Not too long ago, I "shame cleaned" ours and made the before and after photos public knowledge. I think one of the reasons our fridges get so out of hand is because you close the door and that little light goes out...essentially, blacking it out and making it no longer exist. Well, it's still there! All those half-eaten items and expired condimentts continue to take up shelf space and WILL make it difficult to find what it is you really need the next time you are in there.
Well today, I implore you to take a bit of time and tackle this area of your home.
I personally, took everything out and scrubbed the interior down. Anything that was removable, went into a sink full of hot soapy water. Once that was done, I started to pair like food items together. Because it's easier to find things when they are next to something similar, I decide to organize things and place them into quadrants ...
Here are a few I decided on for our refrigerator:
Condiments
Dairy
Asian/Marinades
Dressings
Vegetables
Fruits
Drinks
Then I got my handy label maker out and started typing.
Now it'll be easier to remember where to put things when we food shop or are putting something back after use.
When my husband saw this, he said, "THIS is organize too??!!??" Why, yes! Be thankful for it, Big Guy. Because, in the long run, I really think this will be most helpful.
Here are a few other helpful hints that this Closet Housewife uses:
-Not everything is labeled with expiration dates...mark with the "opened date." This way, you really know how long its been lurking.-Use Ziploc bags. Not an onion or garlic clove goes into our fridge without being put into one. I use a hole punch to give the items breathing capability but it doesn't let all the paper (skin) to come off and reek havoc in the drawer.
