Fridges - we all have one, but are we keeping the right stuff in them? Besides your regular fruit, veg and meat, there are some other weird and wonderful things that a bit of cold treatment will do wonders for too.
Check out the list below to discover 13 things to put in your fridge asap - there are some real surprises in store!
1. Keep fresh flowers in the fridge
Fresh flowers can be expensive, so it's worthwhile taking an extra step to help them last as long as possible. Most florists have fridges that enable them to store fresh flowers and bouquets in cooler temperature to prevent them from wilting.
Well, what's stopping you from doing the same at home? Storing flowers in the fridge is particularly effective in the Summer months, especially if you don't have air conditioning.
Just make sure your fridge isn't too cold - flowers don't take too fondly to ice!
2. Homemade cosmetics
Do you like making your own beauty products at home?
As homemade cosmetics usually contain natural, raw ingredients, it's likely they'll go off if kept at room temperature. Just like the ingredients inside, homemade cosmetics really need to be kept in the fridge.
They'll also be much more refreshing for skin if they're cold when you apply them.
3. Keep lipstick in the fridge
Do you have an impressive lipstick collection? If you have lipsticks you rarely wear but can't bring yourself to get rid of, the fridge is the best place for them.
Over time, oils and other ingredients in lipsticks may begin to break down,rendering your expensive lipsticks unusable.
The trick is keeping them cool, as this will keep oils intact and your lipsticks smooth and vibrant.
4. Sun cream
Have you managed to catch some of Britain's flippant hot weather? We know it's rare, but that doesn't mean you should forgo the suncream.
Sun is such a rarity here in Britain, that our suncream supplies can often be hard to find. We like to keep ours in the fridge. Not only does this prevent any frantic searching, but it also keeps them lovely and cool - a refreshing treat for hot skin.
5. Perfect eyeliner hack
Here at Expert Home Tips, we love a good eyeliner hack, but one of the easiest by far is storing your pencil eyeliners in the fridge.
Although room-temperature pencils can be good for achieving a softer, smudgier look, they're not practical for getting a perfect cat eye.
The trick to smooth, sleek fine lines is a cold eyeliner pencil. Sharpen it before use and you'll get a perfect point that's easy to manage.
6. Nail polish
Trying to paint your toenails with a nail varnish that seems to have clumped and become extremely sticky overnight? We've all been there.
This transformation is due to hot temperatures, which cause the consistency of nail polish to change.
The answer? Pop your bottles in the fridge (especially when you go on holiday), and they'll glide smoothly onto your nails and give you a Pinterest-worthy manicure.
7. Eye cream
It seems most beauty products fare better in colder temperatures, and another one of these is eye cream.
One of the main roles of eye cream is to reduce puffiness and inflammation - the cold temperature inside your refrigerator can help with this.
Store your eye cream in the fridge, and it will be more effective than ever on puffy, tired eyes in the morning.
8. Pillowcases
Long, hot day? There's nothing better than diving into a freshly made bed. Oh wait, there is, cooled sheets!
On particularly hot days, we like to keep our top pillowcases - folded in plastic bags - in the fridge. This really helpsalleviate feelings of stuffiness when you first dive into bed, and it keeps your head cool and clear.
9. Store photography film in the fridge
Are you a fan of film photography? Film can be pretty expensive to buy, so it's worth making it last as long as possible.
Warmer temperatures can speed up the degradation of photography film, which is why professionals recommend storing your film in the fridge.
Who knew so many obscure objects could benefit from cooler temperatures?
10. Foundation
Foundation, just like lipsticks, contains oils. Over time, these, along with other ingredients, can break down and cause your foundation to split.
If you have several shades of foundation (one for Winter and Summer, for example), store the one which isn't currently in use in the fridge. It will keep it well mixed and usable until your paler/darker skin requires it again.
11. Aloe vera
Do you ever use aloe vera?There are many benefits of aloe vera, including treating dehydrated skin, cleansing acne-prone skin and treating burns.
What better for burns than a lathering of cool aloe vera? Store your aloe vera based products in the fridge and they'll be even more effective when applied to burns.
This is the best way to get burn relief, fast.
12. Glue & paint
Are you sick of dried-out tubes of glue and paint? The solution is surprisingly easy, and it won't cost you a penny!
Keep glue and paints that are prone to drying out in your fridge. It's not actually the cold temperatures that will help here, but the dry environment inside.
Just be sure to keep them in a separate box/bag to prevent any contamination.
13. Facial oils
We've already explained that oils in beauty products can be prone to splitting when stored at room temperature.
Bearing this in mind, it's no wonder people advise storage facial oils in the fridge too. Again, this makes beauty products more refreshing to the skin than ever before, and also prevents multiple oils from separating inside the container.
Are there any unusual things you keep in the fridge? Share your tips with us in the comments below.
