4 tips for a tidy and clean fridge we learned from The Home Edit

With two best-selling books, a line of storage products, 4 million Instagram followers, celebrity endorsements, and a Netflix series, The Home Edit is everywhere these days. Irreverent champagne-sipping home organizers Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin bring their brand of organizing-meets-interior styling to every room in the house, including the oft-forgotten fridge. Just because the door is always closed, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be beautiful, right?

Netflix’s new reality series Get Organized with the Home Edit follows regular homeowners and celebrities the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria and Khloé Kardashian on their journeys to a tidier home. No matter which room Shearer and Teplin tackle, the organizing experts follow the same four steps to create systems and spaces that are smart, sustainable and beautiful.

Skeptical this method could work for you? Check out the perfectly merchandised shelves of actress Jordana Brewster’s fridge after The Home Edit team got their hands on it. Now that’s #fridgegoals.

Here’s how you, too, can have the organized and clean fridge of your dreams:

Photo credit: Africa Studio

No organization project can begin until you’ve stripped the space bare – this is the foundation of every Home Edit project. Once everything is out, the editing begins. Let go of those half-used jars of condiments taking up space in your fridge, and toss out lingering leftovers or wilted produce. Check best before dates on everything that remains.

You’ll want to remove fridge shelves and produce bins, if possible, so you won’t have to keep the door open while cleaning, and waste electricity. First, let the fridge components come to room temperature. Then, get out the rubber gloves and a dish sponge, and scrub with warm water and unscented dish soap. Dry the shelves and bins thoroughly before returning to the fridge.

Wondering how to get smells out of the fridge? The classic box of baking soda works to eliminate odours, or a cup of white vinegar left in the fridge can also neutralize lingering fridge smells.

Finally, inspect the rubber seal around the fridge to look for hidden crumbs or mould. The drip tray should also be emptied, as it can become blocked with stagnant water. And don’t forget to give the freezer the same TLC!

Now that your fridge is clean, group food items according to similar shapes or purpose. And if you’re a fan of the Netflix show, you know The Home Edit gals love to organize by colour, especially the colours of the rainbow. Categories are key for identifying duplicates and similar items that you could transfer to a backstock area (spare items not immediately used) like a secondary fridge for later use.

Loose items easily get lost behind taller items or buried in fridge drawers. The Home Edit team suggests clear storage containers, such as bins, turntables, and stacking food storage containers so you can easily see what you have on hand. Give jar bottoms and lids a quick wipe before storing them in their new compartments. Remember to park these containers in defined zones (space allotment for similar items) within your fridge. Jarred items work well in door shelving compartments, while milk and other dairy products should be situated deeper on shelves less susceptible to temperature changes.

If no one labels a zone, is it really a zone at all? The key to maintaining your new system is ensuring everyone knows where the jams and spreads go. Sure, a label maker can do the job, but labels in pretty, cursive script elevate every visit to the fridge.  Don’t worry if you’ve got doctor’s handwriting. The Home Edit product line includes elegant, handwritten peel-and-stick labels designed specifically for the fridge, so you’ll always know where to store the pickles.

It’s a good idea to clean your fridge every three months, and always before entertaining to make space for extra groceries and leftovers to come. With these four fundamental steps, you’ll become a champion fridge organizer in no time. You may even want to try your newfound skills throughout your home.