Quickest Way to Clean Out Your Refrigerator
The holidays will be here before you know it and you’ll need to make some space inside your refrigerator for all the extra groceries and supplies that come along with this time of year. Now is the best time to clean out any old leftovers that may have been hiding in the back behind the pickles you got on sale last year.
Here’s a quick guide to make sure your fridge is ready for all the holiday meals:
Empty everything out. Take it all out, open every container, check every expiration date. Anything past it’s prime gets tossed immediately. Same goes for any leftovers you know won’t get eaten in the next 2-3 days.
Clean the inside. Fill your sink with soapy water. While the water is running, spray everything down with a vinegar & water solution (or your favorite cleaner). Remove the shelves & drawers and give them a good scrub in the sink. Let them soak a bit if there was a spill that had been sitting around for a while. Wipe down the inside of the fridge, making sure to get any crumbs from the bottom. Dry your shelves & drawers and return them to fridge.
Wipe down the containers. This is a key step that many people forget about. Be sure to wipe the bottoms of each food container, ie. the bottom of the milk carton and the salsa jar, before putting them back.
Categorize your food. Before restocking your shelves, take note of your inventory. Be sure to store like items with like items and utilize your door for your condiments. Designate a section for leftovers, beverages, and fridge staples. Use a Lazy Susan or a long pull-out container to make the most of the space in the back.
Make some room. By starting this process early enough, you can make a plan to use up some of the items that are almost gone. Your goal is to create more space for your holiday necessities and of course, leftovers! Be conscious of the groceries you’re purchasing for the next few weeks and store all your unopened jars in the pantry until you have to use them.
A deep clean of the refrigerator should be done every 4-6 months. In the meantime, make it a habit to check your fridge every time you put your groceries away. And be honest with yourself about eating the leftover meatloaf. It’s much better to toss it right away than to let it sit forgotten in the back of your fridge!
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