I’m just “right sizing” my fridge!
I made some strange connections/realizations this morning as I obsessively moved food in the fridge from larger (half or less! filled) containers to smaller (right sized!) containers that took up less space:
1. Last night’s freakout* and proclamation of “Let’s stop cooking; I’m sick of putting away all these dishes!” was not 100% warranted. As I filled up the dishwasher this morning I realized I was creating a bit of double work with putting the clean food storage containers away – since I’m not letting the leftovers live out their life in one container. Hmm.
2. Hey, it’s no wonder I’m doing this though! A huge focus at work for me for the past several years has been helping agencies “right size” their space – you know, only take up the exact amount of space they need, not just what’s available! Ha. The next time Steven comments on this obsessive behavior of mine I’m going to blame it on work.
3. I care for my food storage containers waaaaaaay more than I should. They have to mostly match (Pyrex with blue lids only! All the same Ziploc/Rubbermaid ones!). I get such pleasure of seeing them sitting all nice and organized in their cabinet (yeah, they get their own). I’d show you a picture, but a lot of it’s in the dishwasher, remember? Ha ha. And… who cares? (Well, I guess you are reading this… maybe you do?)
4. My desire to not have a “stuffed” fridge seems to be getting stronger. I want to see what I’m looking for when I open the door (almost always can). So I guess I need to deal with the aftermath of having a million storage containers to put away. Shouldn’t be a big deal, since I love them so much, right?! Oh wait.*
5. I usually overfill containers when I put the leftovers from dinner away, because HEAVEN FORBID there is any “air space” in the container. But overfilling just means you take a few bites before you put it away… duh.
I know that proof reading this should make me question posting it since it reveals how crazy I am (and since it’s mundane and boring), but really, it just makes me happy I took the time to do this this morning. Ha ha ha ha.
Does anyone else give two craps about their refrigerator food storage system?
*OMG, I have been so irritated and tense lately. Every little thing is bugging me. Something as small as the chapstick rolling off my desk makes me angry. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!
Themocracy
This post cracked me up. I don’t ever switch out the containers I use to store food once they are loaded up. We follow a ‘don’t create more dishes than necessary’ rule in my house. The only time we would do that is if we needed a particular container from the fridge for something else or if we absolutely needed more space in the fridge.
I am happy it cracked you up. I was hoping it would make people laugh 🙂
Ha! I like this so much. I was seriously annoyed at Target the other day because Rubbermaid no longer had the square containers I liked so much. Rather, they were round. I really like having everything the same and having the same neatly organized in the cabinet. I also get too annoyed when Mark doesn’t put something in a container that I’d use.
GRRR! We have resorted to ordering on Amazon because Target stopped carrying the “tagalongs” (not the cookie, ha ha) that we like!!!!!!
I hate having a cluttered fridge. Because stuff gets lost, and then you forget about something and it either goes bad before you can eat it, or you buy more of it and are wasting money. Plus I just hate clutter in general. And we don’t quite have an entire cabinet (we’re close though), I try to store it as efficiently as possible.
That is how I feel too. It bugs me to waste food. We just forgot that we had some fresh green beans because they were in a drawer. Drawers – good idea in concept…
Drawers!!! I can’t tell you how many half consumed bags of carrots (baby and regular) we had in one of our drawers at one point. Robert kept buying more. I made a vegetable soup at one point and tried to use up as many as possible.
Having a very small European fridge, I have to be organized about what containers things go in, so I don’t waste any space. So yes, like you, I do care!
Are there things that that people in the US refrigerate but you wouldn’t? (Eggs, etc.)
Hmmm…not really. But we do buy UHT milk (regular, soy and almond) in compact 1 L cartons which doesn’t take as much space as those giant plastic milk cartons in the US. Also we don’t have beer/soft drinks/wine in our fridge, we keep that in the basement.
We buy our almond milk in containers like that, but I think they are bigger… too lazy to check. I heard they were having a hard time getting UHT milk to go here! People thought it was weird you don’t refrigerate it at first. Derp.
I’m not as crazy as you…but still crazy!
When I juice I have to label them and put on the container what is in the juice. But other than that I could care less! It’s one of those things I don’t think about much!
So please, don’t look in my fridge…you might lose your mind!!!
BTW, I have those same Pyrex containers!! LOVE them!!!
Of course you are crazy. A different kind of crazy. So are you telling me your fridge is packed to the brim?!
Like everything else in my life, I’m obsessed with keeping my fridge clean and clean it out before I grocery shop every week.
This article is helpful if you want to take it up a notch!
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/kitchen/refrigerator-drawers-00100000087951/
You know, sometimes I’ll think, “huh, I wonder where XYZ container is. I haven’t seen it in awhile.” Turns out it’s in the back of the fridge half filled with something unrecognizable. Yep, we’re those people.
I HATE using more than two pots/pans/dishes for any meal I cook so I’m all about efficiency. However, I do prefer to break leftovers up into individual portions so I can just grab and go when I’m packing my lunch in the morning. So, I suppose that does use extra containers.
LOL, I hate so say that this post made me feel a lot better about myself! I am very obsessive about (stupid- to other people) stuff but to me, it makes perfect sense to be obsessive about it. I do agree with your thoughts on the leftovers 100%- I mean, the leftovers do not need breathing room and taking a few extra bites is always the right thing to do! I hate that you have been so tense and irritated lately!! No bueno!!
=^..^=
WOO HOO! I am happy you relate to my craziness!!!
I need a vacation! Thinking about coming to TX Easter weekend… 😉
My fridge is a mess. You’d hate it. LOL
Ha ha ha!!!
mine looks so over full compared to yours
I LOVE Pyrex containers…nice glass and you can microwave it safely and most importantly- SEE what’s in there! I have lots of round ones but want small rectangle ones now. I have more plastic containers than I care to admit, but I feel like I want to get rid of them- harder to clean, can’t microwave, stain easily, etc. UGH!
PYREX IS DA BOMB! We only have two rectangular ones. And a ZILLION circular ones.
I do like the plastic stuff for carrying dry items in (like off brand cheerios) but they are so annoying to clean!
I recently switched to all glass storage containers. I like them a lot, except I’m just waiting to drop one.
I have actually dropped my pyrex stuff out of the fridge and also out of the floor level storage cabinet and it usually does not break! 🙂
Hahaha best post ever! I HATE when one of my containers is almost empty and I almost always transfer the food into a smaller container if the option is there. If it’s not possible then…well…I end up having to suck it up and tame my OCD. This is the main reason I also buy those tiny containers that barely fit anything – there is nothing worse than using a large container to store 2 Tbs. of some sauce (the worst!)
UGH! Yes! I need more tiny containers! Like, when I want to take salad dressing to work and don’t want to bring the entire bottle.
You are hilarious!!! 🙂 LOVE, LOVE your blog!!
Ha ha, thanks!
I am horrible at estimating the right size container for leftovers that will go in the fridge. Harrison always teases me.
I love our matching Pyrex containers with blue tops. Two pretty cool people gave them to us. 🙂
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hee hee. I totally forgot we got you those. Now you see my obsession 😉