Check out this post for ADHD fridge organization and easy storage solutions that work.
I cleaned out our fridge yesterday, and I’m on a mission to find a system that’s 1) easy to maintain and 2) keeps food where we can see it.
ADHD fridge organization is all about keeping food easy to see, easy to grab, and easy to use.
This post will give you the tools to maintain an adhd refrigerator that stays clean and where food doesn’t go bad. After reading, you’ll understand why we forget what we don’t see.
If that’s what you’re looking for, stick around! You’ll learn how to organize with adhd and how to:
- keep your food in sight
- make your fridge organization for adhd intuitive
- keep the system adhd-proof
Here are some tips to help you with adhd fridge organization.
ADHD Fridge Organization Tip: Keep Food in Sight
Use Clear Bins
You don’t have to keep your food in bins, but they can be a game changer for adhd storage solutions. Clear bins help keep your fridge organized and make it easier to see what you have. Having bins for things like sandwich meat, cheese, butter, pasta sauce jars, eggs, and smaller produce items works great for us. It keeps things together, and it’s obvious when a food needs to be used.
Label the Front of Bins
You can label the front of your bins. Keep sticky notes by the fridge and stick labels on the bins that need it. Some bins, like the ones from IKEA, have a built in clip that you can stick a label in. Simple, high-contrast labels like “leftovers from x/x” or “use first” avoid food being forgotten.
Keep the Most-Used Items at Eye Level
TO make your adhd fridge setup more intuitive: make sure your fridge essentials are at eye level. Keep fridge essentials like milk, eggs, butter, sandwich meat, fruits and veggies in your direct line of vision. If you see it first, you’ll reach for it first. I just started this, and it makes so much more sense. It’s especially helpful for things that tend to go bad, like leftovers, fruits, and veggies. When leftovers are front and center (and labeled!!), I know they’re there, and when they need to be eaten by.
Rotate Older Items to the Front for Fridge Organization with ADHD
Speaking of leftovers, if they’re hidden behind other things, they’ll probably go bad. I usually will either 1) forget they’re there, or 2) not go through the effort of moving things around to find them. Putting soon-to-expire items front and center definitely cuts down on food waste at our house.
Lazy Susans in Your ADHD Refrigerator
A lazy susan is a must have for adhd fridge organization. This is so handy because you can spin it and see everything at once. It also saves space, which is amazing. You can grab condiments without knocking things over.
Fridge Organization for ADHD: Make it Intuitive
Think in Terms of Function, Not Food Groups for ADHD Storage
Sometimes it’s easier to group foods together in terms of function. For example:
If you do eggs for breakfast, you could have a breakfast bin with eggs, avocados, and butter.
If you like tacos for dinner, you could do a taco bin with ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, etc.
Dedicated Grab-and-Go Section
With a dedicated snack bin, you automatically have healthy options ready when you’re hungry, and you don’t even have to think about it. I know I experience decision fatigue alll the time and having ready to go, easily accessible snacks is great.
Pre-Portion Snacks and Meals for ADHD-Friendly Fridge Organization
You could do a “quick snacks” bin with things like hummus, cut veggies, cheese-sticks, or applesauce. I love this site for ADHD friendly meal prep ideas. https://thenutritionjunky.com/adhd-meal-planning-guide-weekly-planner-pdf/
ADHD Storage Solutions: Maintenance Hacks That Stick
Set a 5-Minute Reset Routine for ADHD Fridge Organization
Short, regular resets are key for ADHD storage solutions. For the fridge, 5 minutes is usually enough to quickly reorganize, toss old food, and adjust bin labels. Set the timer to start! It’s okay if you don’t finish everything within your time frame.
Habit Stack Your Reset
It’s pretty easy to find something so stack your fridge reset with. Cleaning out the fridge isn’t my favorite activity, so I usually clean it out while I put groceries into the fridge. It’d probably make a lot more sense to go through the fridge before you make your grocery list.
Involve the Whole Family
When your whole family is on board with an organization system, there’s a way way way better chance of things running smoothly for longer. Make sure your family members understand the system to help maintain it. It’s probably a good test to see if your system is simple enough. Keep tweaking it until it works for your family.
Make it Fun and Flexible
If your ADHD fridge organization system stops working, change it! Your systems should adapt to you, not the other way around. Putting in a little bit of effort goes a looong way and avoids having to do a big overhaul of your fridge.
How to Organize with ADHD (And Keep It That Way)
ADHD fridge organization is all about things being easy to see, easy to grab, and easy to use. The goal is to eliminate barriers. Make one or two changes first and be proud of your progress!!
What’s your biggest fridge organization struggle? Let’s brainstorm solutions together. Send this post to a friend who could use these tips!