It’s that time of year again to kick-start your spring-cleaning. Your kitchen, and especially your fridge, make a great place to start as one of the highest used areas in your home.  When you keep it clean and organized, you give your family a place for healthy snacks and help food stay at the peak of freshness and safety.  By following a few of these helpful tips, you can create a realistic organized plan for you fridge, easily avoid wasted and reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses.

Store your food in the best location. Food that don’t involve any preparation like dairy, pre-cooked meats, leftovers and condiments should be placed on the top and middle shelves.  Top tip: by using a lazy susan on the top shelf for condiments is a simple but effective way to save space and keep bottles neat and tidy.

Use clear, airtight containers for storing raw meats and uncooked fish. These should be kept on the bottom shelf of the fridge to stop exposing the other contents of the fridge to harmful bacteria. Top tip: use a label maker to label containers with the contents and date. This will help you to keep on top of foodstuffs before it goes out of date help to reduce waste.

Salad crispers are climate controlled which helps to retain moisture. Store fruits and vegetables here so items like lettuces, carrots and cauliflower will keep for longer.  Top tip: items like potatoes and onions don’t need to be stored in the fridge. Save space in your fridge by storing them in vegetable bags and hanging these on a command hook on the side of the fridge.

Dairy deserves more than the door.  Avoid storing dairy products, like milk, in the fridge door as the temperature is likely to fluctuate when the fridge door opens. Instead keep dairy on the shelf in the main compartment of the fridge, and use the door for other beverages as these items can withstand changes in temperature.  Top tip: Remember to keep your fridge temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit which will help the food to last longer.

Group similar items together. Storing similar items together in labeled baskets or containers makes grab-and-go items much easier and more manageable when you’re in a rush. The baskets stored in your fridge will slide in and out of the fridge easily.  The baskets are also great for kid-friendly snacks, making it easy for little hands to grab when they’re hungry. Top tip: avoid putting open cans in the fridge as the metal can release harmful toxins into the food. Store leftovers in clearly labeled containers.

Start today. These helpful tips won’t break the bank and can be easy to accomplish with just a little time and effort – even 15 minutes a day will make a big difference. Keeping on top of your fridge organization weekly is important and by following these simple tips should make sure that your fridge is stays in a good condition all year round. You can do this – your fridge can be organized, useful and work for you.

I had help for this article. Juliette Raine, Marketing Manager at SZ&W Ltd – the European home of Sub-Zero & Wolf wrote this post and I added my own special twist to her great tips. To find out more about Sub-Zero’s range of integrated refridgeration, visit www.subzero-wolf.co.uk