7 things to get rid of in your fridge now to get ready for Christmas cooking, prep and hosting

Christmas is fast approaching and now is the time to start preparing areas in your kitchen where you will store the inevitable influx of groceries.

The fridge can easily get overlooked and then cause a bottle neck of goods that either need binning, eating or preparing.

To curb the food stress in this festive period, knowing how to organize the fridge becomes a necessary practice and here, our pros reveal what you should get rid of now from this vital and hardworking space.

7 things that you should probably get rid of in your fridge before Christmas is in full effect

Looking into the depths of our refrigerator isn't often high on our to-do lists, and is usually something most of us put off until it's absolutely necessary because you've run out of space or smell something bad.

Daniel Brown, cleaning expert and CEO of Handy Cleaners says, 'In order to effectively prepare for the holiday season, you need to dedicate some time to go through what you already have in the fridge and determine how important it is on your priority list.

'Making a fridge priority list for the Christmas period is something I do every year and it helps my stress levels on the day. I simply write a list of all perishable foods, condiments and dressings I tend to use over the holidays and those that I do not, then when I organize my fridge. I prioritize the ones I will use, and either get rid of, or do not purchase the things I am less likely to use in this busy time.'

By incorporating this practice you can save yourself time and money when shopping for Christmas. Below we look at 7 things that you should evict from your fridge in the lead up to Christmas.

1. Expired condiments

'When getting rid of items in the fridge, a good place to start is to check over everything to see if it is all still in date,' continues Daniel. 'Eliminating produce that is out of date usually reduces the contents of your fridge by 10-15%, which is a large amount of space when every inch counts towards your holiday restock.'

Go shelf by shelf, checking if the food is still on date. Get rid of anything that is past its best before date. Although these foods are technically still edible, they are no longer in their prime and 90 per cent of the time, you will be able to notice the difference in taste.

This is an easy win for decluttering the fridge and holding onto foods that are optimal freshness.

2. Inedible leftovers

We are all guilty of doing it when trying to avoid wasting leftovers: you store them in the fridge in plastic containers, readily available at Walmart, then forgot all about them.

Having piles upon piles of leftovers takes up a large amount of shelf space. Using stackable refrigerator organizer bins from Amazon in the fridge will help, but only if you actually end up eating them.

To avoid wasting your food and fridge space, consider freezing leftovers instead straight after cooking.

3. Extra food that could be frozen

Head of Solved Punteha van Terheyden does this all the time.

Punteha, a serial batch cooker, says, 'Any leftover food I have cooked gets frozen that day in portion sizes relevant to individual members of my household and labeled up as such. That way, if we've run out energy or time after work, we can defrost and heat up a home cooked meal. This prevents the fridge getting cluttered up with leftovers we forget about.

If you use a thermal inkless label maker, the markings or paper may deteriorate in the freezer so use residue-free, removable freezer-safe labels, available on Amazon, instead.

If you have over-shopped, or accidentally doubled up on items in your grocery shop, freeze anything you can. Be careful though, if you start using this space as a dumping ground, you’ll soon have to spend time organizing your freezer too.

'Using my freezer effectively helps me prevent my refrigerator from having old food stored inside,' says Karina Toner from Spekless Cleaning. 'This doesn’t mean that I pile everything into the freezer, instead it simply means that I use it in conjunction with my fridge so that food is fresher and overflow is preserved.'

4. Freezer-burned foods in ice compartments

'If your fridge includes a freezer compartment, this is a great opportunity to clear it out too,' says Amy Bloomer, professional home organizer and owner of Let Your Space Bloom. 'Freezer-burned items, like mystery meat wrapped in frost or that long-forgotten bag of peas, need to go.'

According to Amy, these items take up space and won’t taste great even if cooked. Clearing out the freezer compartment of your fridge allows you more room for make-ahead holiday dishes, ice cream, or frozen cocktails.

Organize your freezer better with YouCopia FreezeUp Freezer Rack from Amazon, rated so you can see everything at a glance.

5. Outdated dairy products

Eggnog and other dairy-based products are staples of the holiday table, so you’ll need your fridge’s dairy section at peak capacity. 'Take stock of all your milk, yogurt, and cheese,' says Alice Price, professional organizer and decluttering coach, founder of Organize Long Island. 'Any items with suspicious smells, mold, or a date that’s passed should go.'

Even if an item is technically safe, anything nearing its expiration might not make it through the Christmas cooking marathon and the space will likely be more useful to you.

6. Forgotten produce

Take a close look at your fruit and vegetable drawer. Wilted greens, slimy spring onions, or forgotten grapes are all candidates for the trash. Christmas cooking often involves vibrant veggies, so make room for fresh produce like Brussels sprouts, parsnips, and cranberries.

Consider investing in OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Produce Storage Containers from Wayfair to make your produce last longer and don't forget to clean the dirtiest parts of your fridge, including your vegetable drawer before adding new produce to avoid germs and mold spores impacting your fresh items.

7. Duplicates or half-eaten products

Finally, look for duplicates or half-finished products you might have forgotten about. That half-finished jar of pesto or the nearly empty tub of salsa has probably seen better days. These items often have a short shelf life once opened, and can harbor bacteria if left too long.

If you’re not planning to use them in the next week or two, consolidate or discard as necessary, and try using Lazy Susans from Amazon to make it easier to spot these items and avoid double-buying or food waste.

FAQs

How far in advance should I go through and organize my fridge?

Experts say that you should go through your fridge at least two weeks before the lead up to Christmas. This will give you plenty of time to be able to replenish items and put things strategically away before Christmas Eve.

Why is it important to declutter my fridge before Christmas?

Decluttering and reorganizing your fridge before Christmas means that you will have more space and understanding of what is inside. Helping your meal plan for the holiday period and also allowing you to have a fresh space to put your Christmas shop away.

Meet the experts

Karina Toner

Karina Toner is a cleaning expert at Spekless, a house cleaning service based in Arlington or Washington D.C. She has years of hands-on cleaning experience and now is operations manager.

Amy Bloomer

Amy Bloomer owns Let Your Space Bloom, a home-organizing company. She's been in thousands of homes, helping families, professionals and retirees to transform their space, and in turn, their lives.

By decluttering your fridge now, you’ll free up space for all the delicious ingredients, festive platters, and seasonal treats that Christmas demands. Plus, a clean and organized fridge makes hosting less stressful and more enjoyable.

So, grab a trash bag, set aside some time, and get ready to transform your fridge in time for the festive period.

Next, delve into our Christmas cleaning task list and what to clean in guest bedrooms before hosting Christmas.