You’re probably running an at-home business at the moment and having hopes that within due time you might be able to outsource, and maybe it can dominate in a few years. Maybe you run an ecommerce, a workshop, well, something from the comfort of your own home, be it in a shed, your garage (just like what Bezos did), a storage container, a storage unit, maybe a basement, cellar, you name it, just something that’s probably not well insulated like your house is. 

But it’s probably great not having to worry about renting an office or anything like that because that’s just way too expensive, right? Nope, no fancy storefront, no big overhead, just inventory stored neatly while orders get packed and shipped. While the aspect alone is great, you have to keep in mind that a random rainstorm turns into moisture creeping in through the bottom of the door, or a heatwave damages the items, winter is known for causing mold and dampening paper (cardboard, packing material, ect). But there’s always some issue, there just always is here. 

But if there’s all these risks for running a business at home, and you can’t easily just have your stuff in an extra bedroom or whatever, what can you do? Like, how can you keep your inventory safe?

Start by Figuring Out What Could Damage the Inventory 

Well, inventory damage usually comes from the same handful of problems, be it moisture, temperature swings, pests, dust, sunlight, or physical accidents. And it’s funny because people tend to focus on theft first, but a lot of the time the bigger loss is quiet damage that builds over weeks. So yeah, the first step is being honest about what’s stored. Like, you have to be super realistic about all of this here. So, be it fabric, paper products, candles, cosmetics, food items, electronics, vintage goods, or anything with adhesive labels, all of that reacts differently to heat and humidity. 

Yep, even “durable” stuff can get wrecked if boxes warp, rust forms, or seals dry out. Now, with that part said, don’t overthink it. Just look at the inventory and ask, what would ruin this? If the answer is water, then moisture control is priority one. If the answer is heat, then airflow and temperature management are priority one. Well, if the answer is pests, then sealing and storage methods jump to the top. 

But you get the idea here, you just have to be super realistic and don’t think too optimistically about all of this either (like thinking everything will be fine with a bit of heat or rain, for example). 

You Need to Fix Moisture Issues ASAP

How often are you in your garage or shed? Have you ever had products in here and then noticed some damage? Like, have you ever noticed mold? Did you ever notice that cardboard boxes get weaker over time or anything like that? Well, moisture is absolutely one of the biggest garage and shed problems because those spaces aren’t always built to be dry, stable storage environments. 

Start with the obvious stuff. Check the door seal and weather stripping. If daylight is visible under the garage door, moisture and pests can get in, too. But a simple door threshold seal can make a huge difference, and it’s not a complicated project. Then go ahead and just take a look at the floor. The thing to keep in mind here is that storing inventory directly on concrete is basically inviting moisture problems, because concrete can wick dampness up into boxes. 

Well, these are all basic things that you should be doing for most non-insulated areas, and it’s not too uncommon for people to use a dehumidifier, too, but just keep in mind that these aren’t 100% foolproof either. 

Keep in Mind that Temperature Swings Can Degrade Products

Well, yes, moisture can do that, all that dampness noninsulated spaces have, but it’s also massive temperature changes, too. The examples mentioned earlier, like candles, packaging material, and cosmetics, are perfect examples here. And as you probably already know here, garages and sheds love extreme temperatures. Summer can turn them into an oven, and winter can turn them into a refrigerator. That constant swing is what slowly messes with products and packaging. Well, sometimes it’s slow, sometimes it’s fairly immediate too. 

For example, heat can melt things, warp plastic, weaken adhesives, ruin cosmetics, and make labels curl. But the cold can crack certain materials, cause condensation, and, as was already mentioned, it can create mold too. Are there any ways you can improve the space? If you’re a homeowner, then you can easily make changes to a garage compared to renting.

What Changes Can You Make?

Which was just asked above, it’s hard to do too much when renting, but if you own the space, you basically have free rein to do whatever you want. And yeah, ventilation helps, and so does basic insulation, especially on the roof and the garage door if it’s a garage. Even adding insulation to one or two major surfaces can reduce how wild the temperature swings feel inside. Honestly, it’s already encouraged to do that, so the rest of your house is warm.

But what about outages? Have you considered that? Yeah, even when it comes to tiny at-home businesses, there’s still the expectation that business goes on. So it could help to look into solar roof installation for your home because that means your products can still stay safe, your home is stil comfortably, and you can still continue working during these inconveniences and outages. 

Protect from Potential Floods

Even if flooding seems unlikely, water intrusion can happen from heavy rain, melting snow, clogged gutters, or poor drainage around the building. So it helps to plan like water might show up eventually. But just try to keep inventory elevated, that’s the first layer. IKEA sells shelves that are specifically meant for garages and sheds, so you can just store your inventory on those; granted, it’s a lot more organized, too. Then look at how water moves around the building. 

Are gutters working properly, or are they overflowing? Is there water pooling? Are these slopes? How are the bottom corners?

Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels.

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