The Easy Egg Carton Trick That'll Organize Your Cluttered Fridge

Overpacked refrigerators or ones without organization are a breeding ground for expired foods, unnoticed spills, and forgotten leftovers. Fridge clutter can make it difficult to find the small condiments for your meals when you want a little extra flavor. If you have grown tired of spending several minutes in the refrigerator just to retrieve that last packet of honey mustard, know that you are not alone. But there is hope for your cluttered fridge and lost condiments. Believe it or not, the solution may already be inside it — an egg carton. The plastic or cardboard carton that came with your $6 eggs has value as a storage container when your eggs are long gone. It is one of the many egg carton storage hacks that can help you keep your home organized. The dome-shaped compartments on the carton help corral random condiments into one centralized place in the fridge. 

Another amazing thing about this hack is that it does not require you to make extra store trips or online purchases. You can simply set your egg carton aside once you have gone through the eggs and it is ready to go. It may seem small, but when working to declutter your home, finding ways to create designated storage spots for even the smallest items helps you maintain order. Incorporating an egg carton into your refrigerator decluttering plan can be the first step toward creating an organized storage system, something that helps save space and track expired food.

Before setting up your egg carton docking station, it is best to clear everything out of your refrigerator. This allows you to take inventory of what you have, note what you may need, and identify any spills. Next, wipe the inside of your refrigerator with a microfiber cloth. Deep cleaning your fridge may be helpful to remove sticky substances, liquids, and stains. Pitch condiments or food that have expired. 

Make sure your egg carton is clean and dry and then remove the top with a pair of scissors. Next, map out the best place for the carton. Ideal places include the door shelves, the bottom shelf, or the center shelf next to the wall. These locations give you quick, easy access to your daily condiments, without having to shuffle around other food items. They also help maximize space. 

Next, separate your condiments by type (or how much you use them), then place each category in a separate section in the carton. If you have a considerable amount of one condiment, do not be afraid to add it to more than one section. Or, if you discover that you have a lot of the same few condiments, or simply want to add more organization, you can customize the visible side of the carton with labels, then add one condiment to two (or more) sections. The labels will make it easier to recognize where each new row starts.