Cardboard is combustible and could burst into flames with no apparent accelerant. In addition, roaches like the glue used to hold cardboard boxes together so it’s like ringing the dinner bell for them. Since your garage can get pretty humid, cardboard and paper can get soggy. Mice and other pests can make nests with both. The bottom line is get plastic storage bins and if you need to store any kind of papers or cardboard put them in the containers.

Termites like cardboard and paper Had a listing once, the lady had bookshelves with books. Termites ate through books and into the wall.

I’m in a new house and during the a/c orientation, the installer told us the BEST place to keep paper is in the room with the a/c equipment. He said the equipment sucks out humidity and the paper keeps very well.

Covering plants. The reality is it is the result of planting the wrong plants-ie plants that need to be covered. Feeling tied to your home because we might get a freeze? That is an indication of wrong plant choices. I would not take them out. When the weather kills them replace with a wiser choice.

Heat. The rate of chemical reactions double with every 10 degrees (18 Fahrenheit) rise is temperature. Garages are hot.

You can and many do go nuts looking for things to worry about. Storage is at a shortage. Our home is larger than some others and yet is sorely miss my basement.
Your garage is not temperature controlled-air conditioned. Hot-this is Florida. It is hot and humid in the summer. Bugs-this is Florida. Solution to cockroaches, we have several varieties solution they call them palmetto bugs and water bugs a word control of cockroaches. There are bugs EVERYWHERE. New York cocker roaches are far larger and will eat a Florida cocker roach for a snack. Same is true for rats.

I've never run comparative results but, I have tons of tools. Some have value, many are irreplaceable, value is of course in the eye of the beholder. I make sure to rub them with oil before putting them away. Testimonial. I have a limited number of cardboard boxes in my garage. Nothing special, typical cardboard corrugated boxes.
They've been there for roughly 10 years. They are fine. No bugs.

Cardboard does absorb everything. I bought an item at a yard sale & owner was thoughtful enough to have saved its storage box. Unfortunately the cardboard was covered in lizard poop (can't seem to keep lizards out of garages here), so the box went in the trash. Better to use a plastic storage box that can be surface cleaned if necessary.

Storing Cardboard and Papers in Garage
 

Apparently deteriorating cardboard attracts roaches. I had a small cardboard box on a shelf that became a roach nursery. They like cellulous. Best to use plastic containers instead.

I have NEVER seen a roach or a rodent in our house in ten years of living here and we sometimes leave some crumbs in the kitchen. The pesticide people come at least twice a year. Long ago, when I lived in a rental apartment complex in Miami, I did see roaches sometimes and they can get bigger than northern roaches ( 2 and 3 inches and will fly right into your face sometimes). Not normally a problem in The Villages.
..........Florida does have more insects in general than up-north. At a museum, I have seen Florida beetles as big as 2 feet long. have NEVER seen anything that big in person. In Miami, I once saw a small beetle with 2 glowing spots on its back that looked like 2 tiny headlights. And that is true and I was NOT smoking anything. I have always wanted to ask an insect biologist about what could possibly be the evolutionary advantage of an insect having glow spots on its back? Seems like it would be more often eaten or smashed because of glowing.
......Also because Florida has a lot of insects, what I refer to as chameleons often come into your house and die and shrivel up, they are everywhere. They should be the official Florida living creature.
........Florida is unique in many ways!

I have been known to get "thank you's" for NOT posting, maybe that's just me.

Finding then ordering furniture
 

It was mentioned that you may not want to bring your furniture with you. Other considerations would be how picky you are about what you like or want. You may not
be able to find anything you like or it may take a while. How quickly you can shop and find the furniture while unpacking and getting settled is another issue. When we were moving here, once the neighbors found the furniture and ordered it, there was a 4-6 month wait.

Yes, speaking of ants. Florida has FIRE ants and they can do a number on you if you step on their ant hills. As you live in Florida for years and years you develop somewhat of an immunity to them. But, when you 1st move here, just one bite can possibly (varies with different people) swell up your foot. There are various hardware store products that you can put on their hills (they are most active in the summer). But, hot soapy water will control their activity pretty well. They can't be eliminated, just controlled.

Been here 24 years and have stored cardboard in garage and attic all that time with absolutely no problems. I also brought down my dark, Amish made dining room table and chairs and they look great in my home. In fact, all of our wooden furniture is dark.
There is no way I would part with these, so use your own likes to determine how you want to decorate. There are many ways you can accent the dark furniture to make it look good in your home.

For me, going minimalist has improved my life. I moved from a 1888 home just over 12ksf to a courtyard villa. Didn't matter if I wanted dark furniture or not, I couldn't bring everything down with me. I can tell you now, after the trauma of giving away 35 years of collecting, I feel much freer (is that a word?). We all need to go through this downsize at our own pace. I'm thankful to be around and able to do it. Have fun and welcome.

Your Response
 

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.