The refrigerator is one of the most-used appliances in the house. As a result, it can become messy and disorganized very quickly, especially when multiple people use it.
Whether you have a small mini-fridge or a large commercial unit, keeping it organized is important so you can find what you need and keep food spoilage to a minimum. Here are a few helpful tips for keeping your fridge neat and organized.
Keep Fruits And Veggies Separate
There’s a reason your refrigerator has separate drawers. You may be in the habit of throwing anything and everything into them, but they’re really meant for keeping fruits and veggies fresh longer.
The fruit drawer keeps moisture to a minimum, while the vegetable drawer allows humidity inside. This delicate balance of moisture and dryness helps to keep your fresh produce fresher longer.
Store Non-perishables On The Door
The door of your fridge is the warmest part of the unit. Store things like condiments, eggs, and butter/margarine on the door because they won’t go bad as quickly as some of the other foods.
Keep Perishables In The Front Of The Fridge
Foods such as milk, meats, and leftovers spoil quickly, so you’ll want to keep them in the front of the fridge where you see them often and are reminded to use them quickly. Avoid storing these items on the door, as the warmer temperature will cause them to spoil even faster.
Store Meats And Seafood On The Bottom Shelf
Meats, fish, and seafood all contain fluids that can leak onto and contaminate other foods. To keep this from happening, place them in containers with tall sides and put them on the bottom shelf where they run less risk of contaminating other foods if they get spilled.
Line Your Refrigerator Shelves
Messes happen inside a refrigerator no matter how careful you are. To make cleaning a breeze, cover the shelves with shelf liner or plastic wrap. If something spills or the shelves get dirty over time, simply remove the liner, and replace it with new.
Condiment Organization
Keeping condiments organized on the door can be a challenge, especially when the bottles are near-empty and need to be stored upside down to pull their contents to the opening.
To help near-empty bottles stand up so everything stays neat and in place, line the bottom of the shelf with an empty egg carton. The small compartments in the egg carton will help the upside-down bottles stay upright so your fridge looks neat, and you won’t have bottles falling out every time you open the door.
Use Magnets And Hang Resealable Bags
Magnets aren’t just for the outside of the fridge. They work inside, too, to keep small items off the shelves and out of the way. Use small magnetic containers to store things like nuts and seeds on the walls of the fridge to save space.
