Labels in the refrigerator?
I love labels and I talk about their value all the time. Recently, I wrote on Organize Your Family History that when I see a failed organizing system in a client’s home, I almost always notice the absence of labels.
Labels help you clarify categories and make it easier for you and the people in your home to find and put away items.
When I bring in an Operation: Peace of Mind team, I always try to make sure we label everything so that the client has no difficulty adapting to his or her new organizing systems.
At a recent session, we had the delightful opportunity to go whole hog when the client asked for labels inside the refrigerator. Working with the client, we created zones for various categories of items and came up with labels that were meaningful to the client.
Check out these photos of each refrigerator door:
The main area of the refrigerator was fully labeled as well. I’m afraid my photos don’t allow you to read the labels easily. But you can get the idea of how many zones/labels we created.
A couple of days after the session, my client shared this with me:
I didn’t realize just what a benefit the labels and zones would be. The labels enforce the organization, and the zones really help with the grocery shopping! I took that mental picture to the grocery store last night. Labels in one’s fridge somehow seem weirder than labels other places, but I’m realizing it makes more sense than anywhere!
About six weeks later, she wrote:
I find myself automatically putting stuff in the right place in the fridge if I find things where they don’t belong.
As a professional organizer, that is music to my ears!
I’ve never wanted to put labels in my own refrigerator. It seemed a little hyper-organized, plus I knew it would make my husband feel constrained. However, after seeing this client’s refrigerator and hearing how well it’s working for her, I have to admit I’m tempted!
What about you? Do you have labels in your refrigerator? If not, does it appeal to you?
Comments
Thanks for your comment, Kathleen! I think this is a wonderful example of how there’s no “one size fits all” approach to organizing. Labels that are meaningful to the client are the best labels!
Janine Adams April 26, 2015 06:51 AM
I’m LOL-ing at Kathleen’s comment, because I thought the very same thing! But to your point, why not labels in the fridge — indeed, why not?
Hazel Thornton May 26, 2015 07:17 AM
About Janine
Hello! I’m Janine Adams — a certified professional organizer based in St. Louis, and the creator of Peace of Mind Organizing®.
I love order, harmony + beauty, but I believe that the way that you feel about yourself and your home is what truly matters.
If you’re ready to declutter with a purpose and add more ease to your life, you’ve found the right blog — and you’ve found the right company.
read more »Links
- Shannon Wilkinson, life coach
- NAPO St. Louis
- National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals
- Institute for Challenging Disorganization
- Getting to Good Enough podcast
- Organize Your Family History
- Peace of Mind Budgeting
- Ravelry
- Are you interested in becoming a professional organizer?
Hi Janine, I am a professional organizer in South Florida. I love your newsletter. I was just reading this post and when I saw the first picture with the “fat condiments” it took me a few seconds to figure out that you were referring to the size of the jars. I wondered what “fat condiments” could be. Do they contain fat, like mayonnaise? Do they make you fat? LOL I figured it out when I saw the next shelf labeled “tall condiments”.
Kathleen Dunn April 25, 2015 05:55 PM