Cleaning the Refrigerator

Today I spent several hours cleaning our refrigerator. I knew it needed to be done. I usually spot clean – when something gets spilled, I clean it up. But I haven’t actually taken everything OUT of the refrigerator and cleaned all surfaces, and then put everything BACK for too long. I threw out a lot of stuff that was either no good, or I didn’t want any more. I had bought a second one of some things before the first one was gone, so I combined those items. I cleaned off sauces, etc. that had spills on them, and I put everything back in a nice, neat, orderly fashion. The refrigerator now looks great!

I was realizing that this is the time of year for doing just this sort of activity…. getting rid of that which doesn’t serve anymore and making room for the new.

Now that I am eating healthier, I find that most things don’t stay in my fridge for too long. When you buy organically, you buy more often, and use it all up relatively quickly. If you don’t, nature takes its course. I have found out a few interesting tidbits along the way, though. For example, did you know that scallions and celery continue to grow in the fridge? I love that I have fresh scallions, and new green celery to use for flavorings. I have also found out that I have way more scallions than I will ever use. Does anyone know a great recipe that calls for a lot of scallions? If not, I just may plant a bunch of them outside. I know that they help to keep insects away.

I realize that cleaning the refrigerator is also a metaphor in my life. The refrigerator is a symbol of a source of nourishment, and making sure everything in it is fresh and accessible means I care about how I nourish myself. What other areas in my life can I demonstrate self-care? How can I make that which nourishes me more accessible, more present? And more importantly, what in my life can I get rid of, let go of, so that I can make room for the new?

So often we hold on to things well past their usefulness.

Hm, I think it’s about time I clean out my closet.