For example, you can buy garbage cans that have locking lids that won’t be able to be taken off by animals.
Regardless, it might be an easier solution to just place the garbage cans in your garage. You could place your garbage cans in the garage and keep them there until garbage pickup day has finally arrived.
There are a large number of people who like keeping their garbage cans in the garage. This could be just what you need when you’re trying to keep animals from making messes in your yard.
You Can Avoid Garbage Smells Near Your Home
Having garbage smells too close to your home will also be problematic. Some people choose to keep garbage cans right outside of certain entrances to the house.
It wouldn’t be uncommon to see people with garbage cans by the patio in the backyard. The only issue with this is that you’re now going to have to smell that garbage every single time you use that entrance.
If you have a big yard, then it might not be a big deal since you can place the garbage cans a bit further away from the door. Even so, it’s not going to be pleasant when you have particularly pungent garbage.
Those who put their garbage cans in the garage are not going to have to deal with garbage smells right by their homes. In fact, it’s going to be less likely that you’ll smell the garbage often at all if you don’t use your garage too much.
It Should Be Easy to Put Garbage in the Cans
It’s also nice to be able to put garbage in the garbage cans without having to walk too far. Most people who have garages will have them positioned pretty close to the house, and this means that you won’t have to walk garbage bags too far to get to the cans.
If you live in a rural area, then there is a chance that you have a big yard. Placing your garbage cans outside might mean that you will need to walk a good distance just to put garbage bags in the cans.
This isn’t a huge nuisance, but it’s still something that is worth mentioning. If you like having an easy time transferring full garbage bags to the garbage cans that they need to be stored in, then the garage is a convenient spot for them.
When you have a full garbage bag to get rid of, you normally want to be able to get rid of it as quickly as you can. In some cases, you might not even have to walk outdoors to do this since many people have garages that attach to their homes.
Your Garage Might Smell Bad
There are certainly downsides to putting the garbage cans in your garage that need to be considered. For instance, the garbage cans are likely going to make your garage smell bad.
If you spend a lot of time in your garage, then there is a good chance that you won’t want stinky garbage cans in there with you. No one wants to smell garbage more often than they have to, and it could make your time in the garage much less enjoyable.
Some people like to utilize their garages to do work on certain things. Some people do woodwork in their garages and others work on cars when they need to.
There are some steps that you can take to neutralize garbage smells in the garage, though. You could use commercial odor-neutralizing sprays or try to place scented oil diffusers around the garage.
It really just comes down to what you want to do and how often you use your garage. Do you want to have to try to neutralize garbage odors in the garage or would you rather just put the garbage cans elsewhere?
The Possibility of Attracting Pests to the Garage
The possibility of attracting pests to the garage is another potential worry. Garbage will sometimes act as a beacon to nearby animals that are looking for food.
You might have raccoons try to break into your garage to get the garbage that you have placed in there. It’s also not unusual to find possums breaking into a garage to look for food.
Opossums can get into garages pretty easily if there are cracks or open vents that haven’t been taken care of. You could walk into your garage one day to find a bunch of garbage all over the floor.
That isn’t to say that you can’t protect yourself from issues like this. You could do your best to secure the garage, seal up any cracks, and keep pests out.
If you’re worried about bugs or things of that nature, then you should be fine so long as you clean regularly. Take the garbage to the curb for garbage pickup on time each week while making sure to clean the garbage cans every so often.
It Takes up Space
Another thing to consider is that placing garbage cans in your garage is going to take up space. Those who utilize their garages for certain activities might not be keen to give up the space.
Granted, the amount of space that one or two garbage cans will take up should be minimal. Even so, not everyone has a large garage where there is a lot of room.
If you have a small garage and you would like to use every bit of it for other purposes, then you might wish to find somewhere else to store your garbage cans. This just comes down to what is going to be the most practical choice for you to make.
Consider how much room you have in your garage currently and whether or not fitting the cans would be a nuisance. So long as you make an honest assessment, you’ll be able to make the right choice for your situation.
Complying with Homeowners Association Rules
Some neighborhoods have homeowners associations that have specific rules about various things. For example, there might be rules about keeping your garbage can in a spot that is not visible.
When this is the case, some people will build structures outside to house their garbage cans. This can be a bit of a pain to have to do, though, and it might be easier to just place the garbage cans in your garage.
You can use your garage as the storage spot for your garbage cans to keep from encountering trouble with the local homeowner’s association. This should make it so that you will comply with the rules, and you can just transfer the garbage cans to the pickup location when it’s time.
The Decision Is Yours
At the end of the day, the decision of whether or not to keep garbage cans in your garage is up to you. There are some good reasons to try to do this, but there are also some potential downsides.
You must weigh the pros against the cons while also considering your specific situation. Some people will find storing garbage in the garage to be very sensible, but others might find it to be off-putting.
As long as you do the right thing for your household, you’re going to be able to move forward just fine. Just remember to take your garbage out on time no matter what decision you wind up making.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies…I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house.