Home Organization - The Refigerator

I was inspired by an article I read at Growing In Grace on refrigerator organization. Miss. Jocelyn wrote about the great tip of labeling your refrigerator shelves for easy storage & organizing. Personally I have never used the label system before but with this being the start of a new year, I am going to give it a whirl. My plan for this morning actually had been to tackle the icebox but I admit it, I wasn't really thrilled about doing it. *sigh* But when I read today's "making the Home" post, I knew the LORD was nudging me to get busy with this project.

Won't you join me as I journey through the land of refrigerator organizing?

First things first...Empty everything out so you can see what you actually have.

Next...Check the dates of your products. If they are past the expiration date, toss it! If it looks like something that your child could use as a science fair project, chunk it!


Make a clean sweep...Now that the fridge is empty give it a good cleaning. If you can remove your shelves with out hassle, take them out and wash them in warm soapy water. Rinse it well before putting it back in the refrigerator. Take a few paper towels and place them in the crisper drawers. This will help keep the icky stuff from your veggies and meats from dirtying the bottoms of the drawers. Don't forget to wipe down the shelves on the door. Finally, make sure you check the rubber seal around the edge of the door. If it needs to be wiped down, do it now. There's no need in having a clean & organized fridge if the seal is full of gunk and and doesn't shut properly. Keep it free from debris.

A clean icebox is a happy icebox...

Now it's time to organize...Everyone has their own personal way of storing their items, so this tip is going to be super simple...Find what works for you and your eating lifestyle and stick to it. Not all refrigerators are created equal so organize with what you have and what works best for you.

Like I mentioned earlier, I am going to go with the label method this time. Here's what I have for our needs..

Beverages, Dairy/Snacks, Jellies/Sweeteners, Meats/Breads, Leftovers, Veggies/Fruits, Salsa/Hot Sauces, Misc. Condiments, Deli/Cheese, Spices/Seasonings and Eggs.

(I just printed out my labels onto plain paper & used clear
packing tape to affix them to the shelves.)

Now these are just a few things I have come up with based on our buying & eating habits. Your labels may be totally different than what I am using; and that's perfectly o.k.

When you begin to put things back into the fridge, remember a few tips...

*Store your most perishables (dairy, etc.) on the bottom shelf as it is much colder there.

*Use your drawers as designed. Most crispers are usually at the bottom of the refrigerator and are therefore quite cold. They have a slightly higher humidity level so celery won't wilt quickly. these drawers are great for meats too, since they stay cooler than the rest of the icebox.

*The door of the fridge is NOT the best place for your milk, eggs & butter. Just because the manufacturer totes the selling point that a gallon jug will fit in the door, doesn't mean it's the best place for it. Remember, you have to open the door to get out your items...therefore the door is usually the warmest spot in the whole icebox.

Now you can sit back and relax knowing that you have a sparkling clean and well organized refrigerator. That ought to make you feel pretty good.

To keep things looking fresh, clean out the icebox at least once a week. This will help in gathering your shopping list needs as well as keep old foods from going really bad on you and causing more of a mes to clean in the long run.