Fridge not sparking joy? Marie Kondo’s Australian consultant shares her easy fridge organisation hacks
Three steps to a clean, organised fridge.
By Gemma Quinn, Master KonMari Consultant
For busy parents, home organisation tips can be so helpful in giving back valuable time to do the things you enjoy, like spending time with the family.
While we’ve been told how to organise everything from our wardrobe to the bathroom, Australians are increasingly overwhelmed by one spot in the house that they might not expect – the humble kitchen fridge!
New research from HelloFresh suggests 94% of Australians organise their fridge based on ingredients or not at all – not realising this can really slow things down in the kitchen and lead to unhealthier choices.
I want to help parents live more joyfully and have developed the ultimate organisation guide to revolutionise your relationship with your kitchen fridge and help free you up to spend more time doing what you love!
How to organise your fridge KonMari-style
Master KonMari Consultant, Gemma Quinn says many Australians are overwhelmed by the state of their fridge.
Tip 1: Organise by meals, not ingredients
My number one hack is to organise your fridge based on meals as opposed to types of ingredients. From the moment you open the fridge door you’ll see breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks staring right at you. It not only speeds things up in the kitchen, but helps reduce food waste with each ingredient playing its part in each meal.
Meal kit services like HelloFresh make this process even faster and easier by pre-sorting fresh ingredients into meal kit bags delivered to your door. With these you can have dinner on the table in as little as 15 minutes.
Before organising, ingredients are just shoved anywhere in the fridge.
Tip 2: Have healthy snacks at eye level
While the bottom draw crisper can keep things fresh, you don’t want all your healthy (and often perishable) food hidden out of sight. I encourage you to prep some healthy snacks, such as chopped carrots or celery, in sealed containers and leave them at eye sight at the top of the fridge.
Following this approach from top shelf down to bottom will not only help you reach for healthier ingredients more often, but also save on food waste.
Now, this is a fridge that sparks joy!
Tip 3: Pack and stack using clear containers
Invest in some clear, stackable containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. The positives are endless: they create more space, keep food fresh for longer and reduce food waste.
I find it’s best to stick with one brand so you can easily interchange containers and lids. And if you want to take things to the next level, Lazy Susan’s are great for sauces and products that are often banished to the back of the fridge never to be seen again!
BONUS Tip: Introduce an eat now section
You can also introduce a dedicated ‘eat now’ section for ingredients nearing their expiry – and to direct the kids to when they want a snack!
A cheeky trick for the kids, I even suggest hiding chocolate or other treats in a packet of frozen peas to help keep them out of sight and out of mind.
