Organize Your Home in Just 30 Minutes a Day (Day One)
Every year, when January rolls around, I am ready to organize and declutter. Something about a new year that just gets me motivated! This year I am especially excited to go through everything, as we prepare for what could be our last move. I can finally let go of all of the extra items that I “may need” at the next house. Truthfully, I don’t hold onto as much as most people, but I do have a few extra decor pieces and linens, “just in case.”
In the past, I have looked through Pinterest for hours, trying to find the right schedule, that didn’t feel overwhelming. But I never did find one and I always ended up doing my own routine. I don’t like to tackle HUGE projects, especially when I organize. I prefer to break everything up into bite size, 30 minute, pieces.
Let’s Organize!
So, over the next 30 days, I will show you how I declutter and organize in the new year, one step at a time. I plan to only use the items I have and not buy any more organization bins. I promise to keep each project under 30 minutes a day, as that is all the extra time I have right now!
Let’s get started, shall we? I am in desperate need of groceries, so I decided the fridge was the perfect place to start! I love cleaning out our fridge anytime it’s bare. It’s just so much easier!
It’s not too bad. It’s looking pretty bare, which will make this A LOT easier! And honestly, I think I cleaned it out right before Thanksgiving, so I am starting with a pretty clean fridge. But this is NOT always the case! I like to work one section at a time. Today, I started with the fridge door.
Fridge Organization Steps:
STEP 1: Take everything out of your preferred section.
STEP 2: Remove the bins/drawers and wash them. Scrub the empty portion of your fridge once everything else is removed.
STEP 3: Go through your refrigerator items, one at a time, and get rid of expired items, old leftovers, and things your family just doesn’t use. I do this step after I clean everything, so it all has time to dry.
STEP 4: Put everything back in. I like to break my fridge up into sections, based on like items and what we use the most.
STEP 5: Admire your handiwork and move on to the next section 🙂
From here, I moved on to the rest of the inside of the fridge, repeating steps one through five. Now she is clean, organized and ready for fresh groceries!
Tips for keeping your fridge clean and organized:
First, I try to do the above steps once every 3 months. The best time is when you’re in desperate need of groceries, and she is looking a little bare. It’s so much easier to put groceries away in a clean fridge. And it helps you to know what you’re out of before you go shopping.
When the kids were little, we kept their snacks in the bottom drawer. Now that they are older, we use the smallest drawer for my son’s snacks, and the bigger drawers for produce.
Currently we keep the following sections:
- Butter & Cream Cheese
- Milk & Creamers
- Sauces & Seasonings we cook with and use often
- Sauces we use less often
- Leftovers. I like these on the top so everyone can see them.
- Drinks
- Produce
I like to change how I organize these sections up as life changes, but we all usually have an idea of where the items belong. It makes putting groceries away much easier. Hope these quick tips help you get your refrigerator organized! Come back tomorrow for the freezer. I didn’t forget it today. I just only had 30 minutes before I had to leave for work 🙂
Fridge Organization Bins
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Using bins in your refrigerator is a great way to section items off and keep your fridge looking clean and organized. I also find them helpful for putting food away. Whenever I have a bin with a label, everyone in the family knows what gets put inside. My husband and kids like to pick on me for my bins and labels, but they also put groceries away the right way, so I’d call that a win!
