This morning I went looking for something in the refrigerator and couldn’t find it. I knew it was there, but with all the free fruit and garden produce in there I had a hard time locating it.
So I decided to break out the paper towels and clean the sucker until it shined {well, almost}.
Do you think you can tell a lot about a person by looking at the inside of their refrigerator?
I remember listening to Martha Stewart give an interview once and the interviewer ask her if every room in her house was spotless. She must have been giving a tour of her house because the camera then showed a sticky note on her door that read Keep Out, Private or something like that.
Every room in her house was picture perfect except her office. It was off limits.
I watched the video clip 10, maybe 15 years ago and I has stuck with me all this time.
Nobody is perfect. We all have a drawer, refrigerator, laundry room, some space in our house that is filled with crap. And we are okay with it.
Although lately my office, kitchen and back porch look like bombs went off and the disaster crew has yet to arrive, clutter happens. To all of us. Or at least I’d like to think it does.
I’m curious, how often do you clean your refrigerator?
Is your refrigerator freaky clean?
Or do you just toss everything in there and hope for the best?
Do you have a room in your house that is “off limits” or is your home white glove inspection perfect?
I need to know these things!
~Mavis
sara says
With 21 month old twins in the house, I need to put the sticky note on the front door!!!
PrairieMom says
ROTFL…this was a perfect response! I would have said the same when I had a family day care of three family’s kids besides my own. lol…love it.
Talaena says
LOL I second that! Except mine would have to be a flashing neon sign. My neighbors have a tendency to barge in when they feel the need.
I have 10 year old very active (stinky) twin boys and as for my husband and I we are so busy this time of year things generally stay where they fall. And I must not forget the three dogs, ones a husky and I swear I could make 10 mini fur ball dogs outta what he leaves behind on a daily basis!!
Heidi says
Stupid comment alert….Do you ever wonder how a dog sheds so much and isn’t naked?
I have an english bulldog that I could sweep 24/7 and still not gather up all of the hair.
Marcy says
I have 16 yr old twins, boy/girl. Now the tornado is at least focused on their bedrooms instead of the bedrooms, bathrooms, hallway/living room sporatically spread with foot piercing Legos, Matchbox cars, Barbie shoes, and the like!
LaToya says
Our house is a trainwreck. And I am OK with it. We both work, and we have 101 kid activities – sports, church, etc. The refrigerator is overstocked and messy. And that’s OK too. I am sure there are things in back corners that I do not want to go near. And we close all the doors when people come over. Except the bathroom. We keep that clean. Enough anyway. Ha. You keep your soy sauce in the refrigerator? That’s interesting. Mine is in the cupboard on top of the stove. They keep it out in Chinese restaurants so I figure it’s OK. And it looks like you have sriracha in there too. You’re a spicy girl!
Susan says
I clean the inside of my fridge every Thursday. Garbage day is Friday. I deep clean once a month.
I spent a couple of hours yesterday cleaning the TOP of the fridge (and outside) I manage to toss misc. crap (lots of receipts, the loose earring, chapstick,etc) there.
Took down old artwork (from the Grandkids) and straightened all the magnets . While I was doing that, I cleaned off the counter that is between the fridge and pantry. Junk mail and coupons end up there.
Sparkling clean today! 🙂
Megan says
Just cleaned my fridge out two days ago. It was gross….lol. Thats why. I can’t seem to get the whole house clean at one time. I get one room done and move onto another and by the time I’m done, my boys have dirtied up the first room. Drives me slightly crazy, but I’m learning to accept it for what it is.
Shay says
I definitely have a room that’s off limits and it’s dubbed “the cat room”. The rest of my house is usually spic and span with monthly deep cleanings. I have 3 cats and I keep their litter boxes in there as to keep odors under control, but its impossible to keep the carpet and window sills clean in there, no matter how hard you try.
Lisa in IL says
I ashamed to admit, I don’t clean my fridge because it doesn’t matter to me (hang my head in shame). It does however matter to my husband, he cleans it on sunday afternoons after we go grocery shopping. And yes I always thank him for doing it even though it doesn’t matter to me.
Amanda says
I don’t really need to “clean” my fridge per se, as nothing really spills. (Although I did notice a spill somehow got under the crisper, so I will have to clean that–or have my husband do it.) I throw out old leftovers and food that’s going bad every Monday, as trash day is Tuesday. Plus, I don’t cook that much so there’s not a ton in there!
Mavis, I do not believe that you only have one fridge, not with all the free fruit and veggies you get, and everything that you cook! It would not all fit in one fridge!
Mavis says
I seriously only have one frig. 🙂 We have to big freezers in the garage though. 🙂
Jenn says
Our fridge is horrible as well. I clean in out only when we run out of room to put stuff. And I’m lucky if it gets wipped down at that time. I have one bedroom that is off limits to anyone and everyone excpet me and my husband. It holds the contents of some of my stuff, my husbands stuff and a bunch of stuff that came out of my grandparents house that I wanted, oh and a lot of wonderful wedding presets that we got and I have no room in the kitchen for. Oh and a lot of wedding decorations that I have yet to go through and get rid of.
Erika says
My fridge is seriously in need of scrubbing inside – we’re past due for our yearly deep cleaning. I do throw out the science projects probably every 2-3 weeks, but taking all the shelves and drawers out to clean happens only about once a year here. With three young boys, we don’t really accumulate a lot of leftovers though. I feel like half the shelf space is always taken up by gallons of milk (I buy them 4 at a time every 1 1/2- 2 weeks).
Zoe says
Only when it needs it…probably every 2 months. And I never do a “deep” clean. Just pull everything out, wipe the shelves, and put stuff back in. I’ve never removed all of the shelving.
The worst room in our house is my sewing/craft room. It’s the second kitchen (our house was double) and I have it jam packed with all sorts of crafty goodies. And now that the kids are wielding scissors and glue, you can rarely see the floor. It’s awful.
Mavis says
I thought that’s how all craft rooms were suppose to look Zoe. 🙂
Wendy Phelps says
I clean the fridge twice a year now, tho, there was a time when all five kids were at home that it was never cleaned unless someone had knocked something over in there. I’m also better at tidy now they have left home, once when someone would visit everything was just tossed into the nearest cupboard, and I would often just leave it there for awhile. I did like the look of tidy it just didn’t happen that often.
Mamalala says
What a great post. I will occasionally watch hoarders and then the next day I clean like a maniac. I love to toss things, no longer needed. My off limit areas are our bedroom. But it is usually okay. Just recently it is a mess. I clean the fridge two times a year. Christmas time and summer time, also clean spills as needed.
Kathy says
Well, since you asked…I only clean out my fridge when we have a long power outage! We had a 4 day power outage this summer, so the fridge got really clean…as in nothing was left, climb inside, and scrub like crazy clean. That was nearly 3 months ago, and you know what? I liked it so nice, organized, and clean that I have kept it that way. But now my storage room…that’s a total and complete disaster. That’s the door that I ALWAYS make sure is shut when someone comes over, because I am so embarrassed of it! Holy smokes, it is bad.
Jen J says
I had to laugh at how fascinated I was to see inside your fridge, Mavis. And then I was completely riveted by everyone else’s comments. It’s funny how we can always find someone to which we can relate.
My fridge is cleaned on grocery shopping day. Usually when I get home, unpack the van, and then realize I have nowhere in the fridge to store anything because of all the stuff that should have been thrown out. My hubby and kids are famous for leaving that 1/2 inch of milk in the container in the fridge, instead of finishing, rinsing and putting the container in the recycle bin. Drives me nuts!
The rest of the house is a rolling disaster. Poster Megan from above describes us perfectly… at any given time one or two rooms may be spotless, but you move on to the next and the first ones get messed up again. The rule is keep the downstairs presentable, that way I’m not embarrased if surprise guests show up.
Veronica says
My house rule is that if someone gives me 2 weeks notice that they are coming to visit, the house will be clean; otherwise, they are coming to see me, not my house, and they can live with the mess a two-year old creates.
Michele says
Since I work full time and my daughters have crazy dance schedules I have become “The psycho Mom”. I clean one shelf, drawer or tray each night after I do the dinner dishes. ( I also line the meat, cheese and produce bins with parchment paper). By doing this my fridge always stays clean and I keep my sanity. I also make a menu plan every week and God forbid that someone doesn’t want to follow my plan. LOL
Sara says
I take Thursdays as the clean fridge day. I wish I had two fridges. With 4 teens they eat their lunch a school, come home raid the fridge, then I cook super. Wow what a life they have. I have my pantry. I keep it under lock and key if they (teens) want anything from it they must ask. At least I keep snacks for a little while. I heavy clean on weekends, laundry every stinking night.
carrie says
Sara, I was just thinking of putting a lock on my pantry too. (two super tall, giant teen boys and a kindergartener) Do you lock your fridge? I can’t keep juice or milk in the house for more than a second before it’s gone.
Sara says
Boy do I wish I could. I think that is why I would love a second one. We go through 6 gallons of milk a week. I only buy juice in the winter months. If I catch a sale it stays in the pantry. Aldi’s has milk on sales this week so I will stock up and freeze. It freezes very well.
Sara says
Mavis buy the way I was glad you bought milk you have none in your fridge. Also you need to purchase more OJ. Just thought I would help with your grocery list
Debbie says
I see myself as a closet messy. I work full-time & have a disabled, retired hubbs @ home that can’t do squat. So….I clean things well on the outside but behind some cabinets/closets, well, it isn’t pretty 🙁 Best I can do under the circumstances. It does drive me nuts at times…
I try to take on a few small projects each evening like cleaning 1 of the bathrooms or washing the pup.
I am a foodie tho, Mavis & one thing just jumped off the pc at me while peeking into your ‘fridge-that bottle of lemon juice. Yikes! Move up to the real thing! There’s just no substitute. I’m here in GA & we love our sweet tea. I am sipping on a tall glass of lemony iced tea as I peck on the keys…
I love your site and admire you for the lifestyle you’ve chosen for you and your fam 🙂 1st found you on It’s Hip 2 Save.
Stephanie says
I just deep cleaned my fridge and was mortified to find such nasty in there. Things had dripped into the bottom drawers and stuck under the glass shelves. I know no one really pays attention to the inside, but it really grossed me out when I cleaned it. I also went to IKEA and got pretty flower placemats and put them down on my shelves as shelf liners (this seems to be the new thing on Pinterest) and I love it. I have been able to keep it clean and organized for almost 2 weeks!
Elizabeth says
How is shelf liner going to keep it cleaner? If something spills
still has to be cleaned, plus could possibly ooze under the liner and
you have to clean shelf and liner.
Michelle says
I clean mine as needed but I will admit that I clean my MIL’s fridge every chance I get. You never know what you will find growing there. I tell her I am saving her life. : )
Elizabeth says
I clean refrigerator when it needs it.
How do you manage with just one fridge? We have to have 2. Holds all the bulk nuts and grains that I like to keep chilled, harvested fruits and vegetables til canned, etc. For example right now it is holding 2 large soup kettles of cooked tomatoes (from last night), tonight I will put them through the food mill, bring up to temp and then can them as sauce.
Need it to hold frosted cakes, cream pies, pans of food for parties and holidays. Only have one freezer (deep freeze) . Not counting the little top things on the refrigerators which aren’t really good for long term storage of anything.
Heather says
Never thought the clean fridge conversation would be so great! I have two fridges and a stand alone freezers. All my freezers need to be cleaned and inventoried… so much has gone from garden to freezer this year 🙂
My outside fridge gets cleaned when something spills or stinks as it is the soda/overflow fridge.. or when the kim che has been in there too long.
MY inside fridge I try hard to clean out on Tuesdays… trash day is Wed. However that has not been working out so well. I have been to busy trying all these fun jam recipes and canning fruits and veggies for this winter. Just made a HUGE batch of applesauce from my free apples!
Kerry says
I figure I have all winter to clean the house. I’ve been working on the garden & yard and let the house go.