Holiday Hacks: Cleaning and Stocking Your Fridge

The holiday season is upon us once again! And while you’re busy planning festive gatherings and decking the halls, it’s essential not to overlook one crucial aspect of holiday preparation – cleaning out and restocking your refrigerator.

A well-organized and clean fridge not only ensures the freshness and quality of your holiday feasts but also provides you with a stress-free cooking experience. So grab an apron, and let’s dive into the task of getting your refrigerator holiday-ready.

Below are some great ideas for cleaning out the refrigerator and making room for essential items to have on-hand during this busy season.

Assess the situation

Take a moment to size up the current state of your refrigerator and its contents. Take note of expiration dates and discard anything that has gone bad. Bid farewell to those oddball items you bought ages ago and barely used. This initial step sets the stage for creating a clean slate.

Prepare to clean!

Fill a bucket or wash tub with two tablespoons of baking soda and one quart of warm water for wiping down the interior of your refrigerator. Then use a cookie sheet and another tub to place the contents of your drawers and all those little condiments in your door bins so you can wipe down the interior surfaces without a hassle.

Before cleaning the interior of the fridge, soak each drawer with the same amount of baking soda solution and let the solution do the dirty work of cleaning them while you are wiping out the inside of the fridge.

Wipe down the interior

Dampen a rag or microfiber cloth with the baking soda solution and gently wipe the interior of the refrigerator and all of the shelves and surfaces. Remove the items from each shelf as you go, and replace them when that shelf is clean before moving to the next one. If the washing solution begins to look murky, be sure to dump it and make another tubful for cleaning.

For stuck on interior stains, you can sprinkle a little baking soda directly on the spot and add just a little water to it to make a paste. Allow the paste to work on the set-in stain and then scrub gently to remove the gunk.

Give the inside a finishing wipe

Go back to your drawers, empty them of solution and wipe out the interiors. Place them back into the fridge and take your dishwashing tub of solution and empty it into the sink. Refill the tub with just warm water and a dash of lemon juice.

Use your rag to do a final swipe using just this water & lemon juice solution. This will remove any grit that might be left in the fridge and the lemon juice will give it a nice fresh scent throughout. Dry thoroughly with a terry towel.

Take your cookie sheet of condiments, etc., and make sure to give each of these a quick swipe with the rag before returning them. Take a moment to toss out the items you know you’re not going to use again, and return all of the other items to their proper homes.

Tidy up the exterior

The outside of your fridge can often be overlooked, but it needs attention too. If you have kids at home, you know how fingerprints and smudges can get all over your fridge on any given day. You can use a damp microfiber cloth to clean the outside of your refrigerator, as it is gentle but also abrasive enough to remove any marks. Any scuffs still left? Try one of those “magic eraser” products; they’re pretty amazing!

If you have a stainless steel appliance, dip your microfiber cloth into a little vinegar and give the outside of the fridge a good swiping with the vinegar. Then give the appliance another swipe with just plain water and dry thoroughly with a terry towel.

Organize for Efficiency

Once your refrigerator is sparkling clean, inside and out, it’s time to reorganize the contents for optimal efficiency. Group similar items together, placing dairy products in one section, fruits and vegetables in designated drawers, and meats on a separate shelf. This not only makes it easier to find what you need but also helps maintain appropriate temperature zones in the fridge.

Restock Your Fridge

Now that your refrigerator is clean and organized (yay!), it’s time to restock for the holidays. It’s important to remember your everyday routines during this hectic time. That means keeping stocked up on easy essentials that can be used for all of your breakfasts, lunches and dinners. There are also a few items that will come in handy in case unexpected guests drop in!

Ten Fridge Essentials

Milk

Coffee Creamer

Butter

Jelly

Cheese- Slices & Shredded

Orange Juice

Bread

Lettuce/Romaine Hearts

Lunch Meat

Condiments (check your expiration dates on your condiments & toss any expired items)

Don’t forget to get into the spirit of the season and grab some of those special items just for the holidays like eggnog, cut-and-bake cookies, and cider. They can find an easy space in your newly organized fridge. These seasonal goodies are worth picking up before they’re gone again!

Still not enough space?

If your poor old fridge is just not up to the challenge of fitting everything you need anymore, we have a couple of ideas that might make life a little easier for you.

Get a second refrigerator – If you have some extra space in your basement or garage, you might consider getting another fridge to handle to handle the holiday overflow. Our new Kenmore 18.2 cu. ft. top-freezer refrigerator offers plenty of convenient extra storage, with adjustable glass shelves and gallon-size door storage.

Go bigger – You could also simply replace your existing refrigerator with a larger and more up-to-date model. Our new Kenmore 20.5 cu. ft. refrigerator provides generous fresh-food and freezer storage with flexible storage options like full-width glass shelves and adjustable humidity-controlled crisper bins.

Happy holidays… ready or not!

A clean and organized refrigerator is the unsung hero of holiday preparation. So, why wait? Roll up your sleeves, put on your favorite holiday playlist, and give your refrigerator the attention it deserves. Your future self, and your holiday guests, will thank you for it.

Happy holidays, happy feasting… and a happy new year, too!

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