In just about every 9-to-5 office, your co-workers are (allegedly) adults. These are grown human beings who, in theory, have 20+ years of socialization under their belts.
Yet, without fail, there are always few slobs and all-around careless people who have absolutely no idea how to deal with a communal refrigerator in the break room. Or maybe they do know how, and they just don’t give a damn—because they’re crummy people like that.
Don’t be one of those crummy people. Here are 10 commandments every thoughtful co-worker should obey when using the break room fridge.
Thou shalt not touch what isn’t yours.
If you see a soda next to your lunch bag and you think to yourself, “Hmm, that doesn’t look like mine”, then DON’T TOUCH IT. Don’t pick it up, don’t open it, and definitely don’t shake it in a moment of soda frustration.
Thou shalt cover your food.
Don’t just toss a bowl of soup in the fridge and walk away. Smells migrate, and eventually the whole fridge will reek of your old minestrone. Plus, it’s going to ruin your food. Put a lid on it and save everyone the smelly heartbreak.
Thou shalt take your leftovers home.
This is one of the most common occurrences, and yet it’s so easy to avoid. No one wants to open the fridge on Monday morning and smell the culinary equivalent of a dead body. Take your crap out at least weekly and move along.
Thou shalt address your stank.
If, by some unfortunate accident, you do end up stinking up the fridge, don’t just leave it that way and expect someone else to take care of it for you. That’s lame. Offices generally don’t hire some kind of maid service to clean up after everyone, so that responsibility falls on you.
Thou shalt keep your junk to a minimum.
Even in smaller offices, every inch of that fridge counts. If you’re bringing food that needs to be refrigerated, don’t bring half of your kitchen with you. A lunch bag, drink, and maybe one other item should be the general rule.
Thou shalt freeze what needs to be frozen.
Seriously, it’s not that hard to keep freezer stuff in the freezer. Cleaning up a soggy mess, on the other hand, definitely is.
Thou shalt clean up your spills.
And do it quickly, because it’s going to get sticky and disgusting if it’s just left there. That’s annoying, and you’re a real drag if you just assume it’s someone else’s problem.
Thou shalt toss old food in the appropriate trash can.
Some offices have cans labeled “DAILY”. Toss your nasty grub in there, and not anywhere else. If it goes elsewhere, it’s going to stink up the whole room until the can is finally emptied.
Thou shalt date your food.
If you happen to be forgetful (or just rude!) at the very least, have the decency to label your food with a date on it. That way, people know when to throw it out. Also, write your name on it so everyone knows who the culprit is so they can nail these commandments to your office door.
Thou shalt help out when you can.
Even if you see a mess that doesn’t belong to you, get a rag and clean it up. You can never have enough good karma with your co-workers.