Organizing the Fridge
I used to think that organizing the fridge was a waste of time. You just put food in there and then eat it–why waste valuable time organizing it? Then I started researching and found that organizing was important and started figuring out where the ideal spot for each individual item. Still, I was reluctant to work on organizing it regularly–I would wait until something died and I had to clear out the whole thing, or until it was impossible to find one thing in the entire fridge and I would remove everything and start all over.
Now, I realize…if I keep at the fridge like I do my bedroom, it makes things manageable. And if I happen to organize it before grocery shopping then putting the groceries away isn’t the huge headache. I know what you are thinking–great! Sounds like fun…fridge organization is a great chore to add-on my long list. Hang on there–let me give you a few tips to make it seamless and quick!
Organization Tips
First, set up zones in your fridge. Yes, zones! They truly work–you might even get everyone else on board with this. Don’t be afraid to label if necessary. Some ideas of zones would be:
- condiments (so they seriously don’t take over the world)
- raw meat
- veggies and fruits
- leftovers
- lunches if you make those ahead like we do
- maybe a special spot for your husband?
- a place for drinks (milks, juice, water, etc.)
All refrigerators are different, so find a system that works for you. Setting up specific places for certain food ingredients is key. It makes everything go smoothly.
Once you have that routine established, take time weekly before shopping to take stock. Is everything where it should be? What is that mystery container in the back of the fridge? Who spilled juice so that everything is sticky? Tackling these smaller issues once a week is easier than letting them sit or so until you decide to overhaul the entire thing.
One more tip: we do not have a large fridge by any definition…but I frequently find it helpful to keep things in the front three-quarters of it. Pushing stuff to the back just leads to disaster and ruined food. Now, this doesn’t work for everyone–we only have 3 people in this house and I’m sure there are other things we do differently. But I have found sticking to this rule helps me waste less food and makes it easier for everyone to find things in the fridge.
So, what about you? How do you manage your weekly (or daily) tasks of grocery shopping and food storage? Do you have issues with fridge organization?