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Original poster

Could you manage without a fridge / freezer?

34 replies

Ghostlyglow · 15/05/2020 17:14

I might have to. Mine gave up last night and everything had to be thrown away. I can get one delivered, but no one will bring it into the house. Any tips on how to manage without one for a while?

OP posts:

MuthaClucker · 15/05/2020 17:17

God no.

That's shit sorry, how long is a 'while'? Overnight, you could maybe use a sink full of cold water...what's the weather forecast where you are?

Original poster

Ghostlyglow · 15/05/2020 17:20

The washing machines making a strange noise as well it never rains......

OP posts:

Chasingsquirrels · 15/05/2020 17:21

Well yes, but I would have to shop almost daily to have access to the same quite of foods that we usually eat rather than storing them within the home.
I wouldn't want to shop daily normally, never mind atm.

Have you no way of getting a new one into the house at all?
What about a local handyman type? They are allowed to do work within the home as long as you socially distance. It would add to the cost, but getting a new one in the house would probably be worth it!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement

formerbabe · 15/05/2020 17:23

I could cope without many appliances but not without a fridge...maybe if I was alone but definitely not with kids.

MrsT1405 · 15/05/2020 17:24

Could you have it put in the garage or hall just for now?

MikeUniformMike · 15/05/2020 17:26

I could manage but i'd prefer not to. I've had a fridge/freezer stop working, and it was a case of binning most of the frozen food.

When I was a child, we didn't have a fridge. We had a pantry, which was an unheated room.

Do you have a cool box or freezer bags that you could put things like milk in?

A lot of things will be ok not refrigerated as long as they are kept dry and cool.

wowfudge · 15/05/2020 17:30

Too late now, but a fridge freezer will stay cold with the doors shut for a good many hours. Could you maybe get something secondhand locally from Facebook as an interim measure if you can't afford a brand new replacement?

Mychitchatdays · 15/05/2020 17:30

Ive had to buy a washing machine and a new fridge freezer in the last few weeks. I got both from curry's they put them in the hall and I moved them to the kitchen myself.

Sodamncold · 15/05/2020 17:33

Buy from another retailer!

Frenchfancy · 15/05/2020 17:33

Fridges aren't actually that heavy. Not like a washing machine for example. Could you buy a smallish one and "walk" it into the house if you have no-one to help carry it.

Original poster

Ghostlyglow · 15/05/2020 17:34

I'm thinking if I can persuade whoever delivers to put it just inside the door I could shuffle it into place, maybe? - I don't want a massive one.

OP posts:

wowfudge · 15/05/2020 17:34

I'm sorry OP - I misread what you'd put and it's about getting it into the kitchen. Do you have something like a thick blanket and a piece of cardboard? If you can manoeuvre a fridge freezer onto the cardboard on top of the blanket, you can pull the blanket to move the lot and it won't scratch the floor.

Megan2018 · 15/05/2020 17:37

You can buy a trolley to move it, probably about £40 from memory and you can sell it on after. They aren’t all that heavy if you have the right gear.

CherryStoneTree · 15/05/2020 17:38

Put a shout out in your local community group to see if anyone has a trolley you can borrow (and wipe down) and return? Or if you’re happy with social distancing pay a handyman to come and move it for you? Make sure all doors and windows are open so they don’t touch anything and air the house and clean afterwards. I reckon getting a fridge freezer in is pretty essential.

CherryStoneTree · 15/05/2020 17:38

Had a quick look Megan and they all seemed sold out like everything else, we got one for £35 from Screwfix but can’t see it now

Vicbarbarkley · 15/05/2020 17:38

AO wont install, but will still come into the house with the delivery, providing you observe social distancing.
Fingers crossed for you😁

Oblomov20 · 15/05/2020 17:41

Our local place delivered a fridge today. Bought it into the house. Maybe try a smaller place, rather than a big retailer.

Elouera · 15/05/2020 17:42

Are you on nextdoor.com? Its a local, community site. I saw the exact question asked in my area a few weeks back, where the company would only deliver to the front door of the block, and not carry the fridge up 1 flight of stairs. Someone asked for help from anyone local, and several people offered with trolleys and blankets etc to get the fridge up the stairs and inside.

Do you have a cooler box? Buy a bag of ice from the supermarket and use the cooler box for milk, butter and anything that needs to be kept cold. Otherwise, try buying small, 200ml cartons of milk for tea/coffee. When renovating once, we had no fridge/cooler at all. I was surprised that the milk kept for over 24hrs without a fridge!

Meruem · 15/05/2020 17:43

My fridge freezer isn’t working right and I fear I may be in the same position as you. For me the big problem is that I live in converted house, upstairs! If the worst happens I’m just going to buy the cheapest small fridge I can find and forego having a freezer for now. I can manage for a while without a freezer but not a fridge.

Wheresthebiffer2 · 15/05/2020 17:43

Put your milk cartons/bottles in a bowl of cold water. It helps keep them cool. Place food outside on window ledge at night (assuming outside temp is cooler than inside).

We managed for over 6 months without a fridge or freezer, admittedly it was Dec-Jun, so seasonally was okay.

It is a pain not having a freezer, but if you have a porch or space that can be used as a larder, it is quite do-able to manage without a fridge.

loobylou10 · 15/05/2020 18:25

We had a new freezer delivered this week. Was left outside as per social distancing and we managed to get it inside, then got it stuck at the bottom of our steps. No moving it! I put a call out on FB for house movers who were still working and 2 chaps came round later that day and moved it into place for me. We were out and they wore face masks. Maybe try that OP

Original poster

Ghostlyglow · 15/05/2020 18:49

I've ordered one from ao, it's free delivery for NHS. They've said it's "at the discretion of the driver" whether they bring it into the house so fingers crossed...

OP posts:

1forAll74 · 15/05/2020 19:27

My fridge freezer is acting up, The freezer part is ok, but the cabinet area is not cool or cold. Have had a few tips from neighbours, to try and rectify this, but things no better,so been looking at some on line now.. My kettle is leaking also, so something else to buy.

Megan2018 · 15/05/2020 20:57

@CherryStoneTree several showing on Amazon for me

Vintagevixen · 15/05/2020 21:32

I've just done a week without a fridge freezer after a house move. I am mighty relieved to have one now TBH, really struggled without and had to shop every day.

Got one delivered from Curry's, luckily have a conservatory on the back which counts as an outhouse and was actually where I was gonna put it anyway 😅.

They also delivered a washing machine which they kind of shoved over the step into my kitchen next to conservatory, I then slowly shoved it into place and managed to plumb it in myself 😁.

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