Items Every Baby Boomer Keeps in Their Garage
Baby boomers number roughly 73 million in the U.S., representing nearly a quarter of the population. Over decades of homeownership, many boomers have accumulated large volumes of practical tools, seasonal gear, and sentimental items, especially in their garages.
Part of the reason for this accumulation lies in age-related patterns of hoarding behavior. Research by PubMed shows that hoarding disorder (HD) affects between 1.5% and 6% of people, depending on the study, and its prevalence tends to increase with age. A population-based study by PMC found that provisional HD rates grew by about 20% every five years of age, eventually exceeding 6% in people over 70.
These behaviors are associated with both sentimental attachment and self-identity, as well as risks like falls, fire hazards, and functional impairment. Here are items that baby boomers frequently store in their garages and what they say about a generation.
Old Tools & Hardware Collections
In many boomer garages, you’ll find vintage hand tools, workbenches, and boxes of screws or nails. These items reflect a generation steeped in DIY culture: boomers grew up repairing, building, and maintaining things themselves. Because many of these tools were built to last, they remain functional decades later, and for many boomers, disposing of them feels wasteful.
Beyond practicality, these tools symbolize self-reliance and competence, core values for many in this generation.
Lawn & Garden Equipment
Baby boomers often invest in their yards, carrying forward a tradition of homeownership and suburban maintenance. Their garages tend to house lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, fertilizer spreaders, rakes, and long garden hoses. These tools are stored away when not in use, but are rarely discarded.
Their retention reflects a mix of pride in property, cost-consciousness (why replace what works?), and a lifestyle built around maintaining a yard.
Holiday Decorations & Seasonal Décor
It is common to find tubs of Christmas lights, wreaths, ornaments, and inflatable decorations in boomer garages. These are not just supplies; they are memories. Many boomers preserve these items through decades as part of family traditions and because they carry emotional weight.
Studies on older adults’ emotional attachment to objects suggest that possessions tied to family and history are especially hard to discard, often because they represent continuity and identity.
Sports & Recreational Gear
Bicycles, golf clubs, fishing rods, and camping gear in a boomer’s garage reflect a lifetime of recreational pursuits. Many of these items are stored long after peak use, because they represent important memories — family vacations, weekend getaways, childhood hobbies.
For boomers, keeping this gear is less about frequent use and more about preserving parts of their personal narrative.
Car-Care Supplies
The garage is also likely to house car maintenance products, such as motor oil, wax, cloths, jacks, and funnels. This reflects boomers’ strong connection to their vehicles. For many, caring for the car themselves was a point of pride and a way to maintain independence.
Retaining these supplies signals a continued willingness to perform maintenance and a deeper emotional tie to the vehicle as a symbol of freedom.
Memorabilia & Sentimental Keepsakes
Perhaps the most telling items are boxes of photo albums, yearbooks, old trophies, and vinyl records. These keepsakes often remain untouched for years. Research by PMC shows that hoarding-like behavior in older adults frequently involves difficulty discarding items tied to memories.
In older populations, hoarding is not only about objects — it’s about history, identity, and meaning.
Why Boomers Hold On: Generational & Psychological Factors
Several factors help explain why boomers retain these garage items. First, hoarding tendencies increase with age: older adults show higher prevalence and more severe symptoms of HD. Second, many boomers grew up in times of scarcity or thrift, and they value durable or meaningful items. Third, the physical nature of their memories — photo albums, paper records, tools — means they are less likely to be digitized, making physical preservation more important.
Finally, research by PubMed shows older hoarders face significant health risks, such as falls and reduced mobility, yet still struggle to part with possessions.
Read the original article on Crafting Your Home
