Having an organized fridge presents tons of benefits.
Instead of staring into the cold abyss for long periods, you can find what you’re looking for right away. Or rather than holding the door open for a while, letting out the cold air, and increasing your electricity bills, you can save energy by getting what you need and closing the door in an instant. And once you have your fridge in order, you’ll definitely find it more motivating to make meals at home.
But how can you achieve an effective organization system for your fridge? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Read on and learn about the steps for sorting your refrigerator’s contents.
Strategize
As with most tasks, the first thing you have to do to organize your fridge is to figure out a strategy.
So go and inspect it, then come up with an efficient storage solution according to its contents.
After that, you might want to pay a visit to your nearest home goods store and get refrigerator organizers. Some of these organizers may include clear bins, more drawers and shelves, airtight food storage containers, and clips for hanging bagged produce.
Empty and Clean
Now that you have your storage solutions ready, you can start getting down and dirty: clear your fridge and wipe everything down.
Do some decluttering and dispose of expired items or products you won’t use anymore. After you empty your fridge, grab a clean cloth and your favorite cleaner or a bucket of warm, soapy water. Wipe the inside, including the shelves, doors, and food containers.
Finally, dry everything with a clean towel and put all of the removable parts, as well as your newly bought organizers, in the fridge.
Line the Shelves
Want an easier cleanup the next time you sort your fridge? Consider lining your shelves and drawers with paper towels or reusable shelf liners.
By protecting your organizers with liners, you can keep spills and juices from sticking to your fridge.
If you don’t want to place liners on all of your shelves, putting one on the bottom shelf will suffice. This is where bits of vegetables and dirt often accumulate, so lining it with a paper towel will make it easier to clean.
Place Snacks and Perishables at the Front
Leftovers, snacks, eggs, and other items you regularly reach for should be placed on the upper shelves. Doing so will remind you and other household members to consume the perishables right away and prevent food from going to waste.
Make sure to arrange these products according to their shelf lives and how often you use them, moving the ones nearing their expiration dates to the front and center.
Store Your Produce Properly
You may already know that fruits and vegetables should go in the crisper drawers. These drawers usually maintain a specific humidity level to keep your produce fresh for longer.
Don’t forget to separate fruits from vegetables! If you only have one crisper drawer, place a divider in the middle to segregate your produce.
Most modern refrigerators have built-in freezers at the top or bottom, and they serve as ideal storage solutions for raw meat.
But if your refrigerator doesn’t have a separate freezer section, you have to put the raw meat in the bottommost drawer. This will prevent it from contaminating your fresh fruits, veggies, and all other refrigerated goods.
Organize Your Door Shelves
Last but not the least, make the most of your door shelves. Because refrigerator doors are warmer than the rest of the fridge, the only items we recommend putting on their shelves are condiments and salad dressings.
If you have kids, place their drinks and snacks on the lowest door shelf. That way, they can easily reach for their treats whenever they need to.
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