Why Your Refrigerator Is Working Against You + How To Fix It

If you’ve ever stopped for a moment in front of your refrigerator and thought, “Why is this not better, why does it look like this, and why do I keep wasting food?” Well, I have answers for you that will help you blast past this today. For a space we are in an out of all day, it deserves a little TLC to make life easier.

Quick note, if someone asks me to talk about organization anywhere in the home, you must know that this is a deeply layered topic to truly undercover what is going on and the steps to resolve it. This is just real life, but I am here for it and I hope you are too! I am also here to make that process streamlined and easier for you, I bet you’re here for that too!

Here’s the RECAP BELOW if you missed the video chat that you can also see in my Instagram highlights under KITCHEN I.

ISSUE #1: You’re not treating your refrigerator like it’s a room in your home.

You need to have a mindset shift about your refrigerator right now to improve things, and here’s the secret…you need to treat your fridge just like any other room in your home you’re trying to improve.

SOLUTION: View it like a room in your home. And you need to take the steps with it you would like any other room in your home. You need to ✓ edit/declutter it thoroughly, ✓ simplify what’s happen in there with clear zones and organization that support those zones, and you need to ✓ design it to be helpful, low waste, and beautiful to make life easier in there!

A few quick tips on decluttering + editing your refrigerator today:

✓ Remove expired product/produce/etc.

✓ Remove items you’re not going to eat (that sauce that looked great and wasn’t your vibe)

✓ Clean out and recycle or repurpose containers/jars as much as possible

✓ Pull everything out and sort it in to categories as you remove each item to save time

✓ Wipe everything down (it doesn’t have to be perfect)

ISSUE #2: You don’t have clear zones for EVERYTHING going in your refrigerator.

This is also true for creating space for things that can change, like leftovers (small and large containers). If you don’t plan for these types of spaces beyond the big, obvious stuff, the items you don’t plan for will overhaul your other areas and destroy your organization.

SOLUTION: Create clear zones for everything, and I mean everything. This will help you save time finding things and putting them away, along with saving you money because you won’t forget about what you actually have in your refrigerator. Get creative with the space you do have and don’t feel like you have to stick to conventional uses for each common area in your fridge. Create zones that make sense for you + your home.

A few quick tips on creating clear zones:

✓ Consider moving shelves around in your fridge to take advantage of unused space (think about move a shelf up high for all your shorter items that take advantage of an often forget zone at the top).

✓ Start with the easy items to put back first. If you know the only spot certain condiments or tall drinks fit, put those away first.

✓ Give everything a spot, even if it a spot that is a broad category, like left overs.

✓ Leave breathing room. You don’t have to fill everything up. The refrigerator is one of the only areas of your home where the physical space literally changes multiple times a day. Allow space for this changes + set up some areas/zones that are super flexible.

✓ Corral awkward + varying shaped items in a single category with a container to maximize your space. Example: coffees + syrups. Lots of different shapes that make sense together in a long plastic container that keeps things orderly and easy to see.

✓ Label bins or containers of items when you’re more likely to get disorganized + just throw things in. You know what I’m talking about… you don’t have to label everything, but even a few labels go a long way!

ISSUE #3: You’ve got clear zones, but they’re in the wrong spot.

News flash: You can have an organized refrigerator with clear zones, but if you have things in the wrong spot, it can still be an issue; you will still waste time and money on what’s being stored in there because of where things are located.

SOLUTION: Move zones (or categories of food) in the refrigerator that make life easy. Pay attention to where you’ve had issues before in your refrigerator and design around those to make quick improvements. Example: You’re always forgetting leftovers, so move your leftovers landing spot to the front in a spot that easy to see, and maybe start storing them in clear/glass containers so you can see exact what you have.

A few quick tips on making sure your refrigerator food zones are in the right location:

✓ Frequently used items should be front and center, easy to grab.

✓ If you struggle to use up food before it spoils/expires, put them in clear containers so you can SEE everything.

✓ Don’t allow items to get shoved to the back. Instead consider a clear bin to corral categories of items that you can slide out to get access to just you would a drawer.

✓ Not all fruit or produce has to be stored in the drawers assigned by the refrigerator manufacturer. You might like those drawers better for breads, canned drinks, or for left overs. Create your own rules that take advantage of your space.

✓ Revisit your zones and tweak things (move them around) when you notice you are forgetting about foods or you’re struggling to reach something. Small tweaks translate to big improvements.

SO WHAT’S NEXT?

Now it’s time to go tame the chaos in your refrigerator, or just spruce it up a little bit! For a space we’re in and out of so much each day, you’ll be blown away at how a little time spent in there can have a cascade of positives happen with your mood and how you organize other areas of your home.

If you’re ready for more support in your kitchen, you’ll want to make sure to check out the Kitchen + Pantry Ultimate Guide launching in JULY 2021! Make sure you are on the email list so you’re the first to know when it is live!

Ready to streamline your home + make it more beautiful without running out and buying a ton of product? I’ve got you, that’s how I roll too. I’d love for you to check out all the resources I’ve created for you here.