A cluttered refrigerator and freezer can cost you: money in food wasted in time spent looking for things. In less than an hour you can have an organized frig and freezer!
LET’S GET STARTED!
1. Take EVERYTHING out!
2. Wipe everything down – start clean!
3. Toss any food items that are outdated or spoiled.
4. Sort food items into categories: condiments, dairy, fruits, veggies, meats, snacks, beverages, etc.
5. Use clear bins and trays to create zones. They come in many sizes and some are stackable. Each refrigerator drawer can be a zone as well.
6. Add a turntable or rolling trays for easy access to all items.
7. Beverage dispensers keep cans corralled.
8. Label zones so everyone in the family knows where things are and where they belong.
9. Erasable storage labels are perfect for leftovers.
10. Create a healthy snack bin for all the snackers in your family!
Also, check out these tips from RealSimple.com to keep your food fresher longer:
1. Eggs do best where the temperature is most consistent—on the middle shelf. Store in the original.
2. Milk should be on the bottom, all the way in back, where it’s coldest.
3. Yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese fare best on the bottom shelf as well.
4. Packaged raw meat should go on the super-cold bottom shelf. And if juices drip, they won’t contaminate the whole fridge.
5. Vegetables stay fresh longer with a bit of humidity. The drawer labeled vegetables or high humidity is the moistest spot in the fridge. Store in the original packaging or in a plastic bag, loosely tied.
6. Fruit belongs in the low humidity drawer (sometimes marked crisper). Keep in the original packaging or in a plastic bag, loosely tied (citrus is fine with no bag).
7. Deli meats belong in the shallow meat drawer, which is slightly colder than the rest of the fridge, or on the bottom shelf.
8. Butter and soft cheeses don’t need to be super cold, so they can live in the dairy compartment on the door (the warmest part of the fridge).
9. Condiments are generally high in vinegar and salt, which are natural preservatives. So ketchup, pickles, salsa, mayonnaise, and salad dressing are fine on the door.
10. Orange juice can be stored on the door, as long as it’s pasteurized. Fresh-squeezed should be stored on the bottom shelf.
For more kitchen and freezer organizing tips and ideas check out our Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/silverliningorg/organizing-the-kitchen/
