Tidy and Organize your Fridge in those simple steps – Top Tips for busy women

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A well-organised fridge can save you time and make your kitchen run more smoothly. If you’re a busy woman juggling work, family, and other responsibilities, having a tidy fridge is a simple way to make life easier. Here are some easy-to-follow tips to help you organise and store items in your fridge effectively.

1. Clean Out Your Fridge First

Start by emptying your fridge completely. Throw away anything that’s expired or no longer fresh. Then, wipe down all the shelves and drawers with warm, soapy water. A clean fridge is the first step to keeping it organized.

2. Sort Items by Category

Group similar items together. This makes it easier to find what you need quickly. Here’s how you can do it:

– DAIRY: Store milk, cheese, and yoghurt on the middle shelves, where the temperature is stable.

– MEAT AND FISH: Place these on the bottom shelf to avoid any drips contaminating other food.

– FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: Use the crisper drawers. Keep fruits in one drawer and vegetables in the other to keep them fresh longer.

– CONDIMENTS AND SAUCES: These can go on the fridge door, as they don’t need to be super cold.

3. Use Clear Containers and Bins

Clear containers help you see what’s inside without opening them. Use them to store leftovers, pre-cut fruits, or meal ingredients. Clear bins are great for grouping smaller items like snacks or yoghurt pots. They also help keep your fridge neat and make cleaning easier.

4. Label Everything

Labels are your friend when it comes to organizing. Label containers with what’s inside and the date you put it in the fridge. This helps you keep track of what needs to be used up soon and prevents food waste.

5. Organise by Expiry Date

Place newer items behind older ones. This way, you’ll use up the older items first. This is especially important for things like dairy products, leftovers, and pre-prepared meals. It helps you avoid wasting food and keeps your fridge from getting cluttered.

6. Create a Meal Prep Zone

If you meal prep for the week, dedicate a section of your fridge to ready-made meals and ingredients you’ve prepped ahead of time. Use stackable containers to save space and make it easy to grab a meal when you’re in a rush.

7. Use a Lazy Susan for Small Items

A Lazy Susan (a rotating tray) can be very handy in your fridge. Place it on a middle shelf and use it to store small jars, bottles, and condiments. Just give it a spin to find what you need without having to reach into the back of the fridge.

8. Keep Snacks at Eye Level

If you have kids, or if you’re often grabbing snacks on the go, keep them at eye level. This makes them easy to find and helps you make healthier choices, too. You can use a clear bin to keep snacks together in one place.

9. Make the Most of Your Fridge Door

The fridge door is the warmest part of the fridge, so only store items that can handle a bit of warmth, like condiments, sauces, and drinks. Avoid storing milk or eggs in the door, as they need to stay colder.

10. Don’t Overfill Your Fridge

A crowded fridge makes it hard to find things and can block air circulation, causing food to spoil faster. Keep some space between items to allow cold air to circulate. If you find you’re always running out of space, it might be time to declutter and see if there’s anything you don’t really need.

11. Keep a List of What’s Inside

Keep a notepad or a whiteboard on the outside of your fridge. Write down what you have inside and what you’re running low on. This helps with meal planning and prevents you from buying duplicates.

12. Use Shelf Liners

Shelf liners make cleaning up spills easier. If something leaks or spills, you can simply remove the liner and wash it, instead of scrubbing the whole shelf.

13. Store Herbs in Water

To keep fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro longer, store them upright in a jar of water, just like flowers in a vase. Cover the jar loosely with a plastic bag and place it on a fridge shelf. This keeps herbs fresh for up to a week.

14. Adjust the Shelves

Don’t be afraid to adjust the shelves in your fridge to suit your needs. If you have tall items, like bottles of juice or a large pot, move a shelf to create more space. Customising the layout can make your fridge work better for you.

15. Use What You Have—No Need to Decant Everything

There’s no need to buy a bunch of fancy containers or decant all your food into matching jars, as you sometimes see online. Just use what you’ve got available. Often, the containers your food comes in are good enough to keep things organised. For example, the plastic punnet your strawberries came in can stay right in that drawer. The key is to make sure everything has a place and that you can easily see what you have.

Organizing your fridge doesn’t have to be complicated.

By following these simple steps, you’ll make your kitchen more efficient and your life a little easier. Regularly cleaning, sorting, and using clear containers are small habits that can make a big difference.

Remember, you don’t need to invest in a lot of new storage solutions—just use what you already have and keep it simple. A well-organised fridge not only saves you time but also helps keep your food fresh and your kitchen stress-free.