4 steps to organize the fridge
Find out how quickly and easily you can organize your fridge.
Is the yogurt packaging, whose expiration date has long passed, languishing in the back corner of your fridge? Do you constantly have to throw away vegetables because they spoil so quickly, and do you regularly lose track of food in the fridge? It's high time to tidy up your fridge. Avoid wasting food, save money, and redesign your fridge in just 4 steps!
1 - Basic cleaning of the refrigeratorThe best time to clean out the fridge is just before your next shopping trip. At that point, it is usually quite empty, and you can thoroughly check what food products are already in stock.
First of all, you should clean out all the products in the fridge without exception. Make sure you know which products can be thrown away, for example, due to spoilage.
Now you also have the opportunity to clean the fridge from top to bottom. A hygienic fridge not only improves your well-being but also prevents food from spoiling faster due to bacteria or unpleasant odors. Clean all drawers, shelves, and compartments with warm water mixed with dishwashing liquid. You can also wipe the door seals with a damp cloth and, in the process, dust the metal grille at the back of the appliance and clean the condensate drain. For this purpose, we recommend turning off the fridge and unplugging it. Is your fridge frosted in some places? Then you can safely defrost the appliance and move on to the next step.
The best time to clean out the fridge is just before your next shopping trip. At that point, it is usually quite empty, and you can thoroughly check what food products are already in stock.
First of all, you should clean out all the products in the fridge without exception. Make sure you know which products can be thrown away, for example, due to spoilage.
Now you also have the opportunity to clean the fridge from top to bottom. A hygienic fridge not only improves your well-being but also prevents food from spoiling faster due to bacteria or unpleasant odors. Clean all drawers, shelves, and compartments with warm water mixed with dishwashing liquid. You can also wipe the door seals with a damp cloth and, in the process, dust the metal grille at the back of the appliance and clean the condensate drain. For this purpose, we recommend turning off the fridge and unplugging it. Is your fridge frosted in some places? Then you can safely defrost the appliance and move on to the next step.
2 - Divide the intervals by categoryNow the organization begins! Before putting the food back in place, think about what categories and where you want to place it. Does the refrigerator have different cooling zones? This should be taken into account in the plan to keep all products fresh for as long as possible.
- The refrigerator door: One of the warmest places in the fridge is best for eggs, butter, ready-made sauces, dips, and drinks.
- Upper area: Heat rises to the top, as we all know. That’s why food with a long shelf life, such as pickles or jams, can be stored here. But there is also room for leftovers from the previous day, if you eat them quickly.
- The central part: an optimal temperature of 5° C and a comfortable height are ideal for dairy products, opened preserves, and cold cuts.
- The bottom part: The bottom of the refrigerator is the coldest, so fish and meat should be stored here. However, for hygiene reasons, they should always be kept separate from other foods.
- Vegetable compartment: As the name suggests, this is the best place to store vegetables. However, not all vegetables and fruits tolerate cold - exotic fruits and watery vegetables should not be stored in the refrigerator.
Food can also be organized by categories such as breakfast, snacks, or frequently used products. Most importantly, arrange the refrigerator according to your own living conditions and needs - only you know what works best for you!
Now the organization begins! Before putting the food back in place, think about what categories and where you want to place it. Does the refrigerator have different cooling zones? This should be taken into account in the plan to keep all products fresh for as long as possible.
Food can also be organized by categories such as breakfast, snacks, or frequently used products. Most importantly, arrange the refrigerator according to your own living conditions and needs - only you know what works best for you!
Storage boxes - longer shelf life and greater orderYou can use storage boxes to keep products in individual categories from getting mixed up again after a day. This way, the compartments are divided into smaller ones. Which boxes are best for this? It depends on what food you want to store in them.
There are special containers for fruits and vegetables that allow you to store them for a longer time. This is because they filter ethylene gas, which is responsible for the ripening process, and provide optimal humidity. Cheeses and cold cuts can be protected from drying out by using sealed boxes, while sealed food is best stored in open boxes for quick access. However, for all refrigerator containers, you should always ensure that they are BPA-free and do not contain harmful substances - only then are they suitable for food storage. It is also helpful to choose a transparent material so that the contents are immediately visible.
Tip if you want to set the table quickly: Store everything you need to prepare a delicious breakfast in a box. This way, you can take out cold cuts, cream cheese, and jam from the fridge all at once, and then put them back later. The same can be done with barbecue sauces or snacks for children.
You can use storage boxes to keep products in individual categories from getting mixed up again after a day. This way, the compartments are divided into smaller ones. Which boxes are best for this? It depends on what food you want to store in them.
There are special containers for fruits and vegetables that allow you to store them for a longer time. This is because they filter ethylene gas, which is responsible for the ripening process, and provide optimal humidity. Cheeses and cold cuts can be protected from drying out by using sealed boxes, while sealed food is best stored in open boxes for quick access. However, for all refrigerator containers, you should always ensure that they are BPA-free and do not contain harmful substances - only then are they suitable for food storage. It is also helpful to choose a transparent material so that the contents are immediately visible.
Tip if you want to set the table quickly: Store everything you need to prepare a delicious breakfast in a box. This way, you can take out cold cuts, cream cheese, and jam from the fridge all at once, and then put them back later. The same can be done with barbecue sauces or snacks for children.
3 - Resort the food againSort the food so that older products do not get hidden behind the newest ones and so you do not forget about them. New food products should be placed at the back, and those nearing their expiration date at the front. Another or additional option is to place all products that have already been opened or need to be eaten soon in a separate compartment or container. The goal is to avoid wasting food, and thus money, as much as possible.
Do you live with family, a partner, or in a shared apartment? To ensure that other household members can also find everything in the fridge and sort it properly, you can label boxes and compartments with category names.
Sort the food so that older products do not get hidden behind the newest ones and so you do not forget about them. New food products should be placed at the back, and those nearing their expiration date at the front. Another or additional option is to place all products that have already been opened or need to be eaten soon in a separate compartment or container. The goal is to avoid wasting food, and thus money, as much as possible.
Do you live with family, a partner, or in a shared apartment? To ensure that other household members can also find everything in the fridge and sort it properly, you can label boxes and compartments with category names.
4 - Regularly check the refrigeratorPeople are creatures of habit - You or other household members will not always take care to put everything in the fridge correctly and according to the new conditions. Therefore, once a week, take 5 minutes, for example, before going shopping, to organize everything. This will also help you realize what products you no longer need to buy, so you won't have too much in the fridge.
Once a month, you should also clean the inside of the fridge to prevent the spread of germs. If you store food in different containers, it is particularly easy to take them out from time to time to clean the fridge.
People are creatures of habit - You or other household members will not always take care to put everything in the fridge correctly and according to the new conditions. Therefore, once a week, take 5 minutes, for example, before going shopping, to organize everything. This will also help you realize what products you no longer need to buy, so you won't have too much in the fridge.
Once a month, you should also clean the inside of the fridge to prevent the spread of germs. If you store food in different containers, it is particularly easy to take them out from time to time to clean the fridge.
