Ugh! One of my least favorite jobs is cleaning out the fridge. I get especially frustrated when I find a spill or a sticky mess that is difficult to remove. Why can’t people just wipe up messes when they happen, instead of leaving it for Mom? An age-old question, which has yet to be answered.
It’s a good thing we moms are creative, isn’t it? So, I’m scrubbing the fridge and thinking, “How can I keep the fridge cleaner and in need of scrubbing less often?” Not an easy task when you have a large family. Then, I had an idea.
When I finished cleaning the refrigerator, I lined the shelves and the drawers with shelf liner. I didn’t use the paper stuff, like contact paper, but the rubbery, no skid stuff. Now, all I have to do is pull it out and replace it when someone spills maraschino cherries or chocolate syrup and doesn’t tell me.
Next, I organized the fridge. I don’t usually spend a lot of time doing that, since there are lots of other things I’d rather be doing, but I’ve found that it makes things easier in the long run. It makes it easier to keep track of what’s in there, what needs to be used, and what I need to pick up when I go shopping. It also keeps things from being pushed to the back and forgotten, so it helps prevent waste. Those little plastic storage baskets from the dollar store work great for keeping like items together.
Another great trick to use in the fridge is to line the crisper drawers with a couple of layers of paper towels (on top of the shelf liner). It’s doesn’t just help avoid messes, but it also absorbs excess moisture from fruits and vegetables so they stay fresher longer. Just remove paper towels when they become damp and replace them with fresh ones.