Do you know how to organise your fridge correctly? Did you know that it can make a real difference where you put different types of produce in the fridge? With food wast becoming an increasing issue, it is important to know how to organise your fridge correctly. Simply because your food will stay fresh for longer, so you won’t have to throw so much of it away!
So how do you organise a fridge correctly?
Clean your Fridge
Before you start reorganising your whole fridge, make sure to use this opportunity to give it a good deep clean. You really should be cleaning your fridge regularly. And a deep clean should happen at least once a month.
To properly and efficiently clean your fridge, make sure you remove everything in there. Use a damp cloth and suited soap or cleaning product to wipe all surfaces down. If there are stubborn stains, make sure to remove these completely. You can probably remove some of the shelves in the fridge, or the drawers. If so, take them out and wash them in warm soapy water. Make sure everything is thoroughly dried before you put it back into the fridge. Don’t forget to clean the door as well as teh handles and outside of the fridge too.
Once this is all done you are ready to organise your fridge correctly!
Top Shelf / Top of Door
Let’s work our way down from the top of the fridge to the bottom. So firstly: the top shelf and the top part of the door. The following products should be stored here:
- Any dairy products
- Ready /Microwave meals
- Salad dressing
- Jams
The top part of the fridge is slightly colder which is what all the above food groups need to stay fresher for longer.
Middle Shelf
In the middle part of the shelf you should place the following products:
- Cooked foods
- Leftovers
- Open cans/jars
- Condiments
- Pickles
- Eggs
The latter three products can be suitably stored in the middle part of the centre of the fridge door.
Bottom Shelf
This arguably is the most important shelf to organise your fridge correctly. As when it comes to raw meat and fish, you really do not want to place produce here that does not suit it. The following things should always go on the bottom shelf – never higher:
- Meat
- Fish
- Poultry
Ideally, the above products should be wrapped or boxed suitably, for example in plastic film or foil. This so that there is no chance of any liquid or blood dripping into the fridge or on other products in your fridge. Potentially, your fridge might have an area at the bottom of the fridge especially designed for raw meat and fridge. Note: this is different from the drawers all the way at the bottom!
Bottom Part of Door
Bottles can be placed at the bottom of the door – whatever liquid they might contain.
Bottom Drawer
Most likely you will have a drawer or two all the way at the bottom of your fridge. This is for storing the following products only:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
These drawers are specifically designed so that air can flow around the fruit and vegetables keeping them fresh for longer, again reducing food waste.
Storing and organising your fridge this way will really help in keeping your fridge tidy and organised, but also to keep your food hygienic and fresh for longer. Give it a go and see if you notice the difference!
How can Polo & Tweed Help?
Keeping your fridge organised and cleaned properly can be quite a time-consuming task. And this is just one of the many things a housekeeper could do for you.
Or if you want to learn how to do all these skills better – why not consider one of our Housekeeping training courses? We have options for group training, tailor made private courses and E-learning, from the comfort of your own home. Suited for anyone who simply wants to learn how to clean and keep up the house better, to professional housekeepers looking to up their skills.
Polo & Tweed are world leaders in finding and placing the best housekeepers within households big and small all over the world. From full time live in Housekeepers to part-time roles. To find out more about what options work best for you, or to find a new housekeeper for your household, do contact us here now and we look forward to speak to you!