The holidays are over, and the cold winter months are upon us. Like many, we use this season to get caught up on chores around the home since we stay indoors more than any other time of the year.
What’s on your cleaning to-do list before the warmer months come rolling around the corner?
Why not clean and organize your refrigerator!
Cleaning and organizing the refrigerator is often a forgotten task, so it doesn’t happen as often as it should, and it’s not a fan favorite for cleaning jobs either. Even if it’s not your favorite, the job must be done, which is why we’re going to share with you seven tips for getting your refrigerator to look sparkling clean!
First things first, we need to clean out the fridge!
A recommendation is that you work with one shelf or drawer at a time. As you remove the items from the shelf or drawer, place them elsewhere and clean the area with, at minimum, hot, soapy water. You may wipe it dry with a towel or let it dry while you work on the other shelves or drawers.
Once you have removed items from the refrigerator and had the chance to wipe down the surface, it’s time to organize!
Of course, we want to be mindful of the things you take out so that they are not sitting on the counter for too long and risk spoiling, which is why we recommend doing one shelf or draw at a time, removing the items, cleaning the area, and then organize using the following tips.
Discard Expired Food
You most likely have long forgotten leftovers sitting in the fridge—toss them out or dump the contents and wash the container. Look through the remaining items in the refrigerator and toss any past their expiration date—this includes both opened and unopened items.
Consider Practicality
When you consider the layout of your refrigerator, it’s essential to look at what is practical. Every fridge has its unique design; therefore, determine how you can make the most out of the space you have and be mindful of the size and weight so that you don’t place anything too heavy in the wrong place, causing damage to a shelf or drawer.
The top shelf and the shelves along the door are the warmer areas of the refrigerator, and the middle area and bottom shelves are typically colder. Therefore, you should keep condiments on the door. You’ll want to have your dairy products, eggs, and spreads on the upper shelves. For the lower shelves, place your meat and milk there, and in the drawers, you’ll put the fruits and veggies in the crisper.
By having everything in the proper place, the food will last longer, and you’ll avoid wasting money.
Use Clear Containers
Remove packaging from your fruit, cups, yogurt, etc., and store in clear plastic containers. Consider organizing by color and type. Not only will this look more attractive, but you’ll also save on space, and it’ll be more organized.
Label Your Containers
Label your clear containers next, as this will help your family find what they’re looking for and ensure that everything returns to its proper place—Thus helping to keep your fridge organized.
Separate Your Fruits and Vegetables
As mentioned previously, your fruits and veggies should go in the crisper drawers; however, we recommend separating them into separate drawers. You separate these foods because fruit has gas that causes your vegetables to decompose faster. The fruits go on the low setting, vegetables on high.
Place Perishables Where Visible
Any food with a short shelf life should be visible or placed up front and center to avoid the out of sight, out of mind theory. The truth is, not all fruit and veggies must be stored in the refrigerator. Therefore, consider which perishables you could place in clear containers, colanders, crates, or small fruit bowls. Doing so will help remind your family to eat the perishables first, which will help reduce the food expenses and possible waste.
Containers for Children
If you have toddlers or school-aged children in the home, consider separate clear bins or storage containers for their snacks—Allowing you to encourage healthy foods to supplement in between regular meals. Having a specific location for your child(ren) to go to when they need a snack will avoid the possibility of them ransacking the fridge looking for their favorite snacks and causing the refrigerator to get unorganized. It will also let you know when you’re running low on their favorite snacks so you can add them to the grocery list.
As you can see, cleaning and organizing the refrigerator doesn’t have to be a dreaded job; it can be fun!
We hope you found these seven tips helpful and practical for organizing your refrigerator.
Share in the comments: What is one organization hack from the article you’re looking forward to trying?