Before the holiday rush kicks-off, give your fridge some TLC for National Clean Out Your Fridge Day on Friday, November 15th with my tips & cleaning hacks.
This post has been sponsored by Art of Green®. All thoughts, photos, and opinions are my own.
The onset of the holiday season means your fridge is probably going to be doing double duty storing all the treats for your festivities as well as your regular eats. Before the holiday rush kicks-off, give your fridge some extra TLC for National Clean Out Your Fridge Day on Friday, November 15th with my tips for keeping your fridge clean and organized throughout the holiday season.
6 Clean & Tidy Tips to Ready Your Fridge for the Holiday Season
Take Inventory Weekly
Each week, take a skim through your fridge and inventory any items that are closing in on their expiration date. Prioritize these foods for eating in the coming days and toss anything that’s past its peak. This will help you minimize food waste and ensure you have room for any new groceries you bring into the house.
Clean Before You Shop
I usually grocery shop on Sundays, which means on Sunday mornings my fridge is the barest making it prime for cleaning. I use this day to not only take inventory but to also wipe down the shelves, remove crumbs, greasy fingerprints, and put everything back in its place.
To simplify this task, I like to use Art of Green wipes. AOG products are non-toxic, 98% naturally derived and come in two scents, lavender eucalyptus and citrus & white flowers. I find the fresh citrus scent works well inside the fridge. And, because the Art of Green products are green, I feel safe using them around food items in the refrigerator because they’re free of parabens, phthalates, glycol solvents, artificial colors, and phosphates.
On top of being green, AOG products actually work (unlike some other green products) to remove grease or sticky bits of food and on the outside of my fridge, they’re great at getting rid of greasy fingerprints on the stainless steel without leaving streak marks (one of my pet peeves!).
Lazy Susans Are Your Friend
You might think lazy Susans are the thing your grandma had on her kitchen table to swivel around salt & pepper during family dinners (at least mine did) but they’re actually a miracle worker in the kitchen. I love having lazy susans in the refrigerator, specifically for frequently used condiments or hard to reach items that get tucked into the back corners. Lazy susans also help keep your fridge clean since you can easily remove them to wipe away drips or leaks with your AOG wipes.
Utilize Clear Bins for Fridge Organization
Since a fridge can quickly become overcrowded during the holiday season, I like to store items in clear plastic bins. I picked mine up at Target in a few different sizes. Not only do I keep the bins on shelves, but they’re also tucked into drawers to help compartmentalize items that may roll-around (lemons!) or leak (raw meat, which should always be kept on the lowest shelf).
Much like the fridge itself, I wipe down these containers weekly with a little Art of Green which leaves them clean, sparkling, and ready to be filled again after my weekly shopping trip at H-E-B where I also pick up my AOG products.
Get Your Fridge a Can Caddy
With a growing obsession for sparkling waters, our fridge is constantly filled with cans. However, cans take up a lot of room and are difficult to stack which is why I utilize a can caddy in the refrigerator. It holds about 9 cans, I can easily move it around if I need to and it keeps the cans from rolling or toppling over. Super convenient. Definitely worth the investment.
Store Food for Optimal Refrigeration
While you may believe packing everything into the fridge will keep your food safe, overpacking a refrigerator can cause potential cooling and food safety issues. Refrigeration relies on proper air circulation to keep foods properly chilled and can become a hazard to all those holiday leftovers if they’re tightly packed.
It’s also important to remember where in your fridge to store specific items to ensure optimal temperature:
- Doors tend to be the warmest and should be used for condiments, juice, and water.
- Task the upper shelves for leftovers, dairy, ready-to-eat food, and herbs.
- Bottom shelves are great for meat and fish since they usually are the coldest and below other fridge items, in case the packaging leaks.
- Crisper drawers with high humidity are best for veggies & fruit. Since produce emits different gases that can cause items to ripen or parish more quickly than normal be sure to store like items together (apples with apples & carrots with carrots).
So tell me, how do you tackle fridge organization? Do you have a specific plan for the holidays to keep it clean? If not, use National Clean Out Your Fridge Day this Friday to put my tips to use and get your fridge in shape.
