Is your fridge in a constant state of mess? Keep your fridge shelves organized, and avoid finding moldy food stuck at the back of your fridge with our 6 useful hacks to organize and optimize your fridge!
Refrigerators are great for keeping food fresh, but when the fridge is disorganized, your food spoils before you remember you have it in your fridge. A disorganized fridge contributes to food waste. Keep your fridge neat and tidy with our organization hacks!
1. Have bottled water ready in aluminum bottles.
If you’re constantly scrambling to have cool ice water by you all the time, then you might benefit from keeping bottled water in your fridge for a cool refreshing drink on the go! Plastic bottles, however, are detrimental to the environment so stick to the alternative: aluminum water bottles!
Aluminum water bottles are single-layered, and made from pure aluminum. The material can keep your water cold longer than plastic bottles can, and these bottles are endlessly reusable so you don’t have to worry about the environmental impacts of your bottled water. Keep filled aluminum bottles in the fridge for a convenient grab and go drink!
Not sure where to get aluminum bottled water that promises pure aluminum, with no plastic liner? My Own Water has a varied selection of water types they can bottle and customize for you! Keep aluminum bottled water in your restaurant or place of business too! Check out the full details here: https://myownwater.com/aluminum-water-bottles
2. Multi-purpose baskets help keep your fridge interior organized.
You may have seen these on TikTok, but those multi-purpose organization baskets do more than just turn your fridge aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. These storage containers keep your fridge items neat so you can immediately get a macro view of your fridge contents while looking for what you need.
Stick to plastic baskets as wood and metal can degrade or rust with condensation from your fridge. Organize your fridge by type of food item, frequency of usage, or day of meal preparations if you plan your meals ahead of time.
3. Place fresh produce in shallow water to keep them longer.
Not many homeowners know this, but if you’ve been having difficulty keeping leafy greens and vegetables fresh, sticking them into a jar or container of shallow water in the fridge can keep some leafy greens fresh for weeks – perfect for gourmets who like fresh herbs in their meals!
Grab a jar big enough to keep your leafy greens, and add water into the container until the line reaches one or two inches in height. Do not overfill. Place your greens in the jar with the stem side down, and place in your fridge. Change the water every few days, and enjoy your fresh produce for weeks!
This method is great for keeping all sorts of vegetables and herbs like carrots, parsley, mint, basil, cabbage, cauliflower, salad greens, leeks, and more. However, avoid using this method to keep potatoes, garlic, and onions as they may rot in the water instead, or start sprouting leaves, which will change the flavor of your vegetables.Â
4. Keep dry snacks in magnetic jars.
Who says the fridge is only useful on the inside? The magnet-friendly exterior of your fridge is perfect for placing dry goods like snacks and spices using magnetic jars! Keep your spices organized, and utilize the exterior of your refrigerator at the same time!
You can opt to keep other dry goods, like nuts, beans, and legumes, but we suggest keeping the containers light enough for the magnet to carry. Avoid glass jars as well in case of accidents, and use strong magnets to keep your containers secure.Â
5. Reusable zip-top silicone bags store keeps your food fresh.
Just like plastic bottles, disposable zip-top bags are detrimental to the environment, and wreak havoc in your fridge when it leaks out contents! Plastic storage containers, on the other hand, are difficult to clean and you can never find the correct lid for them.
Instead, grab some reusable zip-top silicone bags to store your food items. Silicone bags don’t leak or break like flimsy plastic ones, and they can keep both hot and cold items with no problems. As an added bonus, these are reusable too, so you can reuse the same bags over and over again without contributing to solid waste!
6. Label everything!
A basic but essential step, label everything in your fridge! It doesn’t matter if you’re keeping the food in its original container, or your own container, you need to label everything that goes into your fridge or freezer.Â
Indicate the name of the product or food item, the data stored, and the date of expiry if applicable. Do this for your freezer too, and you’ll never have to turn your fridge inside out looking for that last slice of cake or yesterday’s leftovers!