Hey all! NorthStar Moving®’s very own Laura McHolm was featured in AOL’s DIY Life for the holiday season. McHolm collaborated with fellow professional organizer Julia Rivard (both members of the National Association of Professional Organizers), and writer Francesca Clarke. The two gave Clarke some suggestions on “making ample space in the fridge and planning for a stress-free holiday meal.” Sounds awesome!!
There were so many great ideas that were offered in DIY Life’s article and we encourage you to get all the wisdom from the source, but let us offer you an appetizer in the form of our “space saver” version – The top 5 tips for organizing the fridge for the holidays:
• A few days before your big holiday feast Start using whatever is in the fridge & don’t go grocery shopping just yet. You can get creative with those leftovers!
• Take everything out of the fridge before shopping for your holiday meal. Organize your food into categories: “Keep,” “Give Away,” and “Throw Away.” Make sure to check all expiration dates and toss out expired food. Be very critical about what foods will make it back into the fridge!
• Downsize – Big containers can be condensed into smaller ones. If there is any food that can be consolidated into a zip-lock bag, that will save you even more space.
• Location! Location! Location! – Put the items you use the least in the fridge first. This way, the items you want will be right in front! Putting your food away can be a logical process. McHolm also suggests separating meats, cheeses and vegetables into different drawers.
• Always use stackable containers to store food before and after the big meal. Putting your fancy serving dishes in the fridge won’t serve a purpose. They will just be a nuisance and get in the way. If you have enough stackable containers, you can even send goody bags home with friends and family!
Laura and Julia have a few more holiday refrigerator space saving tips in their article. We all have our own space saving wisdom collected through experience over the years, so in true holiday spirit, please do share your own with everyone her!