How An Egg Carton Can Bring Some Organization To Your Refrigerator

For a while, egg costs felt out of control — prices peaked in March 2025 at an average of $8.17 per dozen, according to Trading Economics data, and the United States wasn't even the country with the priciest eggs. These days, though, the price has dropped substantially, but if you still feel like you're paying too much for a dozen, you can at least find another use for that carton that just might make it worth the money: Use it to keep condiments organized in your refrigerator.

While condiments like soy sauce don't need to be stored in the fridge, many others are perishable and must be kept cold. Often, as condiment bottles start to get empty, we flip them over to help what's left at the bottom of the bottle make its way to the top. But since the top of the bottle is often thinner, the condiments lose their balance, falling over on the shelves. However, in 2017, a guest on Rachael Ray's talk show suggested a genius idea: Place a leftover egg carton on the fridge shelf, then arrange the bottles upside down in the carton. As demonstrated in a clip shared to YouTube, the egg holes will help them keep their balance while preventing messes from leaky lids, bringing some much-needed organization to your fridge.

Preventing condiments from falling over is just one use for an old egg carton. Surprisingly, there are plenty of ways to get more from these funny-shaped cardboard structures. If you enjoy gardening, those tiny spaces are perfect for getting seeds started. Fill them with dirt, cover the seed, and water as needed. Poke small holes in the carton's bottom to allow for drainage. Once the seeds start to sprout, transfer them to a larger pot or to outside soil.

Reddit users suggest these egg cartons also make great fire starters. "Stuff the cups with dryer lint. Melt old candles down in a boiling water bath," one user said, "and pour the wax over top [of] the lint and the cardboard." Then, cut the cups, and use them to start fires. In terms of cooking, you can also use egg cartons to shape perfect meatballs. Of course, they also can be used for their original purpose: storing fresh eggs. If you know anyone with chickens, offer to purchase eggs from them and say you'll bring your own carton.