How To Make The Most Of Your Mini Fridge While Still Keeping It Tidy

Mini fridges are essential appliances in offices, dorms, and homes, as they allow easy access to food and drink throughout the day (or night). The small size of a mini fridge, however, can create some complications, both in maximizing the available space and keeping the appliance tidy. That's why Mashed reached out to Whirlpool kitchen brand manager Bree Lemmen, who was kind enough to share her expertise in an exclusive interview.

As Lemmen explained, unboxing items before stocking them in the fridge is a smart step. "To save space and prevent overcrowding in a mini fridge, consider removing food from cardboard packaging and plastic containers," she advised. This will spare you from having to play mini fridge Tetris with your various food packages. Lemmen also encouraged that you should label unboxed foods with their expiration date, as well as the date when you placed them in the fridge. Not only will these labels ensure freshness, but they can also spare you from a nasty bout of food-borne illness (check out our other tips on how to avoid food poisoning, such as tracking food recalls and always washing your produce).

On the subject of cleaning your miniature appliance, Bree Lemmen explained that size can be an issue. While she acknowledged that the cleaning process is comparable to that of a full-size refrigerator, the Whirlpool brand manager said that mini fridges should be cleaned more frequently. Because there is "less space, and therefore, less room to keep perishable items visible," Lemmen urged mini fridge owners to clean their appliances often, which will "ensure that the items within are still fresh."

While standard refrigerators should generally get a deep cleaning once every three months or so, it's best to clean out your mini fridge once per month. A solution consisting of baking soda and water is ideal in this case, as baking soda is one of many foods that are great to clean with. And if you're concerned about foul smells, even after cleaning, vanilla extract can be used to keep the fridge smelling fresh. With Lemmen's advice, you'll never have to face a cluttered or untidy mini fridge again.