Do you ever feel like you open the fridge to grab an item you KNOW you have, but can’t seem to find? Or your leftovers from a few nights ago have worked their way to the back, only to be found a bit too late?
If your fridge is anything like mine, it can quickly become a cluttered mess. Between the kids’ leftovers and my endless stream of condiments, it’s hard to keep things organized.
But luckily, there are some quick and easy steps that you can take to get your fridge in order! In this blog post, we will discuss how to organize your fridge in a way that makes sense for you and your family.
There are many benefits of having an organized fridge. When you know what’s in your fridge, you have less spoiled food.
You can lower your grocery bill when you know what’s in the fridge, because you won’t buy things you already have.
Having an organized fridge helps make meal planning a breeze – especially if you plan your meals around items are that will expire soon.
Steps to Declutter and Organize Your Fridge
It may seem like a huge task, but if you tackle your fridge now, you’ll be amazed at the sense of relief you feel each time you open those doors.
We’ll walk you through the easiest, most efficient way to declutter and organize your fridge.
- toss out old leftovers
- check expiration dates
- remove remaining items and clean thoroughly
- assign items to shelves, drawers, and doors
- utilize clear containers
Declutter By Tossing Out Old Leftovers
The first step to fridge organization is to declutter. This means getting rid of any old leftovers or expired food that you no longer need.
If something has been in the fridge for weeks (or months!) and you know you’re never going to eat it, it’s time to toss it out.
Now go through and check expiration dates on EVERYTHING. This can be done while you work on step three if you like.
Make note of item that are nearing their expiration date and add them to your grocery list.
Not only will this decluttering step help to organize your fridge, but it will also help you save money by preventing food waste.
Remove Remaining Items and Clean Your Fridge
Remove all items from your fridge and clean thoroughly. You’ll feel better about making a fresh start and can better visualize how you want to arrange and organize your items.
Scrub your drawers and doors and use this time to rearrange shelves if you wish.
Assign Items to Shelves, Drawers, and Doors
Next, think about how you can efficiently arrange your fridge. Consider which items you use most or if you have kids who may need easy access to particular items. You may also want to keep a few helpful tips in mind.
– The top shelf and doors are not as cold as the rest of the fridge. Try organizing by placing fresh meats or milk on your lower shelves for this purpose.
We keep items that are most perishable as well as leftovers on the top shelf. We know it’s the go-to location when we need a snack or to ensure we eat leftovers in a timely manner.
– Use your middle shelves for eggs, sour cream, canned fruit, or produce that may not require your crisper drawers. Consider adjusting the height of the middle shelves to meet your needs.
– It’s highly recommended you use your bottom shelf for meats and milk. Since it’s the coolest spot in the fridge, you want to organize it with foods that require optimal temperature for longer shelf life.
Additionally, should you have any leaks while defrosting meat or fish, you have much less contamination to worry about.
– Save your door space for condiments, as it is the least cool space in your fridge.
– Place produce in their respective drawers for crispness.
Utilize Clear Containers to Declutter and Organize
Ordering clear fridge container organizers was a game-changer for us! They keep everything in their place opening the fridge now brings a smile rather than anxiety. The handle cutouts make it so simple to retrieve anything we need in seconds.
Lidded containers allow us to stack and utilize every space. It’s amazing what a difference organizing the fridge with these clear containers has made!
If your fridge could use a makeover, follow these quick and effective tips to get it clean, decluttered, and organized in no time at all!