How to Organize Your Fridge When You Have ADHD
For people with ADHD, sensory information that is out of sight is completely out of mind. In the context of the fridge, this means that if last night’s leftovers are hidden behind a carton of milk, chances are they won’t get eaten anytime soon.
Organizing your fridge so that everything is easily accessible and in plain sight can be a major win for those with ADHD. Not only do you minimize food waste, but you save as well by over-purchasing food products you already have.
While I am by no means an ADHD specialist/psychiatrist, I have worked with many clients with ADHD. These are several tips that really work for them, but more broadly, they work for everyone too!
The very first thing to do is minimize clutter in your fridge. We all have those condiments we haven’t touched in years, but for people with ADHD, this can be especially overwhelming. A cluttered fridge creates sensory overload and blocks out the items you actually want to use. So cull through your fridge and toss any expired or unwanted items.
The next order of business when organizing your fridge is to create zones. Your dairy, produce, condiments, drinks, and leftovers should always go in the same place so you never lose track of your fridge’s contents. When it comes to leftovers, it’s best to place them at eye level in the very front to avoid forgetting about them. Bonus points for using glass containers, which allow you to see exactly what’s inside.
To avoid repeat purchases of foods you already have (hello, ketchup!), it’s best to keep items like condiments as visible as possible. Sometimes they can get lost in the shuffle on the inside of your fridge door, so transferring your most-frequently used condiments to a Lazy Susan can be a huge help.
Sometimes produce drawers can become a sad vegetable graveyard (and waste of money!) if their contents aren’t as accessible as possible. If your grocery store produce bags are opaque, you’re much more likely to forget about what’s inside. Consider using mesh bags instead, or simply removing the contents from the opaque bag. Just make sure your produce drawers are nice and clean (I recommend laying some paper towel down at the base and replacing as needed).
Finally, your fridge doesn’t have to be picture perfect. You’ll know it works for you if it looks emptier after each day (i.e. you’re eating exactly what you purchase). The main takeaways are to declutter, always create zones, and make your produce and condiments as easily accessible as possible.