Brits warned 1 common storage habit is attracting mice and rats to their homes

Households across the UK are preparing for seasonal storage changes - swapping out summer clothes, clearing garages, and tucking away soft furnishings. But according to experts, one extremely common habit could be turning homes into the perfect nesting environment for mice and rats.

Rodent activity spikes sharply in autumn, as cooler weather and shorter days push these pests indoors in search of warmth and food. Frederic de Ryckman de Betz, CEO of HOLD Self Storage, explained that the way you store items at this time of year can contribute to the appearance of these pests. "Every year, we see a surge in people looking for storage solutions after discovering mice have destroyed their belongings," he warned.

"The irony is that most of these infestations could have been prevented with just a few simple changes to how items are stored."

Mice breed rapidly and waste no time settling into soft, undisturbed spaces, and that's what homeowners should be most careful with.

"I've seen families lose entire wardrobes because they stored their summer clothes in open boxes," the specialist said.

Leaving clothes, duvets, and blankets in unsealed or loosely closed cardboard boxes, which are often packed away for months at a time, are exactly what rodents look for when building their nests.

"Mice don't just nibble, but shred fabric to line their nests, and once they've established a territory, they're incredibly difficult to remove," Frederic added.

Once inside, mice can quickly turn these soft materials into nesting hotspots, often ruining entire collections of clothing or bedding in the process.

And the issue doesn't stop with fabrics. Poor storage practices across the board, like keeping food in its original packaging or stacking cardboard boxes directly on the floor, can also invite rodents in.

The solution is rather simple: swapping cardboard boxes for sealed plastic containers with secure lids creates an effective barrier that rodents can't chew through.

Vacuum storage bags also work well for bulky items like duvets and help maximise space while keeping pests out.