First Attempts at Root Cellaring

I have been thinking about how I might make a root cellar for some time.  The problem is that our house doesn't have a basement, and I've always been worried the garage might actually freeze.  After deciding that the soda cans stored in the garage only very rarely freeze, I decided to take a chance.  This decision was fueled in part by the overabundance of carrots produced in my garden this year.  I bought a bin and liner from Gardeners.com and lined it with play sand.  The instructions with the bin actually said to use sawdust.  However, I couldn't figure out where I could get sawdust that wouldn't have any treated wood in it, and I had seen another suggestion for "horticultural" sand.  The building supply didn't have any of that, but said play sand would work.  So play sand it was.  If anyone has reason to believe this is not a good idea, please speak now or forever hold your peace (no refusing carrots served in the winter at my house)!

Carrots, layered and buried!

Stored in the garage, against the house.

My husband said I should purchase a second bin to store potatoes if this works out.  Whom am I to argue with that?!?