How to Marie Kondo Your Fridge for Better Eating

Maybe you’ve purged and tidied your office and sock drawer, but your fridge and pantry are a different, more complicated story. We talked to Ivanka Siolkowsky, an organization expert and Canada’s only certified master consultant in the KonMari Method, on how to declutter your fridge to “spark health.”

1. Purge

Keep it simple and get rid of anything in your fridge or pantry that you wouldn’t want to put in your body. (Here’s a hefty list of anti-aging foods you might want to keep in or add to your fridge.)

2. Avoid Stockpiling

Only buy what you need. Make a list before grocery shopping and stick to it. How do you know what to put on the list? That’s easy! Make a list of everything you consumed the week before so that you have an idea of what you actually eat in a week. And don’t get fooled by sales—it’s not a sale if you don’t need it.

3. Organize visually

As long as you can see everything you’ve got, you’re likely to consume it. When you overload the fridge, food goes bad and you end up throwing it out. (Psst: Check out the “healthy” foods nutritionists never eat.)

4. Prep accordingly

At the beginning of every week, I cut up my fruits and veggies and put them in glass storage containers so that they’re ready for snacking. I organize them in the fridge in rainbow order ( just so that they look more fun to eat). If they’re as accessible as a box of cookies, I’m more likely to eat them. (Here are a few ways to speed up prep.)

5. Eliminate word pollution

Nix it if you feel stressed every time you open your pantry or struggle to find what you’re looking for. Easy fixes include decanting dry goods (rice, grains) in glass jars and buying products with straightforward packaging and fewer ingredients, like no name Simple Check products. Simplifying the visual clutter in your pantry will help you feel less overwhelmed.

Next, check out these other tips for organizing your fridge that’ll save you time and help you make healthier choices.