If the inside of your refrigerator has gotten out of hand, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone! No one enjoys digging through the mess to clear out old, spoiled foods, which is why you need to learn how to clean and organize your refrigerator with these easy tips. They’ll save you time, money, and improve the storage capacity of your fridge.
Refrigerator Organization Hacks
Tired of digging through old condiments, throwing away spoiled leftovers, or running out of storage space? These simple, inexpensive hacks will allow you to clean and organize your refrigerator like never before:
#1 – Start with a Clean Slate
Before you begin organizing your refrigerator, it’s important to give the entire interior a thorough cleaning. Starting with a clean, empty refrigerator makes it easier to see what you have, maximize storage space, and create a more organized system moving forward.
Remove Everything from the Refrigerator
Start by taking all food, beverages, condiments, and other items out of the fresh food compartment. Place perishable items in a cooler if necessary to keep them cold while you clean. Removing everything allows you to access every shelf, drawer, and corner of the refrigerator.
Discard Expired and Spoiled Foods
As you empty the refrigerator, check expiration dates and inspect items for signs of spoilage. Throw away anything that is expired, moldy, leaking, or no longer safe to eat. This is also a good opportunity to get rid of condiments, leftovers, and other items that have been forgotten in the back of the refrigerator.
Clean Shelves, Drawers, and Interior Surfaces
Once the refrigerator is completely empty, wipe down all interior surfaces. Use a food-safe cleaning product or a mixture of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to clean shelves, bins, drawers, and interior walls. Pay special attention to sticky spills, crumbs, and areas where bacteria can accumulate.
Don’t Forget Removable Components
If your refrigerator shelves, bins, or drawers can be removed, take them out and wash them separately. This makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach areas and helps ensure every surface is thoroughly sanitized before being returned to the refrigerator.
Allow Surfaces to Dry Before Restocking
Before returning food to the refrigerator, allow all shelves and surfaces to dry completely. This helps prevent excess moisture from accumulating inside the refrigerator and creates a clean foundation for organizing your food.
#2 – Line the Shelves
Spills are the most common messes you’ll find inside the average refrigerator. It’s nearly unavoidable, so your best bet is to protect your shelves using some sort of easy-to-clean liner.
You can purchase special refrigerator shelf mats, or even make your own using placemats or other materials. Many prefer to use plastic wrap which can be conveniently removed, thrown away, and replaced when a spill occurs. No cleaning required!
#3 – Use & Label Storage Baskets
It’s easy to clean and organize your refrigerator once, but keeping it that way is the real challenge. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by using baskets to maximize storage and keep like items together for easy access.
You can even create labels for each basket so you’ll be 100% certain what goes where every time you buy groceries. Try labeling one with “eat first” to avoid throwing away foods that are about to spoil.
#4 – Try a Lazy Susan Turntable
Making the most out of your refrigerator’s storage capacity means using its width and depth to your advantage. A great way to utilize depth while maintaining organization is to add a turntable or lazy Susan to one or more shelves.
You can even use labeled baskets on the turntable for the most convenient access to foods, condiments, and more. Oh, and did we mention that it looks great too?
#5 – Whiteboard for Tracking Leftovers
Wasted food is a huge problem in our country, and unused leftovers that get thrown out are a big part of it. Hanging a dry-erase whiteboard on your fridge will allow you to not only keep an accurate grocery list, but you can track how long you have left to eat certain food before they go bad.
You’ll be amazed at just how much you can save at the supermarket by simply eating more of what you already bought.
These simple refrigerator organization hacks should help you clean and organize your refrigerator better than ever before. If you’re having trouble with your unit not working correctly though, call the repair experts at Dave Smith Appliance Service right away!