9 Things You Can Do to Get Your Fridge a Little Neater in Just 1 Minute
While most of us are finding ourselves with more at-home time than we had a few weeks ago, a big fridge clean-out probably isn’t at the top of the priorities list. But cleaning out your fridge may actually be just the thing you need, as you’re faced with more meals as a family, no eating out, and a bigger influx of groceries than you’re used to. That’s why we’ve rounded up our very best tips to help you get a neater, cleaner, more organized fridge. And each of these things can be done in just one minute or less.
1. Toss old leftovers.
Leftovers are generally safe for three to four days. We firmly believe that you should always label and date leftovers before putting them in the fridge. (Always both of these things!) Use a Sharpie and masking tape if you need to.
2. Group like condiments together.
Even if you haven’t (yet) labeled your condiment shelves, grouping condiments that are similar means that when you need soy sauce or Sriracha, you know where to reach.
3. Wipe down visible crumbs and spills.
You can’t wipe down your every square inch of fridge space in less than a minute, but you can certainly wipe out visible crumbs and spills. This will make your fridge look far cleaner, even if hidden messes temporarily remain.
4. Line items up in neat rows.
Adjust yogurt containers, beverage bottles, containers of leftovers, and everything else so that it all lines up neatly, rather than appearing helter-skelter.
5. Face items forward.
This really takes fridge organization up a notch. Everything will look in order if you take a bit of time to turn things around to face forward.
6. Wipe down dirty containers.
Grab a damp rag and look for any containers with drips or crusty grossness. Clean them off.
7. Rearrange produce in drawers.
Instead of having cucumbers, carrots, and bags of herbs stacked in produce drawers, file things vertically so that you can see what you have and use it before it goes bad.
8. Make sure everything is in the right zone.
If you’ve created zones in your refrigerator, return anything that’s in the wrong area to its correct location. If you haven’t created zones (beverages here, meat down there, snacks here, etc!) consider that a possible Saturday afternoon project?
9. Wipe down the outside of your fridge.
Use a damp rag with all-purpose cleaner and wipe down the outside of your fridge. If your fridge is stainless steel, use a polish or a tiny bit of oil to polish the exterior. Don’t forget the handles!
Got anything else to add to this list? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.