The cold heart

The middle shelf has a stable, constant cold: perfect for dairy, which is fussy about temperature swings. Here go the milk, the yogurts and the cheese.

And this is where the eggs should live. Many people leave them in the door —that's how it comes from the factory—, but the door is the warmest zone and the one that changes most every time you open it. Eggs keep better on an inner shelf. Your call, but it's the change that pays off most.

Keep dairy in its packaging or well sealed; cheese is best wrapped so it breathes without drying out.