The mini-fridge is often a college student's best friend when living on campus, but they can be tricky to get used to. What kinds of things can you put in them? How do you defrost them? What is the best way to transport them when you're moving? After years of enjoying my mini-fridge and learning about how to care for it properly, I am offering you the tips and tricks I have learned by proxy and from experience all here in one easy guide. I hope it prepares you well for your life with your mini-fridge.

I know it sounds dumb, but naming your mini-fridge will help you remember that it needs to be handled with care. Afterall, this will be your main source for snacks, quick meals, and probably a few roomie pranks during the next phase of your life. Plus, naming inadimate objects is super fun in college. Personally, I had a coatrack I named Francois and a cactus I named Myrtle. You might get weird looks, but hey, get used to it! You're in college!

This may sound obvious, but it is a major point. You cannot put frozen food items in a fridge and expect that they will not melt. The most common item is ice cream. While it would be nice to buy ice cream in a large container at the store and eat it a little at a time throughout your week, it will melt into a terrible disgusting mess in your fridge. Instead, opt for only purchasing ice cream when you know you will have enough friends over to finish it off or fork out the money to purchase some at an ice cream place. If you're strapped for cash, remember that a Wendy's small frosty is only a dollar and Chic-Fil-A now carries milkshakes (their latest caramel coffee concoction is absolutely to die for!)

Before you move your fridge, you need to defrost it. This is an exceptionally easy process for mini-fridges. Here's how:

1. Plan for at least 24 hours for the process to be complete. Start by unplugging your mini-fridge.
2. Prop the door open and lay a towel inside the bottom to soak up excess moisture as it accumulates. You might also want to protect the area just outside of the open fridge door as well.
3. Leave it overnight.
4. The next day it should be completely defrosted and good to go.

When transporting your mini-fridge, do your best to keep the fridge upright. It was designed to be in this position for a reason and laying it horizontally could cause problems with the mechanics that keep the fridge cold when you plug it in. If you cannot keep it exactly verticle, it is okay to transport tilted back or even horizontal for a limited time only (no more than about 20 minutes). If you have to do this, make sure that the side facing down is the back. Also, for safety reasons, it would be wise to leave it in an upright position and wait about 24 hours before you even plug it in. This will hopefully allow the system to recorrect itself if anything moved around during the trip.

You are now ready to own and care for your mini-fridge and keep it safe so it will last for years to come! Do you have any other tips for caring for your mini-fridge? Or what about some foods you love to store? And, of course, be sure to let me know if you named your fridge! Creativity and fridge care go together like ice cream and peanut butter! (If you haven't tried it, don't knock it!)