Surprisingly, my pantry is still organized … now that I’m used to the clutter-free lifestyle, I want to be able to say the same for my fridge.

1. Purge

Empty and sort items into chuck and keep piles.

1. Has it expired? – yes? Chuck – green fuzz is only good for Chia Pets.
2. Do you like it? – No? Chuck –if you don’t like it, you’ll never eat it; yes? Keep.
3. Will you use it? – No? Chuck; yes? Keep.

If you’re worried about perishables perishing, put the keep pile in a cooler or bag with ice.

2. Clean

Pull out anything that’s removable and clean behind it. Wash the removable items in the sink.

3. Sort

Separate meats from produce; cheese and dairy from both. Keep your vegetables fresh longer by using the crisper. Store meats and cheese in sealable containers (one each). Divide the rest of the items by “type”.

4. Temperature Control

Set the temperature to 40°F (5°C) or under; any warmer and your fridge will just be a cool cupboard.

5. Store

Adjust the shelves into:

• one big space – for juice jugs, milk cartons and bottles;
• one small space – for spreads (butter, margarine, cream cheese); and
• remaining space – for everything else.

Fridge Door
Some models have space for jars and bottles; others have an egg section; and others still have a slot for canned beverages. Use these spaces to make more room on the shelves. But don’t store milk or quick-to-perish products there as the fluctuating temperatures will make them expire faster.

Optional
Baskets
Baskets look neat and are easy to move around if you need something from in behind. Aim for at least three baskets – meats, cheese and spreads.

Mats
Make your next cleaning day less of a chore with easy-to-clean shelf mats.