How to Organize a Refrigerator
Happy Monday! It’s a new week with a new list of things to do…like spring cleaning. Growing up, my mom always enlisted my brother and me to help with the cleaning. And keeping us occupied long enough for her to scrub down the fridge was probably one of many perks to family cleaning.
Mom kept a clean and organized fridge. And I’ve kept those traits alive from my first mini-fridge in college to my fridge-for-one on the Upper East Side. Wiping it down every few months seems worth it; it just makes sense to keep your food in a clean space. My flair for organizing the items within might be a little much, though. My friend once asked, ‘why do you keep the food stocked like it’s at a grocery store?’ I guess I kinda view it that way: labels out, produce in the drawers, condiments in the side, butter up top. Makes me feel like opening the fridge is a little grocery run.
Shopping in bulk is cost effective, especially for a family, but often times loose food gets lost at the back of the fridge. These containers allow you to keep like with like, as well as adding an extra drawer element, enabling you to see what’s shoved away.
I like this idea of labeling the drawers and shelves. In a way, it guides you to what you’re looking for, or should be looking for, when you take a sneak peak for a snack. Often times, I open the fridge without much thought for what I’m looking for. I think labels would direct me to healthy energy options and keep me away from the easy carb choices.
My biggest organizing tip for a refrigerator is utilizing the given compartments for their intended use: produce in the bottom drawers, condiments on the door shelves, butter in the top, protein and cheese in the small, mid-section drawer and sodas in the hanging rack. The structure of the fridge already lends itself to organization if following properly. But if you need some more ideas, or extra receptacles, check out this list of tips and ideas.
And if you’re prepared for a full fridge makeover, follow this step-by-step How To on cleaning your fridge before you attempt to get organized.
Tell me, Appleshiners, how do you keep your fridge organized?