With spring now upon us, many people are gearing up for a full household cleaning extravaganza. Spring-cleaning is an activity many Americans have turned into a seasonal past time. After the deep cleaning your home, inside and out, you’ll probably desire a seat and a cold iced tea.
But upon opening your refrigerator you may notice that your cleaning job has just begun – the disorganization and conglomeration of old food and new food can make you lose an appetite altogether. Have no fear! You can save space in your fridge and have a clean presentation for friends and family by following this list.
Saving Space Has Never Been So Easy
1. Get Rid of It All
Rule number one of cleaning a fridge is to never clean and organize a section without removing everything from the fridge. In order to effectively and efficiently save space in a fridge, you must first figure out what needs to stay and what needs to go. If you’re interested in starting a new diet you may lose more food than if you’re just trying to figure out where everything goes. Step one to cleaning a fridge is to remove everything, place it on the counter-top, and organize like items (i.e. dairy products, veggies and fruits, meats and cheeses, and sauces).
2. Use Containers with Everything
If you have opened a bag of lettuce or a box of cheese or anything else that is partially consumed, make sure to use vacuum sealed containers that are stackable and lightweight. When you put an opened bag or box back into a fridge you are not only spoiling the food quicker, but also you’re wasting space.
3. Prep Your Meals Ahead of Time
If you really want to save space you will need to invest some time and preparation. Most people do not have the initial time after shopping for groceries to prep the food they just bought for storage within their fridge. But if you have the time, prepping food directly from the store, creating dishes, and storing them via plastic containers will not only save you money but will also minimize your footprint in the fridge.
4. Fridge Architecture
That’s right folks, architecture is not only for the development of buildings. Fridges need to have an efficient architecture in order to maximize potential. There is no finite formula or solution to maximizing your space via shelf adjustments because every fridge is different and people have custom needs. Make sure to place shelves in a way that allow easy access to various items while also keeping things clean and tight.
5. Get Rid of the Variety
Simplicity is sometimes the greatest cure for a human being. We seem to continuously torture ourselves with complexity in our lives when some of the simplest solutions are right in front of us. Food consumption and variety is no different. I’m sure you can live with only one type of milk, one type of cheese, and a couple salad dressings. Instead we buy everything new on the market and fill our fridges with junk, or variations of junk, that ultimately never get consumed.
6. Shop On-Demand
This is a great option if you are someone who lives in an urban area with resources close to home. If you live in suburban developments, you may still be in luck if the grocery store is on your way home. Try incorporating grocery shopping into you daily routine, shopping for only what you need for the next two days. Shopping on demand does have its advantages, but can show costly long-term if not implemented properly.
7. Use Label Bins or Baskets
I have seen this technique used time and time again. The results are always positive if you don’t mind pulling bins or baskets out of your fridge every time you want to get something out. First, label all your bins or baskets by category (i.e. meats, condiments, veggies, sauces) and then proceed to fill the open bins or baskets with product until full. When the container is full, you have enough products and a very clean, organized approach.
8. Use Large Cups and Jars instead of Bowls
I was a culprit of this when I first began organizing my fridge. I found that bowls are horrible shapes for fridges – especially if you are attempting to save space. They take up way too much real estate whereas cups and jars hold salad, celery, and other greens effectively and efficiently.
9. Rotation and Proper Loading
Most people just place food in the fridge as a “first in, first out” approach. This will waste food and cost you more in space and money long-term. Make sure that all new groceries go in the back of the fridge, allowing family members to grab the older products first.
10. Use a Binder Clip
These little paper binders are good for more than just holding paper together. They can actually hold your beer in a perfect pyramid within your fridge. I found this innovative technique on Pinterest and thought I would share. (Note: This only works for fridges that have wire frame shelves, not flush glass bottoms) Apply one paper binder clip on either side of the base of your beers (about 3 beers at the base) and stack. You can stack a six-pack easily and effectively with two binder clips.
This article was written by Matthew Hall. Matthew is all about life hacks and loves finding new ways to save time and money. He is also a professional writer for Dallas Reconditioned Appliances.
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