The secret life of your fridge - Unclutter by Donna Smallin Kuper

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the guide HOMEwhat goes where (and why)Like real estate, cold storage is all about location. Shelf or drawer? High or low?Follow this expert fridge-packing plan to keep contents fresh.WHY BAD THINGSHAPPEN TOGOOD PRODUCEMixing fruits andvegetables inthe same drawer isa no-no. Manyfruits (like applesand pears) emitethylene, a gasthat can causewilting in lettuceand prematureripening incertain vegetables(like carrots andcucumbers). For alist of foods thatshould neverhang out together,visit realsimple.com/fridge.EGGS do bestwhere the temperatureis mostconsistent—on themiddle shelf. Store inthe original cartons(don't transfer to thefridge egg container).2. MILK tends toland on the top shelf,but it should be onthe bottom, all theway in back, where it'scoldest.3. YOGURT, SOURCREAM, ANDCOTTAGE CHEESEfare best on the bottomshelf for thesame reason. Stackitems on a turntableto keep everythingaccessible and expirationdates visible.4. PACKAGEDRAW MEAT shouldgo on the supercoldbottom shelf.And if juices drip,they won't contaminatethe wholefridge.5. VEGETABLESstay fresh longer witha bit of humidity.The drawer labeledVEGETABLES Of HIGHHUMIDITY is themoistest spot in thefridge. Store in theoriginal packaging orin a plastic bag,loosely tied.6. FRUIT belongs inthe LOW HUMIDITYdrawer (sometimesmarked CRISPER).Keep in the originalpackaging or in aplastic bag, looselytied (citrus is finewith no bag).Tip: Leave vegetablesand fruits unwasheduntil you use them.Water can promotemold and cause bacteriato grow.7. DELI MEATSbelong in the shallowMEAT drawer, which isslightly colder thanthe rest of the fridge,or (if there's nosuch drawer) on thebottom shelf.8. BUTTER ANDSOFT CHEESESdon't need to besuper cold, so theycan live in the dairycompartment on thedoor (the warmestpart of the fridge).Place soft cheeses,like Brie and goatcheese, in an airtightcontainer afteropening them.9. CONDIMENTliare generally highin vinegar and salt,which are naturalpreservatives. Soketchup, mayonnaise,and salad dressingare fine on the door.Same goes for picklesand jarred salsa.Olive and vegetableoils can remain in thepantry. But nut oils,like sesame andwalnut oils, belong inthe refrigerator,also on the door.10. ORANGE JUICEcan be stored onthe door, as long asit's pasteurized.Fresh-squeezedshould be stored onthe bottom shelf.142 0012010 /012 I 112AIJIMPLE.COM

PUT THIS INCUT FLOWERS They'll last longer ifyou store them in the fridge overnight.RIPE BANANAS The peels will turnblack, but the fruit itself will be goodfor several extra days.OLD-SCHOOL FILM It performsbetter when stored in a cool place.But be sure to let it come to roomtemperature before opening thecontainer to prevent condensationon the film's surface.NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER Cooltemperatures preserve the oil. Stir oncebefore refrigerating and it shouldn'tseparate later.AVOCADOS Once they're ripe,refrigerate to prolong shelf life.WHOLE -WHEAT FLOUR Transferredto a freezer bag, it will last six times aslong in the fridge as it would in thepantry. (White flour is fine stored there.)COLOGNE AND EAU DE TOILETTERefrigeration can help these fragrancesretain their scent for about two years.(Perfume, however, should be stored atroom temperature.)CANDLES Cold wax can burn moreslowly and drip less.LIPSTICK A cool home improveslongevity. If you stock up on a favoritecolor, keep extras here rather than inthe bathroom.HOMEMADE COOKIES They'll stayfresh longer here than in the pantry.GARDEN SEEDS Place in a moistureproofcontainer. Cool temperaturesextend the seeds' viability.TAKE THIS OUTHOT SAUCE It can live happily in thepantry for up to three years.POTATOES Refrigeration adverselyaffects their flavor, so store in thepantry in paper bags (plastic bags trapmoisture and speed decay). Mostvarieties should last three weeks.BREAD The refrigerator dries it outfast. Instead, keep what you'll eatwithin four days at room temperatureand freeze the rest.ONIONS They like their original meshbag (or any bag that allows for aircirculation) in the pantry. But keepthem away from potatoes, which emitmoisture and gases that can causeonions to rot.BATTERIES Stash in a drawer atroom temperature. Extreme cold (orheat) can diminish performance.GARLIC It will do well for two monthsin the pantry. Store loose, so air canmove around it.TOMATOES They can get mealy inthe fridge, so leave them on a counter,out of plastic bags. To speed ripening,store in a paper bag. Once ripe, they'lllast for about three days.COFFEE The fridge (and the freezer)create condensation, which can affectthe flavor of both ground coffeeand coffee beans. Coffee fares best inan airtight container in the pantry.NAIL POLISH Keeping it in thefridge can cause it to thicken. Storeat room temperature, away fromdirect sunlight.WINTER SQUASHES Varieties suchas acorn, butternut, delicata, andspaghetti will last for about a monthor more in the pantry.friending yourfridgeFive ways to show it loveand support.1. Check the door seals. A looseseal allows cool air to seep out, wastingenergy and causing your fridge towork harder than it needs to. Firstmake sure the seals are free of foodresidue. (Clean them about twice a year,using a toothbrush and a solution ofbaking soda and water.) Then try thedollar-bill test: Close the bill in thedoor so that half is in and half is out. Ifit slips out easily, you may need tohave the door seals checked by a pro.2. Keep the coils clean. When thecondenser coils (see following pagefor more on parts) are coveredwith dust, the refrigerator can't runefficiently. Twice a year, pull themachine from the wall to reveal thecoils in back (or snap off the grille,if the coils are on the bottom front),unplug the refrigerator, and vacuumwith the brush attachment.3. Set the right temperature.Keep the fridge between 37 and 40degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at0 degrees.4. Fill it up (even if you nevercook and only have takeout).Refrigerators need "thermal mass"(a.k.a. lots of stuff) to maintainlow temperatures. Cool foods anddrinks help absorb warm air thatstreams in when you open the door.If you're the eat-out type or yourfridge is too big for your needs, storea few jugs of water in there.5. Be prepared. If the power goesout, keep the doors closed and usefoods from the pantry. An unopenedrefrigerator will keep food safe forfour hours; a freezer will maintain itstemperature for 48 hours if full and24 hours if half-full.144 OCTOBER 2012 I REALSIMPLE.COM

HOME the guide I •A BRIEF HISTORY OFREFRIGERATION(Nothing like a time line to remindus all how good we have it.)PREHISTORIC TIMESEarly man stashes hunted game incool caves or packs it in snow.CIRCA 500 B.C.In Egypt and India, people makeice on cold nights by leavingout earthenware pots full of water.1550First known use of theword refrigerate.CIRCA 1781The first icehouse in America isdug, in Philadelphia. It utilizescool underground temperatures.1792Thomas Jefferson subscribes toa summer ice service.1805Massachusetts entrepreneurFrederic Tudor sells ice harvestedfrom a pond on his family farm.1850Professor Alexander Twining ofNew Haven, Connecticut,invents the mechanical icemachine, which eventuallymakes ice available to all.1913American inventor Fred W. Wolfsells the first electricrefrigerator for the home,called the Domelre.1948Frigidaire introduces arefrigerator with a separatefreezer section.1996The Regulatory Clean Air Actpasses, requiring refrigeratormanufacturers to abandon Freonin favor of chemicals that do lessharm to the ozone layer.2011Samsung introduces a touchscreenSmart Fridge that letsyou stream music, tweet,search the Web for recipes, andrecord voice messages.•the ice fairy, or howa fridge worksIn the refrigeration cycle, there are fivebasic components: fluid refrigerant;a compressor, which controls the flowof refrigerant; the condenser coils(on the outside of the fridge); theevaporator coils (on the inside of thefridge); and something called anexpansion device. Here's how theyinteract to cool your food.1. The compressor constricts therefrigerant vapor, raising its pressure,and pushes it into the coils on theoutside of the refrigerator.2. When the hot gas in the coilsmeets the cooler air temperature ofthe kitchen, it becomes a liquid.3. Now in liquid form at highpressure, the refrigerant cools downas it flows into the coils inside thefreezer and the fridge.4. The refrigerant absorbs the heatinside the fridge, cooling down the air.5. Last, the refrigerant evaporates to agas, then flows back to the compressor,where the cycle starts all over.►ansionexp device•condensercoilsCALL A PRO IF......the fridge isn't cooling well.Assuming the door seals are tight andthe condenser coils are clean, therecould be a problem with the thermostat.(Check the freezer for frost; that's atelltale sign.) This is the best-casescenario, as a new thermostat will run only about $200. Worse?It could be the compressor. That's so expensive to replace ($500to $700), it might make more sense to buy a new machine....there's a puddle under the refrigerator or moistureon the seal. The mullion heater—a mini heater embeddedin the unit, which counters condensation—may have burned out.Or you may have a faulty door seal....the fridge is making strange noises. If you hearthumping, the compressor could be shot (see above). If it's moreof a squealing sound, you might need a new freezer fan,which will cost about $200.compressor• evaporator coilsREAL SIMPLE'S PANELOF FRIDGE EXPERTSSandra Phillips, a cleaningauthority and the authorof A Clean Break.Doug Reindl, a professorof engineering at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison and the director ofthe Industrial RefrigerationConsortium, in Madison.Donna Smallin Kuper, aclutter-busting pro and theauthor of How to Declutterand Make Money Now.Virginia Willis, an Atlantabasedchef and the authorof Basic to Brilliant, Y'all.*Chilling talesWant to hear about theoddest (and grossest) thingsReal Simple readers havefound in their fridges? Go torealsimple.com/tales.OCTOBER 2012 I REALSIMPLE.COM 147