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

[laughorcry]

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?

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.

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 .

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.

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

Your dh actually has a point.

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

All happy.

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

cold air sinks hot air rises

I love a tidy well organised fridge!

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.

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

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

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!