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The key to finding exactly what you need in your fridge? ORGANIZATION! Trust me, I was a bit pessimistic too…but I always wanted a “Home Edit” worthy fridge and I promise you…with some elbow grease and a few bins and containers, I turned our fridge from a hot mess into an organized space where I can actually find things AND, believe it or not, I have more space!
5 Steps to Organize Your Fridge
REMOVE EVERYTHING – I literally took out everything! I trashed any food that was old, expired or questionable. We had things lurking in the back that I had honestly forgotten about. I also removed every drawer and shelf.
DEEP CLEAN – Once I had everything removed, I cleaned every shelf and drawer in the sink with warm, soapy water. I also wiped down the inside of the fridge and freezer. I couldn’t believe how dirty it gets WAY back there. Once that was all done, it looked like the day it was installed…BRAND NEW!
SEPARATE YOUR FOOD INTO CATEGORIES – Now that I had a clean slate, I took a step back and saw what I had, noted what I usually buy weekly at the store and starting separating it all into categories (re: drinks & juices, meat & cheese, fruits & veggies, dips & salsas, condiments, etc.)
GIVE EVERYTHING A HOME – Once I had everything separated, I started moving things back into the fridge. I basically gave everything a “home” and designated shelves and drawers for things such as fruits & veggies, meats & cheeses, etc. Once everything has a designated spot, it’s not only easy to find BUT easy to maintain!
CONTAIN THE REST – I was a skeptic here! Won’t bins and containers take up MORE space? Actually, they gave me more room {I have almost the entire top shelf empty} and contain the items that were always “floating” around. Things would get tossed in, pushed to the back, and I was always looking for something. I honestly didn’t go too crazy on the bins. I only added a handful. One I store dips in that we use on a daily basis, another for yogurts, etc and another to store cans. Those were always all over the place and I designated a spot on the side door for kids drinks and a container for adult drinks! Now that things are “contained” it’s easy to find things and take inventory of what I have/need when I go grocery shopping.
BONUS TIP: If you can find them, invest in a few produce keepers! I found mine all at TJ Maxx. They also sell them at The Container Store and even in Target. These have been life changing! Not only did they really clean up the look of the fridge {I always had berries floating around in the store containers, leaving behind a mess} BUT they keep your fruits and veggies crisp and fresh! They have colanders in them, so I rinse all the fruit when I get home from the store and then store berries, cut cucumbers and carrots in these containers. They have vents on the lids {open for fruit, close for veggies} that somehow keep the produce fresh. I was always tossing moldy strawberries and honestly, wasting money! These work like a charm and are a GREAT investment! Also, BONUS…because the produce is all washed and ready to eat, my kids are eating even more fruits and veggies than before! Try them! You will not be disappointed!
I truly love our organized fridge! That may sound silly but everything has a “home”, a place and its easy to find things and take inventory when I need to make a grocery list! Plus, we have more space! I promise its worth it! A few hours of time and you will have a “Home Edit” worthy fridge that will make you smile every time you open the door!
SHOP MY ORGANIZED FRIDGE
