Refrigerator

Well it came time to do one of my most hated chores...cleaning the refrigerator. I won't lie i had mystery bowls of stuff and things i couldn't believe that i saved. but, i do have some helpful hints when it come to such an important appliance.

The best thing to clean your fridge with is good old dish soap. i know it is temping to use bleach, or kitchen cleaner but the fumes don't leave well and get into your food. If you need sometime scrubbed. use baking soda and make it into a paste and it works awesome for getting out the mystery sticky goop. If you have really bad stains i do recommend a cleaner called (barkeepers friend) In your rinse water use white vinegar. it not only helps it dry faster but it will also help keep mold out of your fridge. Replace your baking soda often to keep smells out of there... Nothing worse then fish or onion tasting butter or milk (YUCK). make sure you use a tea towel to dry your work, you don't want a lot of moisture in your fridge.

Ok. here is the best tip i ever received and i want to share it. Tired of knocking over bottles when you are looking for the ketchup that someone put in the back. I put everything on a lazy susan. you can get them at any store for cheap and you just spin to what you need. another good thing is that it doesn't take up to much space. i have another underneath this one for jams and peanut butter (i make a lot of PB&J sandwiches) I also purchased a coated wire basket to keep apples and fruit in the fridge. easy to grab, a must in our household my boys eat about 2 apples each a day.

I have a stubborn husband i didn't use to store chips and things on top of the fridge. But, after much asking i broke down and started putting things up there. I purchased a simple metal basket for the kitchen and put chips in so they won't fall behind. The wicker basket if full of snack item for the children. much easier to grab out of there in keep boxes in my cabinets.

Always keep a shopping list by your fridge. when you are cooking and you need stuff jot it down. Nothing worse then going to a store, getting a brain fart and not remembering what you went in for. found this magnetic one at Michael's for $1 and it came with a pen.

Make your own magnets. i made the picture frames of the animals from a Martha Stewart kit that was on the clearance isle for $1. The fruit magnets i made from 3d paper cutout stickers from the scrapbook isle. i mounted them on a thin cardboard and attached a magnet. tada!

These are just some of the things i have done and some of my tip. i hope i have given you ideas to help you next time you tackle cleaning the fridge.