My Fridge Journey:Compact to Capable

 

"More Than Just a Fridge: A Journey of Growth, Grit, and Gratitude"

Twenty years ago, life took a beautiful turn when I got married. I left behind a stable job in Delhi, packed up my dreams, and moved to Bangalore — a city that was new, unfamiliar, yet full of promise. My husband worked there, and with no extended family around, it was just the two of us, building our world from scratch.

I still remember that train journey from Delhi to Bangalore right after our wedding — a mix of excitement, nervousness, and a tinge of homesickness. The first month flew by in setting up our little nest. With a limited budget and endless dreams, we pieced together our home with a blend of second-hand finds and brand-new essentials. Garage sales became our treasure hunts, and small joys came from ticking off one more item on our "home setup" list.

Among the first few electronics we bought was a modest 150-litre refrigerator, perfect for a young couple finding their rhythm. We bought it from a resale notice pinned up at my husband’s office — a solid deal and a dependable appliance. It quietly settled into our kitchen, cooling our drinks,veggies,fruits and adding to our growing sense of domestic bliss.

Within two years, our cozy home had become a warm haven, and life blessed us with a beautiful baby boy — our pride and joy. Soon, our daughter arrived, and our home echoed with laughter, toys, and the occasional sibling squabble. Our family grew from two to four, and so did our needs.

Suddenly, everything seemed to shrink — space, time, energy — and the appliances that once felt enough now looked too small. The two-burner stove that once handled all our meals was now falling short for a family of four, and the fridge? It felt like a tightrope walk trying to fit in vegetables, frozen masalas, milk bottles, and birthday cakes all at once.

As a full-time mom who spent hours in the kitchen, my gut instinct told me it was time to upgrade to a larger fridge. I brought it up with my husband one evening, expecting a nod and a weekend trip to the store. Instead, it turned into an argument. He was not ready to relent to my idea of buying new fridge .He perched his lips and held his wallet closer to his heart and tightened his grips over his expenditure. Much to my annoyance .He did not budge. How so ever ,I pleaded but my heartfelt prayers fell on deaf ears .The man did not heed to my real home needs.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

I wasn’t asking for diamonds or a European holiday. I was asking for something basic, practical, and essential for a growing family.

I was offended and felt betrayed.

But as they say, everything is fair in love and war. This wasn’t love anymore. This was war — a kitchen revolution, one fridge at a time.

So, I rolled up my sleeves and hatched a quiet plan. If I couldn’t get his wallet to open, I’d find another way. I took pictures of our old, but perfectly functioning fridge, and listed it on OLX. I wrote an honest description and quoted a fair price. And then, I waited.

To my surprise, within a few days, I got a call from a couple who lived just a few blocks away. They were newly married and looking for a budget-friendly fridge — just like we once were. It felt poetic, handing over our fridge to another couple starting their journey.

I scheduled the pickup and then — finally — broke the news to my husband. To his credit, he was taken aback by my planning, resourcefulness, and determination. There was no turning back now. He agreed.

That weekend, hand in hand, we visited Croma and chose a larger capacity fridge, one that could finally handle our family’s daily needs and my culinary adventures. I felt victorious — not because I "won" the argument, but because I stood up for something that genuinely mattered to me and my home.

That fridge stood tall and proud in our kitchen for 15 years. It quietly became part of our everyday life — cooling milk for sleepy-eyed school mornings, holding chilled desserts on birthdays, storing leftovers after surprise guests, and freezing ice packs .

But, as with all things in life, even good appliances grow old. Lately, my trusted black fridge has started to show signs of wear — the cooling isn’t as sharp, the freezer moans in protest, and the lights sometimes flicker like a candle on its last breath.

My heart knows it’s time to say goodbye, but my eyes still search for a technician who might breathe new life into it — just a little longer, just a few more summers.

My eyes would miss it and my heart would ache without it.yes you know why.

 I feel attached, not to the appliance, but to what it stands for: my resilience, my home, and the many memories we shared.

In today’s world, where upgrades happen in the blink of an eye, some things still deserve a proper goodbye. And maybe, just maybe, our next fridge will arrive with less resistance and more laughter. Because every appliance may have a plug, but it's the emotions we attach to them that power our lives.