You probably saw this post and broke out in a cold sweat because you can’t remember the last time you actually cleaned out your refrigerator.

Don’t worry, I’m not about to lecture you—I’m actually in the same boat. My hope is that writing this post will get me motivated enough to go downstairs and clean out my own refrigerator.

We all use our refrigerators every day, but how often do we actually clean them? Probably not as often as we should. A fridge is an easy place to forget about cleaning, but it is also a place that can get messy really easily.

Food spills, condiments leak, and you forget about that half empty jar of pasta sauce until it is far past its expiration date. Needless to say, we should all probably clean out our fridges more often, but if you aren’t hardly doing it at all, you should try to do it at least once a month.

Here are some tips for cleaning and organizing that fridge:

• Clean your fridge right before you go grocery shopping.

This isn’t something you have to do, but it is a good strategy because your fridge will be emptier, so there will be less food to take out and clean around.

• Take everything out of your refrigerator.

I know, it’s a pain, but it will be easier to clean everything if you aren’t trying to work around your food. Take out all of your food and then take some cleaner and wipe out all your shelves and drawers until they are sparkling!

• Check and, if necessary, discard your condiments.

We all probably have those few condiments that have been sitting in our refrigerator for months. We forget about them or we didn’t really like them, and they are sitting there growing older every day.

Check your condiments, and if they have expired get rid of them, or if they need to be used up, plan a meal to use them soon! The same goes for any leftover food you may have.

• Before you put anything back, make sure everything has a place.

Part of what makes your fridge messy and unorganized is the tendency to throw food wherever it will fit. Right after cleaning your fridge is the perfect time to come up with a better system of organization.

For example, many people have a cheese drawer or vegetable drawer, but the shelves are just a free-for-all. Take a minute to think about your most used items and give them their own spot, so your fridge can stay cleaner and more organized for longer. Have a specific section for drinks and one for fruit and another for eggs. Some people even put bins into their fridge to further organize different things on the shelves.

The key to organizing your fridge is finding a method you will stick with. Go with whatever system works for you!

• Repeat

It’s easy to clean your fridge once and forget about it. Instead of doing that, I recommend putting a date on your calendar to clean your fridge every few weeks. Your refrigerator is an easily overlooked place as far as cleaning, but it is an important one. If you keep it clean and organized, it will make your life—and your cooking experience—easier.

We hope you enjoyed these tips for cleaning and organizing your refrigerator. As always, if you are interested in Everyday Helper helping you out around the house, feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you.