10 Weird Items You Should Put in Your Fridge

If I were ever to receive a visit from a Victorian-era time traveler, the first thing I’d show them is the refrigerator. It’s a modern miracle that we can keep milk from turning for nearly a month, but what you might not know is that your fridge and freezer can do so much more. If you have the room to spare, try dropping a few of these non-food items in your fridge or freezer.

The cool temperature gives you an extra help in de-puffing sleepy eyes in the morning, so move your eye cream or moisturizer out of the bathroom and stash it in the refrigerator.

Storing your eye pencil in the fridge will harden the soft center, which makes for a more precise tip when you’re sharpening and applying eyeliner.

Storing nail polish in the fridge will extend its life, but it does make it more viscous and harder to apply. Save this tip for those shades you don’t wear often.

If it’s something homemade, or an organic store-bought product that’s free from preservatives, you probably should store it in the fridge around the clock.

Possibly an old wives’ tale, but some people swear that freezing your tights and hose strengthens the fibers against runs and pulls and makes them last twice as long. You only need to do this routine every once in a while (like at the start of the fall tights season): Get the tights damp, fold them into a plastic bag and freeze them overnight. Let them “thaw” the next day and they’re good to go.

This one’s an old Apartment Therapy favorite. Good jeans get to look and feel really good if you never wash them. When they (inevitably) start to feel dingy and saggy, a quick stint in the freezer will help them feel fresh.

→ How to Video: How To Clean Your Jeans Without Water (In the Freezer!)

If you get gum or wax (or anything like them) on your clothes, stick the pieces into the freezer until the offending sticky goop hardens, then try and chip or pry it off in big chunks.

Ned to add something to a letter you’ve already sealed (or maybe you’re a bit of a snoop–no judgement)? Pop that envelope in a plastic bag in the freezer for an hour or two to loosen the adhesive. Once it’s room temperature again, you should be able to re-seal it.

Want to keep cut stems looking fresh for a party? Make room for them in the fridge, like your florist does.

Take it off the pillow and fold it up into a plastic bag. It’s like the cool side of the pillow times a thousand.

There’s lots of conflicting advice about whether the fridge is the best spot for batteries. Our verdict is: Skip it, and find another cool, dry (non-refrigerated) place for your batteries.

Re-edited from a post originally published 4.14.16-NT