Fridge Organisation 101
What happens behind the closed fridge door is one of the less glamorous realities of life. Despite our best intentions, somehow the back of the shelves has a nasty habit of becoming a graveyard for leftover pizza and half-eaten pots of yoghurt.
When opening the fridge becomes an ‘at-your-own-risk’ operation, we’re forced to undertake a major spring clean.
A well-organized fridge is something we all wish for but not many of us have!
Well, the good news is that it’s not actually hard to achieve! Keeping your fridge organized and tidy is about more than the aesthetics – it’s also a sure-fire way to reduce food wastage and save you a heap of time and frustration.
Start with a Good Clean
I guess this is a no-brainer, but a good, thorough clean-out is step #1 towards your new-look fridge.
Take everything out of the fridge, one shelf at a time, and pop it into cooler bags to keep the items cold while you clean.
If possible, remove each shelf and clean it thoroughly. Wipe out the interior walls of the fridge too. A damp cloth and some mild detergent or a specific fridge wipe is perfect for this job. A mix of vinegar and water is another old fav for cleaning and removing those stubborn fridge stains and smells. Avoid using harsh chemicals – there are plenty of recipes online for natural fridge cleaners and deodorizers.
Work from the top down so that any debris is caught at the bottom and can be easily removed. Clean all trays or drawers too, and don’t forget to wipe around the door seals (an old toothbrush is a great cleaning tool for those small, hard-to-get-at places)! Dry the interior of the fridge with a soft, clean towel.
Audit the Contents of your Fridge
Conduct a thorough audit of the contents of your fridge. Check the Used By dates and throw away food that is past it’s prime. Be realistic – if you’re not going to use that half-empty bottle of relish or that container of pickles, now is the time to ditch them! Wilted vegetables to deal with? – think soup, casseroles and vegi fritters…
Clean any sticky bottles. Repack the contents of any leaky containers.
Sort out what needs to be refrigerated and what can be stored elsewhere – an over-full fridge is expensive to run, so if you have items such as tomato sauce and jam in there that can be stored in the pantry, now is the time to shift them to a new home.
Now comes the challenge… repacking and organizing!
Our Top #5 Tips for a Clean, Organized and Functional Fridge
- Assign Areas
Having dedicated areas or shelves for specific food types is the first step. To avoid cross-contamination, store your uncooked foods below your cooked foods.
Start with raw meat and fish on the bottom, then working upwards, reserve the middle shelves for dairy products, preserves and smallgoods, then use the upper shelves for left-overs and other cooked food products.
The door shelves are perfect for drinks and water bottles.
- Use Drawers / Containers
Most refrigerators come with a few drawers or clear plastic containers which are designed for storing food.
However, if you need more, there are plenty of smart ideas that are budget-friendly as well as practical – check Kmart and BigW for some inspiration!
Lidded egg trays such as this one we found from Spiced Co. are another great way to maximize space and increase efficiency – not only can you see at a glance how many eggs you have, but you can stack another container on top of it too!
- Labels
Labelling your food containers allows you (and the rest of your family) to see at a glance what goes where. You may wish to label shelves or specific zones, as well as your containers.
Choose a font that is easy-to-read as well as classy – remember that organization needs to be a balance of form and function!
- Use A Can Holder
Cans of fizzy drink take up a lot of room, and they also have the horrible habit of rolling around on the fridge shelf! Why not invest in a simple can holder to save yourself a headache and lots of space? Check out Amazon for some inspiration and inexpensive options.
- Store Your Vegetables Correctly
Storing your vegetables correctly doesn’t only look good – it also helps to keep them fresh and minimize wastage.
Fresh vegetables should be kept in a plastic bag or container in the crisper section of your fridge. These resealable bags are readily available from most supermarkets, and are especially designed to keep vegetables and fruits fresher for longer.
How Can I Keep my Fridge Organized?
The secret here is to keep short accounts with your fridge! Keep a list of its contents and plan your meals around using up left-overs, rather than collecting and storing food you won’t use.
Keep an eye on the Used By dates of your cold items – don’t let products sit for weeks past their prime before you deal with them!
Teach other family members where you want each food type kept – staying organized means that everyone has to be on board!