I took an unofficial poll on several months ago on Facebook where I asked what day you usually grocery shop. The majority of you said Saturday was your main day to buy groceries. Since today is Saturday, it’s the perfect day to catch up on the previous 5 steps of the clean and organized kitchen series and also tackle today’s task…the refrigerator!
Step 6 :: Clean and Organize Your Refrigerator
Not having a weekly meal plan can make dinner time stressful, but it can also wreak havoc on the refrigerator. When we buy food we don’t need or buy more food because “nothing looks good,” the temptation is to push old food to the back of the refrigerator. Out of sight and out of mind usually means a lot of fresh food goes bad.
I’m not one who likes to waste food or money. I imagine you’re the same way. We can certainly remedy this problem by making a meal plan, using a grocery list based on the meal plan, shopping our pantry/fridge first, and then making a trip to the store.
Another tip that helps us stick to our food plan is to keep our refrigerator clean and organized. That way we can actually see what we have available in the fridge and it’s makes that food look more appealing!
So, are you ready to tackle the refrigerator? Here are a few tips to help you clean it quickly and efficiently.
1. Empty the refrigerator.
Remove everything from the refrigerator…even food and condiments in the drawers and doors.
2. Clean the refrigerator thoroughly.
For removable shelves and drawers, it’s often easiest to pull those out and wash them in the sink. For large shelves and drawers, you may find that the bathtub will give you more room to clean. Use an all-purpose cleaner or dish soap and give them a good scrubbing. Then dry thoroughly so condensation doesn’t build up when the drawers are back in the fridge.
To clean the rest of the refrigerator, grab a white cleaning cloth, all-purpose cleaner (the DIY kind and store bought should work just fine), and a kitchen scraper (for the gunk that always seems to get stuck on…or is that just at my house?) and get to scrubbing.
3. Reconfigure the refrigerator.
After the refrigerator is clean and dry, determine if you’ve been using the space in the best possible way. I recently reconfigured my refrigerator by adjusting the shelves and, for such a small change, it’s made a big impact!
4. Eliminate the unnecessary.
As you restock your refrigerator, throw out rotten or spoiled food, condense items when possible, and place them back in the fridge in an organized fashion. You’ll know what you have available for use, the food will look more appealing, and you just may be excited to eat at home again.
Now that your refrigerator is clean and organized, make it a habit to give it a quick clean up before every grocery store trip. If you’re extra ambitious today, you could clean out the freezer too. Or you could just wait until tomorrow! *hint*hint*
iDreamOfClean
Latest posts by iDreamOfClean (see all)
- Easy Way to Remove Sand from Hands and Feet at the Beach - May 12, 2013
- Clean Faster by Timing Yourself - May 9, 2013
- Easy Way to Make Memories with Your Kids this Summer - May 8, 2013
- Natural Green Ant Repellant - May 6, 2013
- The Path to a Minimalist Wardrobe - May 4, 2013
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello I am visiting via the Nester’s 31 days series. Your series is so inspirational. I am off to empty my fridge! :)
I too am participating in the series. My topic is “Decor To Adore~ finding your style”. I would like to invite you to stop by anytime.
Have a beautiful day and a wonderful fall season.
I did this when we came home with groceries. This challenge is very tough for me since my husband is canning. I think I already said that, but I’m plowing through!