Decluttering the refrigerator: 5 simple life hacks

We carry out an audit

Revision is a guarantee of cleanliness and freshness of the refrigerator and all the products inside it. And the audit in the refrigerator should be carried out at least once a week. So you can track the expiration dates of products (this will help to avoid unpleasant odors), and you will have to spend no more than five minutes on the whole process.

You don’t need to do this more than once a week – not many products can go bad in less than seven days, except for dairy products. Once a month, in one of the revisions, check the shelves with medicines, which are usually stored on the refrigerator door. Preparations must be hermetically sealed and it is better if they are in a separate container. And, of course, pay attention to their expiration date.

Making shopping lists

Oddly enough, making a banal shopping list is a great way to declutter the refrigerator. After all, this way you simply do not bring home what you do not need. But you have to spend some time planning.

• In your free time, think about what you would like to cook and eat in the coming week.
• Write down your “edible plans.”
• Then write down all the ingredients you need to prepare these meals.
• Be sure to check out what’s already in the fridge.
• Only after that go to the store. Strictly follow the list.

In order not to break loose and not succumb to temptations, you can use grocery delivery or send someone from home to the store – someone who is able to clearly follow the instructions. Never buy promotional items just because of their low cost. So in the refrigerator deposits of unnecessary products will not form.

Thinking over the storage system

Often the reason that the refrigerator smells unpleasant is “waste”. These are the products that we simply forgot about. And if this happens to us regularly, we cannot do without a storage system. Its main principle is “in sight”: this means that all products must be in sight. For example, we allocate a couple of shelves for perishable products and control them, we allocate the middle shelves for conservation. A separate shelf for vegetables and fruits.

To keep food under control, it is convenient to use glass containers and store food in them. Having bought vegetables and fruits on the market, it is better to wash some of them immediately, dry them and arrange them in containers.

It is convenient to prepare chopped vegetables in advance (for example, for soups and stews) and also arrange them in glass containers. This saves both space in the refrigerator and your time: the products are compactly laid out, and cooking from such “semi-finished products” is simple and fast. Another life hack: you can use reusable stickers on containers. We sign on them what is inside, and the date of preparation.

Consume Consciously

Just because a product is almost past its expiration date doesn’t mean it needs to be thrown away. For example, from kefir, whose term is about to come to an end, you can make pancakes, jellied pie, add it to any pastries. Fruits that have lost their freshness are also suitable for baking.

But the products should be exactly slightly stale, and not spoiled: even heat treatment will not hide the unpleasant smell and taste of spoiled products. The best option is not to let the goods deteriorate, to eat them in time. And plan ahead.

We fix habits

The most difficult thing is to make all of the above actions a habit. But it’s worth it!

A weekly audit should start by emptying the shelves. We free the shelf – wipe it, and then wash the walls in the refrigerator. If desired, you can use an odor absorber. When conducting an audit, it is better to highlight products with an expiration date that is coming to an end. They must be used first.

Planning your menu and shopping will allow you to keep your refrigerator clean. And it should contain exactly as many products as will last until the next trip to the market or supermarket.

Sometimes it seems to us that by stocking up for the whole week, we save time and effort. But more often than not, we just don’t have time to keep track of so much food, and it just goes to the bin. In addition, the more products, the more difficult it is to arrange them compactly.

Remember: it is important not to fill the refrigerator with food, but to buy enough of them for certain days and conveniently arrange them. Think over your menu and purchases, organize storage and set aside time for revision weekly.

These simple tips will help you declutter your refrigerator, keep it clean and reasonably plan your consumption and consumption of products.