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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to refuse to allocate any mental space to dh's ideas about what should go where in the fridge

39 replies

laughorcry · 25/04/2007 10:03

dh seems to feel strongly about where things should go in the fridge (dairy up on the high shelves I think and meat towards the middle). he has explained why and it is something to do with relative temperatures.

we have 2 children under 2, and in my sleep deprived state it is frankly a struggle for me to restrict the fridge contents even to those things that should be there at all (since ds2's arrival I have put in a cup, a pen and some cutlery by mistake).

i think that it really doesn't matter where things go, and he keeps moving them (and then telling me he has moved them, and why).

who is BU?

OP posts:
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staceym11 · 26/04/2007 17:41

i'd tell him it's his job to order it all once you've finished, you dont have the brain power to learn it but don't disagree with him as he's not being completely unreasonable, but then again neither are you!

kimi · 26/04/2007 17:19

Well raw meat should always be on the bottom shelves and never with cooked meat.

As long as you dont put the kids in in your sleep deprived state then your doing ok

pointydog · 26/04/2007 17:09

is the top shelf underneath a dodgy freezer cabinet, cold air escaping, sinking and freezing things?

bozza · 26/04/2007 15:11

OK I am obviously aware that cold air sinks and hot air rises, but I know, for a fact, that the top shelf of my fridge freezes things.

TeeCee · 25/04/2007 17:01

I love a tidy well organised fridge!

pointydog · 25/04/2007 17:00

cold air sinks hot air rises

pointydog · 25/04/2007 16:58

As long as women make a big fuss about things like this, they will never lessen their housework load.

pointydog · 25/04/2007 16:57

Your dh actually has a point.

Give him control of fridge-ordering. Make that his job.

All happy.

vimfuego · 25/04/2007 16:50

anti-thread: "AIBU to expect my DH to observe hygiene rules when putting items in the fridge?"

unknownrebelbang · 25/04/2007 16:21

hmmm, I'm with the basic hygiene of this generally, although with one DH and three lads shoving stuff in, the fridge is usually a mess, lol.

The only thing I really insist on is uncooked meat at the bottom.

Recently printed off a food hygiene sheet- for use with cubs - which detailed all about keeping different foods in different parts of the fridge, lol.

FloatingOnTheMed · 25/04/2007 16:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chocolattegirl · 25/04/2007 16:05

I used to keep my books in alphabetical order and my CDs still are . Nowt wrong with a bit of law and order where you can get it .

Caligula · 25/04/2007 14:11

I think you are being a bit unreasonable tbh.

When men refuse to learn how to use the washing machines (no you don't put whites and coloureds together, no you don't put wool on a 60 degree wash), we get tetchy (and rightly so). His system is a reasonable hygienic one, as opposed to a mad Sleeping with the Enemy one. If it makes his life a bit happier, why not humour him?

Obviously, if his system consisted of putting all the red food on one shelf, all the yellow on another, all the green on another, etc., I'd say he was a loon. But what you've described sounds like basic health and safety to me.

I'd use this as a bargaining chip. "I'll learn your fridge system if you learn my wardrobe/ laundry/ papers/ whatever system".

People never used to have systems in their homes, did they? I blame IKEA.

FloatingOnTheMed · 25/04/2007 13:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kittyhas6 · 25/04/2007 13:15

OOh, that would drive me madder than I already am. Tell him you're not interested and you're not playing.
Fridges are for ladies

mytwopenceworth · 25/04/2007 12:51

it's basic food hygiene. meat on the bottom shelf, don't put cooked food in until its cold, empty leftover canned stuff into plastic bowl and cover - in fact all fridge food not in sealed packet should be wrapped.. and so on and so forth.

i get into trouble LOADS for sticking half a can of beans/peas/cat food in the fridge!

bozza · 25/04/2007 12:47

fanny if I put veg at the top of my fridge they freeze.

fannyannie · 25/04/2007 12:45

actually he does have some sort of point - uncooked meat should go at the bottom (to stop anything 'dripping' down) and vegetables ideally should be at the top (try telling that to the fridge manufacturers LOL)

But at the end of the day tell him to stop being so awkward LOL.

Londonmamma · 25/04/2007 12:40

I agree with MrsBadger's analysis.

Don't let it turn into a big source of contention between you - life's too short and marriage too long.

MrsBadger · 25/04/2007 12:32

hehehe

you might get lucky, you never know...

Original poster
laughorcry · 25/04/2007 12:31

nine.....

tell a sleep deprived lady it isn't so.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 25/04/2007 11:51

three years?
try nine...

Original poster
laughorcry · 25/04/2007 11:45

Hmm - a mixed bag. Interesting, thank you.

To be fair to him he does at least his fair share of putting shopping away. The problem comes when I have taken something out to make a meal and then put it away in 'the wrong place'.

Am relieved that some of you agree with him in a way as it makes it seem less odd to me.

And I would say that there is pretty much no chance at all of him starting to take an interest in putting the washing away so I should be safe there. This fridge business seems to be the only manifestation of a desire for order in the house (apart from the way that the books are arranged on the bookcases now I come to think about it).

So perhaps the grown up thing to do is to request that he doesn't make any mention of fridge placement until ds2 is sleeping through.

(on the basis of slimmerjim's experience that should buy me nearly three years of domestic harmony).

OP posts:
slimmerjim · 25/04/2007 11:28

Well I put raw meat at the bottom and veg in veg drawer but otherwise anything goes. If he has the time to be such an old woman about the fridge, then let him get on with it, but when you are feeling a little less sleep deprived tell him politely not to bother you with his deailing of where you are short of his high standards .

Sleep deprivation...total killer. I sometimes wonder how we went on to have 4 children. I had 2 under 2 at one stage also. Final one is 3yo now and still sometimes wakes at night or really early grrr.

empie · 25/04/2007 11:24

He is BU. I would LOVE to have a hubby who took an interest in household matters. But where does it stop? If he's taking an interest in the contents of the fridge, is his next trick going to be telling you what to do with it? 'Sorry dear but I think you've sliced the cucumber in my sandwiches too thickly'. PITA. Slap.

Or is he going to insist that you iron his pants and pair up his socks and put them away neatly in a specially sectioned off compartment in his knicker drawer?

Keep some trainers by the front door, I would!