Oh……. the fridge. That cold dark place that is so often overlooked and forgotten. The biggest problem I see? Deep shelves which are near impossible to get to the back of (do you know what is living at the back of yours?) and lack of organisation and/or no organisation. The fridge can be just as organised as other areas of your home, if not more. Today I want to share with you my strategies and tips on how you can declutter and organise your fridge AND stay on top of it!

Food items in our fridges tend to hide in there for long periods of time and often get lost and forgotten. The fridge is a magnet for clutter and I bet there are things in there that you will never use and don’t need anymore. Grab some rubbish bags, cleaning items and a box for recycling. Clear your kitchen surfaces so that you have room to sort.

Start in your fridge and work from the top shelf to the bottom, pulling everything out, shelf by shelf. Group like items together. Do the same with the shelves on the doors and the vegetable and fruit crispers. Check expiry dates on items where possible and get rid of anything that is out of date, looks like it has seen better days and items you know you wont use and don’t like. Recycle jars and compost what you can.

Now you have sorted your items, use this opportunity to give your fridge a good wipe down. When reorganising your items back into your fridge create zones for them wherever you can and group your like items together. Suggested zones are: Dairy, meats, dressings and sauces, spreads, breads, drinks, fruits and vegetables. Adjust the shelves accordingly to suit.

My top tips include:

  • Use plastic containers with a handle to store like items together for easy access (see photo below of a fridge where I used these)
  • Label your containers, shelves and zones – very helpful if you live with others
  • Before putting your weeks shop away, spend a few minutes decluttering and reviewing your entire fridge first to avoid waste
  • Menu plan to avoid excess

Have a go and let me know how you get on!