Dark help keep the pickles from turning dark and the liquid from turning cloudy, my granmama always keep hers in a utility room off of her kitchen. Alot of people store there caned goods in there basement if they have one.
My grandmama would put her jars in a 200 degree oven till she was ready to fill them. The heat form the oven would kill any nasties that were in the jar. She would lay them on their side on the oven racks. She did this for as long as I could remember. Just a thought.