Group like things together
If you keep all your dairy together, all your vegetables together, your condiments, bread, and so on, you’ll be able to see at a glance how much of what type of food you have. It’ll also be easier for everyone to put things back when each kind of food has a designated area, so you can organize your fridge as you go. Use drawers, shelves, and tubs to group like items together.
Use appropriate containers
If you only have a small amount left over after dinner, be sure to use a container that’s just big enough to fit it. If you store things in appropriately-sized containers, you will save space in your fridge. Clear containers are great for seeing what’s inside, and labels help too. You can label individual containers, or sections of your fridge.
Review before your weekly shop
If you grocery shop once a week, by the time you’re ready to shop again, your fridge should be nearly empty. That’s a great time to go over what you have left, which avoids buying more of something you already have.
Check expiration dates, removing anything that’s too old. It’s a great opportunity to clean, too!
If you keep categories together, use appropriate containers, and check before you shop, you’ll be able to organize your fridge, so it gets clean and stays clean.
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LOL – when my daughter comes to visit, she and her husband always sort through my condiments and pitch the expired ones. I don’t use most of them, so I forget to check. Great little project for a rainy day!
For sure! That’s super sweet of them : )
I use different shelves in the fridge for different purposes so everyone in the home knows where to look for things. We have a specific shelf for leftovers so they don’t get hidden all over the fridge and go mouldy. Milk and drinks are always stored in the same area. Of course, there are shelves where things get “shoved” and need to be looked at carefully by the end of the week. I go through the fridge each week on garbage day and make sure spoiled items are removed.
All great ideas, Julie. Way to go!
I’m a big fan of reviewing the contents of my frig before I go to the store, actually when I’m making my shopping list. I tell people that if they are not going to do that, at least take a photo of the inside of the frig and pantry, so when they are at the store and wondering if they need a certain item, they can check their photos.
Great idea, Janet!
I don’t really cook, so my fridge is often full of staples that don’t need any effort: cheeses (oh so many cheeses), jars of pickles, salad-fixings, and beverages. The fridge has zones so that I know exactly where something is, such that I could find it all blind-folded. This is one attribute that, if I DID cook, would at least be helpful to me. It definitely helps me shop, because it is always clear to me if I’m running low on cheese. 😉
Zones in the fridge is a great plan, Julie. Whatever makes cooking (or not cooking) less stressful is worth it!