Refrigerators have the same problems as closets. Over time, they get disorganized until you can’t find what you need, when you need it. It wastes time and money. “The average family throws out $1,800 worth of food a year ... $150 a month,” says Lucinda Offusch, a consumer advisor for Whirlpool. “Almost all of this comes from letting food spoil before it gets used.”
With the holidays, refrigerator space gets even tighter. Here are Offusch’s top ways to make the most of your refrigerator.
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Strategize before shopping.
Even if you just take five minutes to discard spoiled items, consolidate catsup bottles, figure out how to use leftovers for a night’s meal (vegetable soup!) or clean produce bins, it will help you make better use of the food in your frig, and make room for what’s to come.
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Keep leftovers together.
They are more likely to get used this way, not lost or pushed to the back.
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Use clear containers.
Use clear, stacking containers with labels with dates. You save room in the fridge and waste less food.
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Create a kid-friendly shelf.
Keep snacks for kids in one easy-to-reach place. This way, kids are not rummaging through the entire fridge to find things, eating what you planned to use for supper, or complaining that there is nothing to eat.
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Don’t waste space.
Make room for additional holiday items by removing items that don’t require refrigeration: condiments, more than a few cans or bottles of beverages, peanut butter, unripened fruit, oils, wine and bread. Most opened condiments (except mayo) can be left out for a day, or stored in a cool basement or garage if you need the shelf space.
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Put the big stuff in back, smaller items in front.
This makes it easier to see to the back, and is especially helpful for people who can’t bend over. (Some refrigerator models have pull-out shelves. Yours may be one.)
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Mind the air flow.
See those grills in the top and (usually) bottom of your fridge? Make sure there is room around them for the air flow that keeps the fridge cool. If they are blocked, you’ll have hot and cold spots in your fridge.
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Use the organizers already in your fridge.
Can caddies, door compartments, deli drawers and fruit and vegetable crispers help foods last longer and make it easier for the next person to find what they need.
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Adjust your shelves.
Move them around to reorganize and consolidate their refrigerator to make room for turkey and fixings.
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Get rid of bulk.
Repackage bulky items like paper-wrapped fish into smaller containers before you put them in the refrigerator.
5-Minute Fridge Makeover
Refrigerators have the same problems as closets. Over time, they get disorganized until you can’t find what you need, when you need it. It wastes time and money. “The average family throws out $1,800 worth of food a year ... $150 a month,” says Lucinda Offusch, a consumer advisor for Whirlpool. “Almost all of this comes from letting food spoil before it gets used.”
With the holidays, refrigerator space gets even tighter. Here are Offusch’s top ways to make the most of your refrigerator.
5-Minute Fridge Makeover
Refrigerators have the same problems as closets. Over time, they get disorganized until you can’t find what you need, when you need it. It wastes time and money. “The average family throws out $1,800 worth of food a year ... $150 a month,” says Lucinda Offusch, a consumer advisor for Whirlpool. “Almost all of this comes from letting food spoil before it gets used.”
With the holidays, refrigerator space gets even tighter. Here are Offusch’s top ways to make the most of your refrigerator.
