Have you been putting off organising your refrigerator? After all, cleaning a refrigerator is one of the most tedious tasks in your kitchen. What if we told you that you could just take care of your refrigerator in one go and not worry about it again? Get ready to make your life much easier with our complete guide to an easy-to-clean refrigerator organisation. Let’s get started!
Tips For Easy-To-Clean Refrigerator Organisation
Your fridge is the first thing you browse when you enter your kitchen, and it is the most used appliance in your house. Why should you not take a few minutes to organise it and make your life easier? Here are a few things you can do for an easy-to-clean refrigerator:
Deep Clean Your Refrigerator
The first step to an organised fridge is cleaning. You must clear out everything in your fridge and sort them out. Throw away the expired things and spoiled groceries. Remove drawers, shelves, or storage containers and wash them in the sink with detergent. For tough stains, use warm water and a cap full of bleach in addition to the detergent.
Then, wipe down each shelf and crevice with a household cleaning solution. Wipe the storage containers, drawers, and shelves with a dry towel to remove any remnant moisture. Consider using a scented cleaning solution if your fridge has a weird smell.
Divide Your Fridge Into Different Zones
Zoning your fridge based on functionality is much more efficient and energy-saving than browsing all the shelves and drawers until you finally get what you need. This is where you consider what things you need the most and the sections of your fridge where your groceries will stay fresh for longer.
The freezer section of your fridge is a no-brainer for most people, but the rest can raise a few questions. Here is how you can keep your organised and functional:
- You should use the centre space for healthier snacks so you are more likely to reach for them.
- Put all the drinks together.
- Also, place cooked food or leftovers in the centre space so you don’t forget them.
- Condiments have long expiration dates, so you can easily store them in the door.
- Fresh veggies and fruits go in the drawer.
- Store dairy products and eggs on the upper shelves.
- If a spread is milk-based, it may be more prone to going bad, so store it on the upper shelf with eggs and dairy.
- Put meat and milk on the lowest shelf to ensure they don’t go rancid.
Get Clear Containers
Another great way to ensure easy maintenance for your refrigerator is to get clear containers for each grocery item. This will end up making your life so much easier. If you have young children, it will also teach them to be more organised. There are many types of containers, which we will be discussing at length later on in this blog.
Optimise Shelf Space
Optimising shelf space is only possible in fridges with adjustable shelves. You can optimise your shelf space according to the height of each item. If you have taller containers for milk, instead of placing them on a shelf in an unrelated category, adjust the shelf to the height of the container. This will ensure you are storing the right items in the right zone to maintain their shelf life for the most extended amount of time possible.
Discard All Packaging
Packaging has no place in your new and improved, organised life. Do not commit the cardinal sin of storing your groceries in your fridge within their packaging. This will entrap moisture, increase temperature, and cause your groceries to either go bad ahead of time or grow mould. This not only makes your fridge hard to clean, but it is also a health hazard.
Utilise Door And Drawer Space
As we briefly touched on before, the temperature of the door and drawer space differs quite vastly from the rest of the fridge, so you must use each to its full potential.
The door is undoubtedly the fridge section with the warmest temperature. In this section, you should only store things with high resistance to getting spoiled. These include condiments and salad dressings like ketchup, mustard, ranch, and mayonnaise. The door is also a great place to store water bottles, as they are safe for any kind of expiration date.
On the other hand, the drawer is optimised for the ultimate longevity of groceries. This is where air circulation ensures your fresh produce gets the best environment to stay fresh for the longest time possible. Here is where you store your quickly expired items like veggies and fruits.
Separate Your Fruits And Veggies
Speaking of fruits and veggies, let’s talk about the right way to store them. You need to separate each type of fruit and vegetable and store them in individual boxes. This is where your clear containers will come in handy. This is because some produce may go bad quicker than others, and the cross-contamination of being in the same space could make your other produce go bad as well.
This is doubly applicable to mould-infested produce; you would much rather throw away one particular type of produce separately than discard an entire drawer of fruits and veggies. It also results in an easy-to-clean refrigerator.
Avoid Putting Washed Or Cut Grocery Back In
Washed grocery has water remnants, which can easily be a breeding ground for mould, while cut grocery has no outer layer to protect them, which results in them getting spoiled much faster. Therefore, you must avoid putting washed or cut groceries back into the refrigerator maintenance in sydney. The best way to do so is only to wash and cut the groceries you need and let the rest chill in the fridge.
What Containers To Get For Easy Maintenance Of A Refrigerator?
Maintenance starts with organisation, and organisation cannot be done without proper containers. Specialty containers for various items are recommended because not only do they allow for easy organisation, but they also let you utilise every inch of space in your fridge. Proper storage of each grocery item within its specified container would also increase its shelf life. Here are all the containers you need for your refrigerator:
Egg Trays
A good egg tray is stackable for easy storage. It allows you to properly store the most fragile eggs in your fridge.
Twin Colander Food Storage
Easy maintenance for your refrigerator stars with storage boxes. One such box is a twin colander box. These boxes are designed to hold easily spoiled produce like celery or berries. Their structure allows for better water drainage, which increases the longevity of such produce.
Drink Organiser
A drink organiser will allow you to store your cans and bottles in a single place without worrying about them being pushed to the back of the fridge.
Containers With Handles
These containers are small and easy to store, perfect for snacks, yogurt containers, or condiment packets of your takeouts.
Glass Bottles
Glass bottles are great for storing liquids like milk and juices. They are safer than plastic bottles, which could infuse microplastics into your drinks. Many glass bottles also have a decanter for easy pouring without excess spillage. After grocery shopping, pouring your liquids into glass bottles before putting them in the fridge is always smart. You can also label each bottle for your convenience.
Drawer Organisers
Drawer organisers are not just for your bathroom cabinets or wardrobe drawers; these work just as well for your fridge drawer. Since you need to separate your fruits and veggies, these organisers will allow you to do that without sacrificing storage space. You can also use them to separate your meats and cheeses.
Crisper Boxes
Crisper boxes are much like a colander food storage box, allowing your veggies to stay fresh by efficient drainage.
Meal Prep Containers
These stackable containers are great for storing half-prepped food or leftovers. They keep cut fruits and veggies separate from the rest of the fridge and allow for easier meal prep for the week.
Final Words
Organising your refrigerator can be a tedious task, but it is definitely worth the effort. Not only will it make your life easier, but it will also ensure that your groceries stay fresh for a more extended period of time. By following the simple tips and tricks in this blog, you can optimize your fridge’s functionality, making it easy to navigate, maintain, and clean.
So, if you’re tired of dealing with a cluttered and messy fridge, take the time to organise it properly. By using clear containers, optimising shelf space, and separating your fruits and veggies, you can have a fridge that is not only functional but also easy to maintain and keep clean. Get started on your fridge organisation journey today!