Author's note: This will be my final column. It has been an honor and privilege to write this column for the last eight and a half years. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to share ways to simplify life with members of our great community and to work with the terrific team at the O-D. My thanks and best wishes to all of you!

Fall is coming and it’s the perfect time of year to declutter and organize the garage.

If you have a garage and couldn’t fit your car in it last winter, make a commitment to clean it out before the first snow hits. While decluttering, keep in mind there are some items that simply should not be stored in the garage.

There are some basic rules to follow when considering what to store in the garage.

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Here’s a list of items to keep out of the garage.

Food: Exposure to heat, humidity and extreme temperature can cause food to spoil. It also can attract insects and rodents. Keep food items inside the house.

Wine: Temperatures that fluctuate can cause wine to expand and contract which can potentially cause the bottle to explode. That would be a waste of a totally good bottle of wine.

Cardboard: Storing items including clothing in cardboard in the garage makes them susceptible to moisture and insects. Yuk! It would be better to use water and pest-proof plastic bins to store items instead.

Photographs: Cold temperature, humidity and moisture can cause your precious family photos to stick to each other and even grow mold. Store photos in acid-free boxes in the main part of the house (but not the basement). We recommend Forever.com for digitizing and permanently storing your family memories on the cloud.

Paint: Change in temperature can cause leftover paint to become unusable. I’d recommend storing paint in a closet or basement where young children cannot reach or access it. Always label the paint can to indicate the room that you painted with the can.

Wooden furniture: Wood can also be affected by moisture and temperatures and can warp or even mold. If you have no other storage options, cover completely with a large plastic tarp.

Electronics: Old DVD players, televisions and computers you’ve been meaning to donate should be brought to the local goodwill or charity of your choice before they are ruined and should never be left in the garage.

Stacks of newspapers: Mice love to make a home in stacks of papers. Recycle weekly and avoid this problem, so they don’t make their way into your home.

Schedule time this week to go through your garage and eliminate these items.