The apartment refrigerator is a vital appliance, but it can also cause the most confusion when renting with roommate(s). Should roommates share all groceries? If you don’t want to share, how can you divide the fridge fairly? While you and your roommate(s) may be unintentionally doing a great job of keeping your fridge full to save on your electric bill, it might be a bit chaotic in there. The refrigerator can become a tricky place. By setting some ground rules and following a few tricks, you and your roommates can avoid a lot of stress.
What to Know About Your Apartment Refrigerator
Apartment refrigerators are designed for smaller kitchens. They’re normally the same height as a standard refrigerator but narrower. A standard fridge is 30 to 36 inches wide while an apartment size refrigerator is usually 24 inches wide. Unlike size, there is no standard when it comes to style. Refrigerators can come in several different styles including side-by-side, classic single door with freezer on top, or French doors.
The inside of refrigerators and freezers vary too. Some refrigerators have drawers for keeping fruits and veggies fresh, nooks for butter, cheese drawers, etc. Some freezers come with ice makers. Some will just have shelves. The variations of them are endless.
Before you move in, it’s a good idea to ask your landlord about the refrigerator or have them send you pictures of it. This way, you can discuss how you and your roommates will be splitting up the fridge, and add your refrigerator rules to your roommate agreement.
Apartment Refrigerators and Roommate Etiquette
The kitchen is a shared space, but that doesn’t mean all items should be shared. Before you move in, discuss how to approach sharing food. It might work for some people to share all food, but others might be uncomfortable with that. Do what’s best for you and your roommate and set boundaries ahead of time.
The items you don’t use daily like condiments, eggs, milk, etc. are good items to share so you’re not wasting fridge space with duplicates. Again, have a conversation with your roommate to make sure that everyone agrees. If you have a special condiment or item you don’t want anyone else using, put your name on it to avoid confusion. If you are unsure whether you can you use something, ask. You don’t want to be that roommate. If you don’t want to label your food, make sure you clearly communicate to your roommates the items you are sharing and the ones you are using for yourself.
Whether you are sharing most or only a few items, each person will inevitably have food that is their own. You are each responsible for your own food. Know what’s yours and when it expires. Don’t take up valuable space with food you don’t want or is rotten.
To make sure everyone has enough space, be courteous. Don’t buy an excess of something because it’s a good deal. Keep in mind when shopping that you’re sharing a space with others. The same goes for the freezer. It’s easy for a freezer to get filled because it’s not as obvious when food expires. Be mindful of your roommate and keep what you leave in there to a minimum. Make sure what you’re putting in will be eaten in a timely manner and you’re not just saving something that will eventually be thrown away.
How to Organize a Shared Refrigerator
Try to avoid roommate disagreements before they happen by setting ground rules and organizing the space before issues occur. If the refrigerator has already become an issue, it’s not too late to set some rules and get organized.
The first rule should be that everyone has equal space. This will vary depending on how many people you live with and how big the fridge is. It might make sense for each person to take a shelf. If you only live with one other person, you could split the space down the middle. If neither of those options work, try having designated areas for everything to keep it organized and equal. For example, make one shelf the produce shelf, have a drawer for meat, have a shelf for dairy, etc. If none of those options work and you still need more space, split the cost of small storage bins. You and your roommates can each take one or two for your items. You could also use each bin for certain items. Maybe have one bin for shared items, one for fruits, one for meat, etc.
Refrigerator doors should be communal, and what you don’t want someone eating should be labeled to avoid confusion. Other fridge spaces like crisper drawers and cheese drawers should be kept as equal as possible. If you live with one other person and have two drawers, you each get one. If that’s not the case, double up and make sure only the designated items are going into the space.
Another rule on your organization plan should be a cleaning schedule. Have a ritual where you and your roommates pick a day at the end or start of the week and go through the refrigerator. Toss away items you won’t eat, are rotting, or are expired. Again, be polite. Don’t save food you have no intention of eating again. Throughout the week, clean as you go. If you see that something has leaked, spilled, or is rotting, toss it and clean up the mess. It’ll save you from a messy disaster later.
Roommate Refrigerator Issues and How to Deal with Them
No one is perfect, so refrigerator issues will occasionally pop up. If problems occur, have a conversation. Your roommate might not realize that they’re doing something you don’t like, and a simple conversation can clear it up.
One of the most common issues when it comes to the refrigerator is taking food. If your roommate still isn’t getting the message after you have a conversation, it might be necessary to take other precautions. You can label your items or put your food in a clean bag in the fridge to make it visually off limits. If this still isn’t working, have designated spaces for shared food. It could be a shelf, pantry, or drawer in the fridge. What’s only in those spaces is shared; everything else is off limits.
The other big issue roommates encounter is one person hogging the fridge or freezer space. You can remedy this by going through it together and getting rid of unwanted items and organizing the rest. Another remedy is to suggest making a meal together where you each contribute something. This will help you talk to them about the shared space in a relaxed way. If you and your roommate don’t seem to be able to have enough space after organizing and following the shared rules, you can split the cost of a minifridge to help.
Beyond the Apartment Refrigerator
The refrigerator isn’t the only shared space in the kitchen. Cupboards and pantries can cause similar issues. Ideally every roommate should take a cabinet or pantry shelf, but that won’t work in every kitchen. If that’s the case, create equal space by having certain cabinets and shelves designated to certain items like you would in the fridge.
Other items that should be discussed are pots, pans, knives, and utensils. Sharing these items is most common, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Discuss how you want to divide belongings with your roommates. Certain dietary restrictions or religious practices might prohibit you from contaminating certain cookware, so having separate might be necessary in some cases. Again, discuss with your roommates to decide what everyone is comfortable with.
Sharing certain pantry items may also make sense for some people. Unless you’re an avid baker and go through pantry staples like sugar, flour, salt, spices, etc. often, it makes sense to share these. Having duplicates will take up unnecessary space. If you do buy a special spice or ingredient you don’t want someone using, put your name on it.
Other pantry items to consider sharing is tea or coffee. If you and your roommates drink one cup in the morning for your daily caffeine fix, you might consider sharing. If you’re a coffee or tea connoisseur, sharing might not work for you.
If you’re sharing items, have a conversation about how you will purchase the items. It might work to shop together and split the bill or rotate who does the weekly shopping. Keep a running list in the kitchen. When you run out of a shared item, write it down and put the name of the person responsible for shopping on top of the list. Before you do your shopping, keep in mind your roommate budget.
The best way to keep the peace is to keep an open dialogue with everyone in your home and to set ground rules. Make the kitchen as equal as possible and check in to make sure no one feels like they’re being treated unfairly. Hopefully these tips help you and your roommates have a stress-free kitchen.
Published June 14, 2021
