Storing Your StarterNot everyone bakes every day, and that’s perfectly fine. Where you keep your starter — and how you bring it back when you need it — determines how much attention it needs between baking days.Room TemperatureDo you bake regularly, several times a week? Then room temperature is the simplest option.Your starter remains continuously active, which means it needs feeding every day — usually once a day, sometimes twice if your kitchen is warm and you are using a low feeding ratio such as 1:1:1.The advantage: your starter is always ready to use, without having to bring it out of a dormant state first.The downside: daily feeding takes time, flour, and attention — not ideal if your baking rhythm is irregular.The RefrigeratorFor most home bakers, the refrigerator is the most convenient solution.The cold greatly slows down the activity of the microorganisms, allowing a mature starter to sit there peacefully for a week or longer without daily feeding.How to store it:- Feed your starter as usual.- Leave it at room temperature for about 1–2 hours, allowing fermentation to get going again.- Place it in the refrigerator with the lid loosely closed.How to maintain it while refrigerated:- Take the jar out of the refrigerator.- Remove most of the starter, keeping around 25 g, for example.- Add 50 g flour and 50 g water in a clean jar.- Leave it at room temperature for 4–8 hours to become active again.- Return it to the refrigerator.From Refrigerator to Baking DayWhen you want to bake, split the process in two.Keep one portion as described above so you can continue storing it — this is your mother starter.Take a second portion and feed it specifically for use in your dough — your baking starter. For example, you could use a 1:2:2 ratio.Wait until it clearly reaches its peak, then use it.If your starter has spent a longer period in the refrigerator without being used, it can be a good idea to give it one or two additional feedings before baking with it. This gives the culture time to regain its strength.For exactly what you should look for before your starter is ready, see Recognizing Your Starter.The FreezerFreezing is possible and can be a perfectly good emergency solution, but it is less practical for regular storage than the refrigerator.A starter can generally survive in the freezer for 1–3 months, and sometimes 3–6 months. After six months, however, there is a greater chance that part of the culture will no longer be viable.Think of freezing as a short- to medium-term backup rather than your main storage method.For storage over many months or even years, drying is a more reliable option — see Drying Your Starter.Which Option Is Right for You?Bake often? Room temperature.Bake occasionally, weekly, or every other week? Refrigerator.Going away for a while, or simply want a backup? Refrigerator for shorter periods; dried starter for longer-term storage — see Taking Your Starter on Holiday.Not sure whether your starter will survive after a long break? See Saving Your Starter before you throw it away.There is no single right way to store a starter — only the way that fits how often you actually bake.Part of the Starter Hub.Read next:Feeding Your Starter · Drying Your Starter · Taking Your Starter on Holiday