“Oh yay, let’s have fun and organize the fridge”… said no one ever!! But wowza… once it’s done, you’ll do the happy dance. I’ve been organizing all month and it’s been so nice and freeing. It really keeps my anxiety down. Something about order and tidiness is comforting to me. If you want some pantry organizing ideas you can visit this post Ideas For Organizing A Small Pantry  So are you ready to get started? I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds. I’m excited to give you tips on organizing the fridge!

 

First, let’s take a look at how it looked before. It’s been worse believe me. The frustrating thing is that because the fridge is so deep, items get lost in the back and it’s hard to see what items are in there. Also, it drives me crazy digging around always looking for something or finding a place to put it. Here are the steps I took to get this project done.

Step 1- Empty out

Ok this is the wort part. If it’s in the summer and or you wont have time to complete the project in a good time frame, I suggest getting a cooler to keep your items cold. Or work in sections (which isn’t ideal) Take everything out of the fridge and place it on counters or table in categories. It saves a step down the road. As you are pulling items out, check the expiration date and throw away right then ( have a big garbage bag ready to go.)

Step 2 Clean Out

Once everything is emptied out, get that baby clean. You can use your favorite cleaning product and double clean it all. Remove shelves and drawers if needed. Then thoroughly dry to avoid mold.

 

 

It’s exciting once it’s clean because then the fun part comes (ok I’m weird, I know most people would’t consider this fun)

 

 

Step 3 Add your items into containers

 

I started with the shelves in the doors. It was easier for me to categorize and see what I had room for and where other items that used to jam in their can go. Also for the jams and jelly’s I bought these cute jars. One reason because, well they are pretty and 2 because they store better when they are all the same size. It creates a more cohesive look (just put stickers on the bottom with expiration dates)

I did the condiments and items like that on one side.

 

 

Then on the other side I did salad dressings, marinades and sauces. Much easier and makes more sense for how we work in our kitchen. That’s actually one important point, do what works for you and your family. You may have different food styles or items than me. That is why I say categorize first to see what you actually have like taking inventory

 

 

 

 

Then I moved to the drawers. This is where most of the problems were. Things were crammed in there and you had to dig to find anything. Plus I noticed items getting stale or drying out not being properly stored. Another problem was I never had enough space for produce. Changing things up here gave me a lot more space to work with.

 

 

In the deli section, I put all the grated and sliced cheeses in glass containers for better storage and to avoid bags of cheese everywhere (plus I think they look better). Also the sliced deli meat went in one too.

 

 

I created 2 bins for all the produce and purchased some produce keepers to separate and keep produce fresh longer.

 

 

 

I decided to put easy to grab fruit in a bin on the shelf next to a snack bin to make it more visible and quicker to grab (trying to eat more fruit and vegis )

 

 

Then everything that was left went into its own container by category. Instead of digging in the back, you just pull the bin out to see wha’s in there and easily grab it.

 

 

Step #4 Label Label Label

 

Did I say label? Yes, that’s the secret to keeping it this way. Put a label on it to direct everyone in the house to put it back where it belongs and finding items easier. I’m also finding it easier for making grocery lists because I can now actually see everything I have. When it’s in categories like at the grocery store, you have a better view of what’s available that goes together.

 

I’m proud to say this system has been working our so great and it’s been nice to actually know whats in there and better yet, where it needs to go. I hope that gave you a little inspiration and encouragement to try this out. Give yourself a day to work on it and recruit helpers if needed. Before you start I recommend you get a general ideas of the containers you would like to try and measure your fridge to be sure they will fit. I’ve linked some of my favorite organizing products.

Oh and the labels are from the Talented Kitchen which can be found on Amazon.

 

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So what should we organize next? I’m thinking crafts and extra decor. Stay tuned for that post coming soon. It’s one of my favorite organizing transformations i’ve done. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter so you won’t miss out on what’s new.

 

Happy Organizing

 

 

 

 

Tips On Organizing The Fridge