Organize Your Fridge With These 5 Tips

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when tackling a new home organization project. But not to worry – we’re here to help! Learn how to hack your fridge to get the most storage space and use with these five tips. 

1. Start with an Audit

You know those crusty condiment packets, the bottle of orange juice that’s been sitting on your back shelf for longer than you can remember and those frozen meals that you thought you’d learn how to make when you moved into your home all those months ago? It’s time for a deep clean and audit of what’s in your fridge. Take everything out of your fridge and freezer, toss what’s expired or what won’t be eaten, and donate anything (unopened and not expired) you do not plan on eating. Then, use a bleach cleaning solution to give your fridge and freezer a good scrub to get rid of all the drips and crumbs. For an even fresher start, place an open container of baking soda in the back of your fridge to absorb any excess smell. Now, you may want to stop here for the day and place the food you’re keeping back into the fridge and freezer to make sure it stays cold and fresh. 

2. Label, Label, Label

Leftovers and takeout meals are great but can easily overwhelm and clutter a fridge. Use a permanent marker on takeout containers to write the date you brought them home (so you know when it’s time to throw them out) and use non-permanent markers to write the date onto any Tupperware. Then, organize your fridge by putting what’s going to soon expire in the front so you know to enjoy it before it goes to waste. This will help you reduce food waste and save money on groceries, by enjoying what you already have. 

3. Try Clear Storage Bins

For loose items like fruits, veggies, cheese sticks or even soda cans, consider purchasing stackable clear bins to get more from the vertical space on each shelf of your fridge or freezer. Not only will you be able to see what’s in each bin, but you can create room for larger items, like an uncut watermelon or jugs of milk. Plus, clear storage bins work with the non-permanent marker hack above to write down when you purchased fruits or veggies, so you know when you need to eat them by.

4. Plan the Week Ahead

Choose a day of the week, be it a Sunday night or Monday morning, to look in your pantry and fridge and plan for the week of meals and snacks ahead. Is there anything that is going to expire soon? Will you be running out of any essential ingredients like butter or milk? While you don’t have to go all the way into meal prepping (unless you want to, of course), get a good grasp of what you already have and what you’re going to need before heading to the grocery store. If the grocery store isn’t for you, consider grocery delivery apps or meal delivery kit services to cut down on excess food in your fridge that you may not end up eating. 

5. Create a Cleaning Schedule

Now that your fridge is organized, make sure it stays that way. Choose a day of the week, perhaps the same day you plan your weekly meals, to see what needs to be tossed, wiped down or moved to a better spot. By creating a regular cleaning schedule, you can avoid having to do monthly, or yearly, deep cleanings of your fridge and freezer.

Your fridge will soon be sparkling in no time! For more home organization and decorating tips, visit the Greystar @Home blog. 

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