Clean – Fridge
I give my fridge a complete clean every 3 months, usually the day before I do my weekly grocery shop. In between this time a wipe over the shelves regularly with a cloth picking up any spills.
Cleaning task
Today’s cleaning task is to do the following in the fridge:
[wlchecklist name=’CleanDay7′]
I use my homemade fridge cleaner, with a microfibre cloth, as a scourer will scratch the fridge surfaces.
Read more: How to clean and polish a stainless steel fridge
Here is a post I shared when I first started blogging, step by step guide to organising the fridge (I don’t put vegetables in our vegetable crisper, instead I use it differently).
And if you want to go that extra step read here How I Organise inside my Fridge.
Declutter – Cookbooks
I love recipe books, I have a quite a collection which includes many from my mum and grandmothers. I love the old fashioned recipes. However there are only so many cookbooks one needs. I am running out of storage space so I need to declutter my collection. There are a few cookbooks that I only use one or two recipes from, so I photocopy these pages and place them in my recipe binder and will then donate these cookbooks.
I have two recipe organisers, one for baking and one for cooking (dinners, slower cooker recipes etc). Having all my favourite recipes in one place has been fantastic.
The recipe organiser is available in my shop. Use coupon code 20daysrecipes to get 20% off at checkout. Click here to download
[wlchecklist name=’DeclutterDay7′]
Organise – Meal Planning
If you have been a follower of my blog for awhile you will know that I am a huge advocate for meal planning. I share my families weekly meal plans each Monday on the blog, pop on over to find some inspiration for your family meals.
There are so many benefits of meal planning, in brief it will save you time and money, eliminate waste, create healthy meals and so much more, you can read more about why I love it here. I sit down with my Sunday morning coffee and create our meal plan, give the fridge a clean out and then go grocery shopping throughout the day.
How to use a meal planner
- Prepare your meal planner:
- Laminate & use a whiteboard marker so you can re-use each week; or
- Frame and write on the glass with a whiteboard marker; or
- Create copies and file in a binder to repeat plans each month or so
- Create a list of all your families favourite meals. This will be an easy reference when you can’t think of something to cook.
- Nearly every family has after school activities during the week. Organise your menu around these activities knowing you can start dinner throughout the day to have it ready in time when you get home (or use your slow cooker, I love my slow cooker), or perhaps an easy meal is required on these nights.
- Glance through your fridge and pantry, check if there is any food that may need to be used soon?
- Have a look through the grocery junk mail and plan your meals around the meats and vegetables that are on special, this will help reduce your grocery bill.
- Perhaps you may cook up a double batch and you have left overs for the next day, don’t forget to include this in your planner.
- Now complete the planner with meals you would like to cook. Don’t forget you can get some great meal ideas here from my blog.
- Next, write your grocery list then your ready to hit the grocery store!
- Place your meal planner somewhere (on fridge or in frame on kitchen bench) for easy access and family to see.
The meal planner is available in my shop in a variety of colours.
Click here to view more details
New Habit – Meal plan once a week, each fortnight, or monthly.
Find time once a week to create a meal plan, after a few weeks you can rotate the same meal plan so you don’t have to sit and plan each week.
[wlchecklist name=’OrganiseDay7′]
5 Minutes Only – Wipe over kitchen appliances
[wlchecklist name=’5minutesonlyDay7′]
DOWNLOAD
Print the daily sheet and checklists to keep for reference while you are completing the above tasks.
- DAY 7 DAILY TASK SHEET – file behind ‘Daily Task’ divider – click to download.
- FRIDGE CLEANING CHECKLIST – file behind ‘Checklist’ divider – click to download.
- BLANK FRIDGE CLEANING CHECKLIST – use this to create your own checklist, file behind ‘Checklist’ divider – click to download.
78 comments
Done, feels so good. Love the idea if cutting up fruit and veg and storing in containers. Less mess and easier to grab on the go. To celebrate todays win, I had a glass of champers.
And why not, it’s great to celebrate… and in style!! It will make dinner time so much easier for you and snacking healthier too!!
By the way I loved this set of tasks. I did the cookbooks on the proper day but only got to the fridge last night and it’s such a pleasure to open it and it’s clean and organised. I wiped over the outside of the fridge and I do tend to have a lot of fridge magnets (to hold up whatever is currently necessary) At the moment I have photos of our parents on the fridge so that I see them on a regular basis (they live at a distance) and so that we consider the health history that we have inherited so that we might eat wisely.
that is lovely to have them front and center to view everyday.
Hi Kat, I was wondering if you know where you can buy the Tupperware Fridgesmart ContIners. I know Tupperware is usually sold via a consultant but I don’t know of any. Are they available somewhere else online?
Hi Letitia, if you contact Tupperware they will be able to take your details and contact your local Tupperware demonstrator who can mail you a catalogue and you can order through him/her. Or…. as an alternative you can also find Tupperware on eBay, but a demonstrator maybe a better option depending on how much you want you may get bonus product 🙂
Hi Letitia make sure if you buy the Tupperware containers on ebay they come with a fridge magnet with the details of what food is a light breather and heavy breather (yes there is such a thing) one you close the vent and the other you open it. I have them and could possibly post a photo of mine but I am sure they are on ebay too.
Well I didn’t fully do the fridge as I’d done it not long ago however I did remove all the little compartments from the door which I hadn’t done for a while and boy were they gross! All clean again! 🙂
exactly right, it’s those little things make a big difference 🙂
Wow that was a big job today. My fridge was disgusting. Just been grocery shopping and after dinner going to chop up and sort all my fruit and veg for the week.
you will thank yourself during the week for taking the time to pre-cut your veg and fruit Belle, it’s such a time saver!
Fridge all done. Still need to declutter my cookbooks though. Purchased expander file to sort recipes to try. Have lots of recipes to sort through but think it will be a fun task.
It is a fun task, having the expander file will make it easier for you to find what you are looking for.
Almost done..love the pre-cut veges idea. Sadly can’t find nice vac containers like yours but have some alternatives 🙂
Clean fridge – done! I had my 6 year old help me – he loved cleaning the door shelves for me (yes, water everwhere lol).
that’s so sweet to have a cute little helper.
After meal planning I made your curried salmon rice pie. It was delicious and a real hit with my 7 year old. It is going on my family meal list. In the past when I ask hubby what he wants me to cook for dinner he says I should have a list of meals and now I do. Thanks for sharing.
It’s a great idea to have a running list Lindy, this is my favourite, I was feeling a little under the weather recently and my hubby surprisingly made this for me for dinner, comfort food!!
Day 7 done! Off to town Later so will try and find some baskets (love that idea) I already use my lettuce and celery fridgesmarts but that all I have in my collection, will look out for something similare at the shops, for the rest of my Vegas!
Now to catch up and get stuck into day 8 ☺️
Great work, Karen! Those baskets are fantastic and make everything so easy to find.
just a tip with celery, if you wrap it in foil it lasts longer
ooh this is a fabulous tip, thank you Jodie, I’m going to try that one!