How to organize your Fridge

Some might thing it is awkward or a waste of time to organize the refrigerator, since the items are consumed in a matter of days.  I am sure, that like many others your fridge needs a good clean.  Leftovers tend to remain at the back of the fridge and the back of the fridge becomes an forgotten territory.  Hence the importance of an organized fridge.

It would be great if one would opt the fridge and find exactly what s/he was looking for because every food items has a home.  In order to keep an organized fridge, you need to deep clean it at least four times a year and go through the items every time you go grocery shopping.

Before jumping into the organization part, you would want to clean and disinfect the inside of your fridge.  To clean the fridge:

• Empty the fridge: take everything out of the fridge so you can start cleaning the surfaces of your fridge.
• Wipe all the surfaces: Clean all the surfaces of the fridge.  Take the drawers out and let them soak in warm soapy water until you wipe down the surfaces.  I find that the best product to clean the fridge is with vinegar and water.
• Put shelves back in and add deodorizer:  The deodorizer helps preventing unpleasant smells.  Nowadays one can find various kinds of fridge deodorizer.

Now that the fridge is clean, you can start organizing.  Make a plan how you want the fridge to look, but keep in mind that some items need to be stored in a specific area of the fridge in order to last longer.

Remember before going out to buy containers, measure your shelves to make sure everything fits.

1. Make a box labeled “Eat me First”

Start off by going through your food and if something is going to expire soon, put it in a box labeled ‘Eat me First’.  This will be a constant reminder every time you open your fridge, to take items from this box first and not open a similar item.  In this box, you can also put leftovers….make sure to mark the date when it was cooked.

        2. Use a Lazy Susan

Like in your pantry, use a lazy susan so jars do not get lost at the back of your fridge.

        3. Lower the Shelves

Adjust the shelves according to your needs.  Remember that at the bottom shelves you should store raw ingredients which would not take that much space.

4. Group Like items together

Like in everything else, when group like items together, it is easier to find.  Gather the items and put them in clear baskets.  It not only makes it easy to see what you have, but also to take out items together and put everything back in place neatly.

        5. Storing Snacks

An easy way to organize snacks is to put them in file organizers.  File organizers are perfect to store small narrow items.  Make sure to label everything.

       6. Use Drawer Dividers

Yes….you can use drawer dividers in your fridge, especially if you have wide drawers. This way you can group your vegetables and/or fruit without them having to touch other produce.

      7. Line bottom with paper towels

Put paper towels at the bottom of the drawer where you put fruits and vegetables.  The paper towel absorbs the moisture and leaves your produce fresher.  The paper towels will also collect bits of vegetables that tend to fall, and which makes it easier to clean the fridge.

      8. Use of the Fridge door

The fridge door is the warmest part, so put items that do not need a very cold temperature such as condiments.  Despite most fridges have an egg compartment in the door, it is not advisable to store eggs in the door.

         9. Label, Label, Label

Once you have organized your fridge, label each container and shelf.  This will help other family members to out items back in their place.

        10. Kids snacks

If you have small children, make sure to dedicate a bin or a shelf for kids snacks.  They should be able to reach it themselves.  If it is within their reach, they can easily grab a drink without having to continuously ask for your assistance.

Following these simple tips, will help you keep your fridge organized and avoid food wastage.  Grabbing things from your fridge was never easier, and kids will enjoy helping themselves from the kids snacking basket.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FREE Step by Step guide to an organized Fridge

P.S: I am a certified organizational expert, therefore if you need assistance in organizing any part of your home or would like to work with me you can contact me on info@strugglingmum.com

Love

Strugglingmum xxxx