Fridge Declutter & Organization Tips (Stop wasting food!!)

The biggest changes I've made to keep our fridge organized and to stop wasting food:
-- GROUP LIKE FOODS: Keep like foods together (like produce, dairy & leftovers) so its easy to keep an eye on what you have
-- INVENTORY: Reduce the overall inventory of the food you keep so that things don't get buried and lost in the back. Rather you can easily see what you have and what needs to get used up in your fridge!
-- ACRYLIC BINS: Add structure and divide up the space, keep things from getting lost in the back because you can pull the whole bin out!

I don't think there are any fridge tips or hacks that will do it for you, but with a little simplification and organization, you won't waste nearly as much food!

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[TheMinimalMom]

THANK YOU for watching!! Looking forward to your top fridge tips!! :) - Dawn

[lindseysmith]

One thing we try to do is every couple months have a “no buying groceries” week so we use up stuff that didn’t end up getting used. We just finished one of those weeks and our fridge and pantry are mostly empty and plenty of room for new groceries that we will actually use in a timely manner.

[briellejoysmids]

Hey Dawn ! I am 12 years old, but I still love this video ! LOL ! But I do give my mom tips on how to simplify things that can be a hassle in house ! She used to have trouble with all her spices scattered around in the cupbourd, so I recommended ( from you ) acrilic bins ! She really loves them she told me because she can easily pull them out, instead of having to reach bottles and bottles of spices ! So I continue to give her tips and tricks ( inspired by you ) on how to simplify ! P.s AMAZING video!

[jennifersummerlot]

My crisper drawer is where produce goes to die! Thank you for confirming I’m not alone in this.

[s.p]

Love this!
I keep a small dry erase board on the outside of my refrigerator door to write our leftovers on it. This way I don't forget about them and we eat all of our leftovers. It's a great way to not waste food.

[traciehanley-jacobs]

The thing you said that really struck a cord with me was - buy less (per week) eat it until your frig is nearly empty - buy more.
Excellent idea that I am going to implement immediately! A true minimalist approach!

[cwright]

That looks awesome! Thank you! We have one bin just for sandwich makings. Meat, cheese, mayo, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, onoins and lettuce. I have 7 kids that love sandwiches, so when it is time for lunch, they just grab the bread and the basket and make one. It is much easier than going back and forth pulling everything out of the fridge.

[judybritt]

I do use the clear plastic egg containers and love them- I have 2.
It's true that you can see the eggs and check at a glance how many eggs you have. But the main thing I appreciate about the hard plastic egg storage is the fact that the container is strong, even if it gets damp.
I have had the experience of taking out a cardboard egg carton of eggs only to have it fall apart because there was a wet spot on the carton that I didn't see. After cleaning broken eggs off the floor, I decided to try the plastic egg holders. Love them!
I like that they are stackable. I have a container that stacks on top of my eggs that I put "Breakfast stuff" in: cheese, small pieces of veggies for omlettes, and meat: sausage or bacon.
I am a breakfast eater; I feel better when I have breakfast. So this system is convenient & works well for me.
I also use fridge hard plastic containers for categories such as: Dairy, Fruits (berries were always getting pushed to the back & getting lost), and Meat. When defrosting meat from the freezer, it is contained so it won't drip and leave a mess as it defrosts. If I change plans & don't cook it that day as intended, it's at the front off the fridge, so I don't forget about it.
I also have a container in my fridge or freezer for food wastes & wrappers to hold until garbage day. I live in the South, and we have summer, days of 95°+ temperatures, with high humidity. Meat and seafood wastes after a barbecue get VERY smelly if left out in the garbage can for a few days. So I put it in the freezer until garbage day, then transfer it to the garbage can for pick up. This also is a good idea if you have a "chow hound" dog that will get into the trash for a tasty morsel!

[louisaseapy]

Something helpful I've started doing is actually cutting up vegetables for eating raw as soon as they come in the door. How many heads of cauliflower have rotted in my fridge just because they were still wearing their plastic wrapper and didn't look appealing?? This has been tremendously helpful for my system, and my husband is very pleased to get all the raw vegetables he wants.

[sarahm]

Every Sunday we have MUSGO (which means everything “must go”) 😀 I pull everything out from the fridge and we use our creativity to make meals from it. It saves a lot of leftovers from going bad and cleans out the fridge!

[torrie]

Another help is to measure your shelf, go to your favorite “window” store, and have them cut 1/4” plexiglass for EXTRA SHELVES! In both your refrigerator and freezer. Works especially well with bins as it uses SO much more of the otherwise wasted space or the need to stack things.

[oykkhht]

Dawn, I love that you show the good, the bad, and the ugly. I'm so jealous you have chickens... eggs are so expensive now (04/26/24). I've been watching you for a while now. Four car loads to the thrift and lots in the dumpster. I've not missed a single thing! I haven't gotten bins for the fridge yet... might be next. You're a blessing to me ❣️. God bless you 🙏

[jeanetted]

Regarding eggs, I took a large plastic Folgers instant coffee container and cleaned it up inside and out. It easily holds a dozen eggs (even 18 eggs). Because it stores them vertically, it takes up less space and it is easier to see at a glance how many eggs I have left. It’s quick to grab when cooking and it has worked out really well for us!

[kiley]

I am - for the sake of brevity - neurodivergent, and if everything doesn’t have a very specific and functional place of belonging, I have a really hard time keeping my space clean. Thank you so much for explaining exactly what you were thinking for each organizational choice. I have already cleaned out the fridge and now I’m ready to organize!

[erinlawlor]

After watching your video I've moved our vegetables to a container on the shelf. Life changing!! I've been telling everyone about it!! Making a salad, pull out the bin. Making a soup, pull out the bin. Right before making a shopping list... pull out the bin! THANK YOU!!

[kendradelrio]

Thank you for making a refrigerator organizing video for the rest of us who don't have fancy new fridges.
Seeing that you can keep your older model refrigerator organized with your much larger family than mine gives me hope that maybe I can as well.
Thank you!

[shirlenemcgowan]

One hint I have for keeping fridge clean is that I buy the plastic decorative place mats from the dollar tree and I line my fridge shelves with them. If something spills, it’s so much easier to pull out and clean. Also they look so pretty. The egg container I use for boiled eggs.

[elisahamilton]

Could you do an update on a couple of months. Want to know if it's worked well and if everyone ignored or stuck to putting stuff back in their designated spots.

[SueRosalie]

I love that your decluttering rule applies so well to food as well as other items like clothes: if you didn't like it before, nothing will change to make you like it now!

[yankeebelle]

The reason I use a see through egg container is because it’s the easiest and quickest way to see how many you have left 😊