Okay, I’m obviously a fan of Marie Kondo whose name is quite synonymous with decluttering. Whenever I need something to organize my brain will go straight to Marie Kondo. It’s not like I remember all the lessons in her books, it’s just that in my head her name means – get your sh*t together. And so, whenever I open my fridge and see it packed (and I mean seriously packed) with all things imaginable – my brain immediately goes ‘hmmm, what would Marie Kondo do, how to organize your refrigerator?

Alright, I’m going to come clean (pun absolutely intended) the Marie Kondo thought comes second to mind because the real first thing my brain is screaming about was – Seriously? Like seriously. How did my fridge look like this in a matter of weeks?!

The Road to an Organized Fridge

Well, it has gotten a lot better now (like so much better), especially when I’m able to keep up with it at least twice a month quick cleaning. But before that, wow, most of the time I’m like why do we have a 7 cubic feet fridge when more than half of its content is pretty much unusable?

To give you an idea. Left-over foods in open containers which are obviously old already, half-open bottles that looked like who-ever-put-it-there-will-never-lay-a-hand-on-it-again, plastic containers with God knows what, sachets of catsup sauces, and seasonings, unidentifiable frozen stuff, like seriously – name it and my fridge has it!

It’s been quite a journey to get to where my fridge is right now – and I’m not being over dramatic about it. If you have other people in the house other than yourself, I’m sure you can relate. And I’m thinking, I can’t be the only one, right? I mean I’m sure there are others out there, too, who are having the same problem.

I compiled here a list of tips on how to organize your refrigerator, I thought of sharing it just in case somebody needs help with their fridge situation – especially since the Holidays are just around the corner. There’s going to be a lot of cooking happening in the kitchen for sure, so better get your fridge ready for the leftovers, lol!

How to Organize Your Refrigerator

Step 1: Take out everything from the fridge

This may be the part you’re most dreading about but you simply have to. This is going to be the first (and very important) step. You won’t be able to begin sorting food items out until you literally empty the fridge. You’ll have to go through each and every piece of content and sort them.

•  Check expirations, if you can’t find it or can hardly read it – toss it.
• Use your sense of smell and sight (sure, use your sense of taste, too!) to check old or about to go old left-overs (poorly kept ones are a goner, too)
• Categorized them, (for example, condiments, leftovers, fresh ones, beverages, etc.), this will help and save time when you’re ready to put them back into the fridge.

Step 2: Give your fridge a good scrubbing

Now, that your refrigerator is empty, you can clearly see all the space that you got – and probably all the mess, too. Worry not, because now you can give it a good scrubbing!

• Take all removable parts out and wash them with a soapy sponge, use a light scrubber if needed (to remove hardened spills). Make use of baking soda for stains or hard-to-remove dirt.
• Give the interior a good wiping and light scrubbing using mildly soapy water. I am used to giving mine at least two rounds of wiping with soapy water and then I sort of rinse it with a very wet towel until all traces of soap is gone completely, followed of course by a dry towel.
• Don’t forget the fridge’s exterior – same process, remove all magnets, notes, flyers, or what have you, and then give it a good wipe down.
• After cleaning the fridge and before putting everything back, you can also leave a small container of baking soda or a couple of charcoal briquette at the back of your fridge – these are just two of the 9 natural deodorizers you can use in the kitchen. 

Step 3: Finally, it’s time to put everything back

So, this is going to be the most exciting part (alright, probably not exactly exciting to most people but for some of us, it is! Lol!), though probably the trickiest next to step 1. But if you really want to know how to organize your refrigerator – then yes, my dear, we are really doing this.

• Depending on your fridge’s configuration – top or bottom freezer, side-by-side, quad door fridge, or what have you, just determine which is the warmest or coldest part of the fridge. Raw meat or fish should be at the coldest part and stuff like condiments will be okay to store in the warmer parts of your refrigerator.
• For leftovers or partially used ingredients (say half a box of tofu or berries), use thin or flat containers to store them. It’ll not only save you space but you’ll be able to store them properly as well.
• Opt for clear containers as much as possible so contents are easily identifiable or you can also label them – this will not only save time instead of rummaging through the fridge to find what you need but will also skip the part where you have to open the container just to see what’s in it.
• You can also make use of organizers to keep things tidier – for example, an elongated shallow, plastic basket to hold drinks in tetra boxes, another one to hold veggies or fruits. (There are fridge organizers available now, they are basically plastic containers but are intended for the refrigerator, so it’s clear and usually with something to grab onto at one end.)
• Have some sort of category within the fridge – I find that to be helpful. For instance, allot a particular layer or spot for leftovers. This way, other users or members of the family will know where to look for (and where to put) leftovers.
• Fight the urge to just quickly cram food in your fridge, and take the time to transfer it to a smaller container (like seriously, don’t stuff the whole pizza box in the fridge with only a couple of slices in it).

Why It’s Important To Know How To Organize Your Refrigerator

The good thing about knowing how to organize your refrigerator is that you can also expect that you’ll be saving time and money if you did decide to give it a go. Because really, how much food has gone to waste because you’ve forgotten about it – got lost in the jungle of take-out boxes and left-over meals? And how many times have you found yourself frustratedly digging through your fridge just to find what you need?

Remember, too, that a clean fridge is a healthy fridge. Don’t let your fridge turn into a breading ground for molds and bacteria. You’ll also avoid cross-contamination if food is properly kept and contained in their respective designated areas.

And lastly, one more reason why you should know how to organize your refrigerator – don’t you just love admiring a neatly organized fridge, and if it’s your fridge, well don’t you just feel proud? So, who’s up for some fridge MariKondo-ing?