Don’t Get Fresh with Me
What’s the toughest thing to keep organized on a daily basis for you? If you said “OMG, my fridge,” you are not alone, friend. Fridges are challenging: items are being placed in and then taken out again by everyone in your household pretty much all the time.
With all of this activity, its inevitable that some items get hidden, ignored, and wasted. You know that sad half of an onion in your produce bin? And that bunch of cilantro that you had every intention of making cilantro-lime rice with but is now wilty and gooey hidden in some corner? Yeah, me, too!
I see it often in my client’s fridges, but also in my own. I always go through my fridge the night before garbage day to throw out food that went bad. The wasted food and money is SUCH a bummer.
How can we keep from wasting so much? I’ve got three ideas to share that helped to dramatically reduce our food waste and keep us organized:
- Find ways to increase the time items stay fresh
- Improve how well you can see everything
- Create zones
When Freshness Matters
I guess this is obvious, but . . . you’ll waste less food if it stays fresh longer. Fruits and veggies seem to be the worst culprits for waste! Buy the best looking produce you can find (you know, raspberries without mold on them and apples with no bruises). And then try these OXO greensaver produce keepers. I don’t know how they do it, but they are way more effective than regular tupperware at keeping produce fresh. The design is all-natural and flawless; it literally captures the gases that lead to food spoilage.
See More, Waste Less
What if you could see everything in your fridge as soon as you opened the doors? It’s too easy to forget about the food we cannot see. “Out of sight, out of mind” is so true here, friend. The solution? Clear, labeled bins. They’re not just for leftovers anymore.
Some of my favorites are the iDesign Linus Fridge Bins Wine Holder, the Plastic Carafe and the Egg Holder. Not only do their designs allow you to see your contents at first glance, but also they are total space-savers. And a bonus benefit to the egg holder is a flat, sturdy top that you can stack items on top of.
Zone Defense
I have zones in my fridge. It sounds intense, but it’s super easy. Here are my zones:
- Items to be cooked: These are front and center so I am reminded that we do, in fact, have food that needs to be cooked.
- Lunch: We prepare 2-3 days worth of school lunches at a time, so they need a place to live that is out of the way, but easy for my kids to identify.
- Dinner: Dinner is often the most stressful meal of the day. Knowing where to go for leftovers, or a quick grab-and-heat option, makes it so much easier.
- Veggies: I cut these up during my weekend reset, so we can easily grab them for snacks, lunches or as a side with dinner.
What helps to create and maintain these zones? More clear bins and more labels! These Refrigerator Organization Bins are great for keeping the items you buy regularly in the same place each time you unpack your grocery bags.
I know refrigerator organization is not the sexiest of all topics, but it can save you so much time and money if you implement these simple steps! Now, get yourself to the Container Store and step up your food-freshness game!
I was so excited to organize my fridge as my first partnership with The Container Store. I am proud to be a Brand Ambassador and these products were gifted to me. The links provided are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you order through them. All opinions expressed are my own, and I only share products that I genuinely use and love.
Want to become the most organized person you know?
Together, we can get you there! Join my email list + become a Grid + Glam Insider to receive our newsletter, free printables, and other insider offers.
