Hi Chloe, once your starter goes in the fridge it can sometimes require a little reviving before you use it in a bread recipe, especially if it's been stored there for a week or more.  This is particularly true for naturally leavened (no added yeast) bread recipes that call for "ripe" or "fed" starter. Ripe means starter that has been fed at room temperature and allowed to rise to its highest point. It's considered ripe when it's at this high point, or just beginning to fall. Depending on how long your starter has been stored in the refrigerator it can sometimes take a few room temperature feedings to bring it back to its normal aroma and rising behavior. Once it's doubling in size within 6-8 hours after a feeding, and has a pleasant aroma, then it's ready to add to your bread recipe. On the other hand, recipes calling for "discard" don't require any reviving, and you can generally use discard straight from the refrigerator. 

Once you're ready to return your starter to the refrigerator, just give it another feeding and let it sit out for a few hours, or until it starts bubbling, before you stick it in the fridge. 

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