Start Spring Cleaning Here: Your Refrigerator

Spring is here! Today marks the beginning of spring season, commonly referred to as the ‘blooming’ or ‘growing’ season. It is also a wonderful time to start spring cleaning!

In this post, I will share the best place to start spring cleaning (your refrigerator, wink wink) and the simple steps to get it done.

Why Spring Clean?

The history of spring cleaning began when homes were heated by wood burning stoves. Back then, doors and windows were kept shut to keep the warmth in and the elements out. Naturally during the winter season, the space accumulated dust and soot.

Spring cleaning was birthed as an annual ritual to literally clear out winter’s mess.

It is also almost instinctual to clean when seasons change.  As the sun begins to set a little bit later and the air begins to warm, we reach to open a window or blinds, and dust off the window sills.

As a seasonally influenced expert home organizer, scheduling home organizing and cleaning sessions around the solstice and equinox calendar will support you in staying connected to your space all year long. 

Refrigerator drawers organization Poznick

Where To Start

You guessed it!

Your refrigerator is a great place to start your spring cleaning. 

When was the last time you gave it a good clean?

The refrigerator is something you most likely use every single day yet probably don’t consider it as a spring cleaning or home organizing project. 

A well stocked and well loved fridge translates to a beautifully nourished self and if applicable, a well fed family. 

drink refrigerator Poznick

How To Spring Clean Your Refrigerator

  1. Empty– Yep, you read that right. Take everything out. With everything out of the drawers, shelves and doors it will be much easier to see what areas need extra cleaning attention.
  1. Clean– Prep your kitchen sink with a vinegar, soap and hot water bath. Next, remove all the drawers, shelves and any other removable compartments. Clean all the parts in the sink and let them air dry while you get to work on the interior of your refrigerator. Using a natural cleaner like this one will cut the grime and leave it smelling great!

Another way to eliminate odors inside of your fridge is to leave an open container of baking soda inside at all times. 

  1. Edit + Categorize– The last step before putting things back, is to first take a mental and physical inventory of what hasn’t been touched in ages (i.e. a specialty sauce you got 3 years ago and still haven’t used) and then begin grouping your keepers into categories.

Common categories such as drinks, deli, fruit, dairy and spreads are a few of the ways you can group items. Take care to wipe down any jars or bottles that have gotten sticky or crusty as you categorize what you are keeping. 

You will want to responsibly recycle all containers and food scraps for items that have spoiled or you know you simply will not use.

  1. Organize – Now that it’s clean, organize it.

Evaluate your items, categories and make the space inside your refrigerator work for you. Don’t be afraid to remove drawers or adjust shelves.

Consider these tips while organizing your refrigerator:

Egg trays like this or these can save valuable shelf or drawer space.

Utilize what you already have, like  jars. Mason jars are excellent sauce, smoothie, overnight oats and more storage solutions. Just add a sealable, rust-free lid to get the most out of them. 

Deep bins are helpful to maximize deep shelving in most refrigerators.

If you tend to have a large assortment of fruits and veggies, stackable drawers provide efficient and space-saving solutions.

A turntable can be helpful for your daily larger bottled drinks like milk  or coffee creamer.

For meal prep or leftovers, consider using the same container type that can easily stack.

Find my full list of refrigerator favorites here.

Refrigerator door Poznick

Now that your refrigerator has been cleaned and organized, what will be your next spring cleaning project? 

When you schedule each task and give yourself a realistic timeline to complete it, you are much more likely to get it done. Taking care of and maintaining your home is a journey, learn to savor it. 

Most importantly, have fun and celebrate your progress!