Easy Storage Solutions From A to Z

Batteries

As in: The AAs occupying the egg holder in your refrigerator.

The fixes: 
Use the original packaging. The best way to store batteries is in their original packaging in a drawer―not, contrary to popular belief, in the refrigerator, as condensation can cause damage.

Secure loose batteries with a rubber band. Make sure all the positives point the same way, says Eric Schweitzer, technical program manager for the Association of Electrical and Medical Imaging Equipment Manufacturers, in Rosslyn, Virginia. If the terminals touch each other, the life of the batteries can be shortened. “And be sure to put them in a plastic bag so they don’t touch metal objects, like keys, which can cause electrical shorting,” he says.