Deal with the biggest problem facing those that use small fridges--the lack of room for the things you want to store. Many dorm or hotel fridges are too small to accommodate a gallon of milk or an entire carton of eggs. Scott Johnson says the best way to work around this problem is to buy things in small amounts, and keep them cold as long as you have them. Buy half-gallons of milk instead of full gallons and take the eggs out of the carton and put them in a bowl if the carton doesn't fit.
Take things out of packages to make more room in your small fridge. Many people don't realize they can fit more into a fridge if they remove items from the packages, says Johnson. For instance, you might not fit a 12-pack of soda in the fridge while in the box, but if you take the cans out of the box, you can stack them to fit much better.
Pay attention to the temperature of your fridge, Johnson says. Smaller fridges might not get as cold as a bigger one, so some items you are keeping in the fridge might end up going bad or not being as good when you decide to use them. If needed, turn down the temperature.
Check the temperature when you leave for long weekends or breaks as well. Sometimes small fridges will get much colder if they aren't opened up regularly, so things that would normally be cold will freeze while you are gone. It is best to not leave anything perishable in a small fridge if you plan to be gone for more than three days.
Make sure all of your parts are in working order, Johnson says. One of the biggest problems is small fridges are often sold by discount stores as end-of-the-season or back-to-school sales, and they are made in such a way that parts break. If the fridge isn't getting as cold, or not doing what it is supposed to do, check the warranty. Johnson says that many small fridges have a yearlong warranty, even if you didn't fill out any paperwork or register the fridge. However, he warns that these warranties might not be displayed or advertised because the companies don't want to have to replace them if they break. Call the number on your instruction book, or look up the company's website, to make sure that you get a replacement fridge if your fridge breaks or can no longer be used.