Roommate Etiquette: Sharing a Fridge

Worried about sharing a refrigerator with your roommate in your new #apartment?  Don't be!  With Apartment Therapy's no-nonsense tips, there's no need to squirrel a mini-fridge away in your bedroom!

Make a decision as a group whether you are going to share food, condiments and beverages and make sure everyone is clear on the rules that are agreed upon.  When making the decision to split or not to split, discuss your at-home eating habits.  If one person eats all their meals at home while another likes to eat out all the time, splitting 50/50 will not be fair.

If you make the decision to not share, give your roommates a heads up if there is anything of yours you are okay with sharing.  Condiments are a great thing to share without too much trouble.  However, whoever is the one to use the end of the shared condiment should replace it.

Give everyone equivalent space in the refrigerator.  It could be a shelf for each roommate or just a rough estimate of how much space you can use.  Even if you keep the limits loose, be courteous and don't buy in bulk at the store.

All housemates should make sure that all food is covered to prevent odors and mold.  Make sure to wrap foods that give off a strong smell extra well.  

Label all food so it's clear which roommate leftovers belong to, both so no one eats them and so you can hound the appropriate person if something starts to go bad.

Set up a schedule for how often the fridge is cleaned, who does it, and what exactly constitutes "clean".  However, if you're the one whose food spills or leaks, clean it up whether it's your turn or not.  In addition, get rid of rotten produce weekly.

Need help finding an apartment with a refrigerator that has enough room for everyone?  Give Apartment Experts North a call today at 512-339-4411!

Roommate Tips for Sharing a Refrigerator

Having trouble #SharingARefrigerator with roommates?  Does your roomie keep drinking your last Topo Chico?  Check out Avalon Communities' tips for sharing a refrigerator and stop coming home to an empty fridge.  Better yet, discuss issues around refrigerators before you move into your #apartment and head off conflict from the very beginning!

The easiest thing to do is to simply split the shelves of the fridge and freezer evenly and designate them for each person living in the apartment.  You should also establish a rule about things that everyone will use like condiments and beverages.  The best way to handle this is to make the person who finishes the item be the one to replace it.  Hopefully this will result in a pretty even split.

Avoid writing your name on everything in the refrigerator because this will make you look possessive and childish.  But if you choose just a few important items to mark as yours, your roommates will be much more likely to steer clear of those special foods.

Set a schedule for who cleans the fridge when.  If a shared refrigerator isn't cleaned regularly, it can become downright disgusting.  The best way to avoid this sorry state is to have everyone split the cost of supplies and set up a schedule where a different person cleans it on a weekly basis, and then stick to it.  To prevent the fridge from becoming gross sooner, make sure any spills are cleaned up immediately.

Need help finding an apartment where you and your roommates can co-exist peacefully?  Give Apartment Experts South a call today at 512-416-8100 for the latest on vacancies, move-in specials and amenities!