5 Things No One Needs in Their Fridge After 60

You would think keeping the fridge clean once you’re in your 60s would be easy. If you had kids, they’ve likely moved out of the house and might even have kids of their own, so you’re probably only buying groceries for one or two. But while that may seem like a win — for your grocery budget, at least — you’ll often wind up with leftover meals, plus the dregs of specialty ingredients you needed to prep them.

That’s why organizing your fridge, just like putting away your laundry, is a lifelong must. Not sure where to start? Here are five things no one needs in their fridge after 60, and how to remedy the issue.

Fancy feta-stuffed olives from your last charcuterie platter, the grainy mustard that you use on your famous roast pork — these are exactly the type of small jars and bottles that can easily get lost in your fridge behind a milk jug or cans of seltzer. And then they’re out of sight out of mind … until the next time you consider using them, only to find out that they’re moldy or expired. 

Solution: Designate a shelf in the fridge door for your condiments, organizing like with like, or onto a lazy Susan so they’re easy to see. 

Besides being unattractive, food boxes and packages can take up a lot of extra space. Once you’ve finished three yogurts, you don’t need the cardboard container taking up space for four. The same goes for that 12-pack of beer when you have only two left. Plus, you’ll be able to tell when it’s time to stock up again more easily.

Solution: Decant items into small clear bins. Pick an organizer with handles so it’s easy to lift in and out of the fridge.

Is that last week’s chili, or the remains of the Bolognese sauce from family dinner six months back? While it’s smart to freeze leftovers for the future, if you leave anything in the freezer for too long it will develop freezer burn and lose its taste.

Solution: Before freezing anything, label what it is along with the date you made it. It can be as simple as writing it right on the bag or using a piece of brightly colored tape for more contrast, which makes it easier to read.

Sure, some takeout containers are sturdy, and some are even labeled dishwasher-safe, but using a set of your favorite clear reusable containers will look more organized, and they save space because they typically nest or stack in your fridge and cabinets. See-though containers also mean you can tell what’s inside from a glance, and you won’t have to wrestle off a snap-to-lock top. 

Solution: Store leftovers, even restaurant ones that came in containers, in clear reusable containers with easy-to-use seals.

If your fridge shelves are still set up the way they were when you first got it, you could be missing out on one of the best organizing secrets: Arrange your shelves so there’s room for the heaviest items on the lower shelves, like half-gallons of milk, coffee creamer, or juice so you aren’t having to lift these onto the top shelf. As a bonus, the lower shelves are typically the coolest in the fridge, so dairy items will stay fresh longer. (If you have a side-by-side fridge, store these items at waist height.) Store items that may go bad quickest at eye level so you’re reminded to eat them first.

Solution: Play around with your shelf height and organization to find the setup that works best for you.