I Forgot What’s My Fridge!

Once again, we’re so excited to have Kathryn McMillan from Clutter Conversions guest post on our site! Kathryn is an organization guru! You should definitely check out her site at www.clutterconversions.com where she has lots of info about home and office organizing. I will say that this post is particularly helpful to me because now that I am eating clean, my fridge is always packed with fresh stuff. I have so many different kinds of flours, that have to be kept in the fridge – whole wheat, coconut flour, almond meal, etc. They take up a lot of space and I can never remember where I’ve stuffed them.

How many times have you opened your refrigerator and some strange odor came floating out? How many times have you bought an item only to forget you had it? Then it went bad because it was hidden in the back behind larger items? Or, how many times have planned to prepare a meal, thinking you had everything you needed only to find out you did not have the spice or condiment you needed?

There is a very simple solution! Create a Refrigerator Inventory List!

The Inventory List should include EVERYTHING kept in the refrigerator except leftovers.
(There should be one shelf dedicated to only leftovers and nothing else.)

 For the technologically minded person, Fresh Box from Apple is an app that helps users record the shelf life of their goods and reminds them to use items before they expire. There are other apps that you can use to inventory food items such as, My Fridge (Google apps), Grocery Hero (Google apps) and Whaz in the Fridge? (Windows Apps)  and they can also help you come up with recipes based on what is in your refrigerator.

For the person who is visual, creative or finds technology difficult, I suggest you make your own. If you are a visual person, attach the inventory sheet onto your refrigerator. For ideas of an inventory sheet you can type into Google “printable refrigerator inventory lists” or follow the two links below.

Go to www.lotsofkids.com to see how simple your refrigerator inventory list can be and to download this Fridge Inventory List.

For a more detailed inventory list go to cookingforbusymums.blogspot.com to download this Fridge Inventory List.

During my research for this blog, I found most articles stated the good old fashioned paper and pencil method was still the most favorable! There is no inventory sheet that can list every item that everyone uses because we all have very different food preferences we use in our cooking. That is why I recommend creating your own inventory list but make sure you include these three things: “Name of Item”, “Quantity” and “Use By”.

Kathryn McMillan is the owner of Clutter Conversions, LLC.  She has been in business for over seven years and is preparing to take the national exam to become a nationally certified professional organizer.

Kathryn graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Science with a minor in Secondary Education.  She decided to become a professional organizer when she lost her job in the financial arena.  She knew immediately that organizing was what she wanted to do because it is something that she is naturally good at doing and felt that it would be helpful to people.  She is always looking for an easier, simpler way of doing things and wants to share it with others.  She believes life is so much better when we are not as stressed!