Keep it cool, dark and dry

You probably already know to store onions in a cool, dark, dry place. Moisture is one of the biggest reasons onions go bad. Hanging them in a mesh bag will help them breathe. Ideally, place one onion in the bag, then tie off the space with a twist tie. Insert another onion and repeat. This keeps the onions from touching each other and allows any moisture to evaporate. You can also use pantyhose if you don’t have a mesh bag.

A wire or woven basket in a pantry or lower cabinet is also a good choice. Although you will need to rotate the onions to ensure they stay dry if you plan to store them for long periods of time.

If you use onions a lot or tend to stock up on them at the farmers market, you may want to consider freezing them. Chop them as fine as you like and spread on a cookie sheet. Freeze for one hour, then transfer to a zipper bag or airtight jar and return to the freezer. That way all the pieces freeze separately and they can be poured out of the bag or jar as needed.

Freezing is also an option

You can also puree the onions and freeze them in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen, they can be stored in a freezer bag or airtight jar.

Whatever you do, don’t do THIS

You may NOT know that you should never store onions in the refrigerator for an extended time as the cold will make them slightly soft.

Onions should also never be stored with potatoes as this accelerates the spoilage of them both.

Don’t use plastic bags either as they hamper air circulation, and make onions sprout and spoil faster.

• The first step in organizing your fridge and freezer is to take inventory and discard out of date items or items you will not likely use.

• Take advantage of adjustable shelves and drawers, found readily in most new appliances. Since many shoppers like to buy the same brands (with the same packaging) over and over again, taking time to set your shelves and drawers accordingly will save you time in the long run.

• Organize food items by size. Doing so will create a function for each shelf and make it much easier to locate your small, hard to see items. Store items in jars or bottles in the refrigerator door and bagged items in the freezer door.

• Look for organizers that maximize shelf space — for example, shelves or dispensers that can be added to existing shelves to maximize the vertical space.

• Keep the most often used items in front for easy access the whole family will appreciate. You may also find that ready-made snacks are helpful to curb your cravings — fresh fruit or veggies that are pre-washed and ready to eat will suddenly seem more enticing!

• Everybody has a small shelf that never seems quite big enough. Put it to use with leftover storage because containers that stack and are similar in shape will maximize the deep, narrow space. Don’t forget to label your items before storing them!

• To combat odors keep an open box of baking soda in the back corner. Vanilla extract will also keep your fridge fresh. Soak a cotton ball or paper towel, put it on a paper plate and wait for it to dry before removing.

• Clean out both your fridge and your freezer once a month. Make it part of your household cleaning routine. Doing so will make it easier to know what you have and what you still need, in addition to keeping the areas clean.

Shelf Liners

Line all of your pantry shelves with a heavy-duty liner that will make clean-up of any spills much easier!

Shelf Organizers

You’ll find that you’ll save yourself a great deal of time (and even money) if everything is easily accessible. You don’t have to spend hours searching for that box of cornstarch you know you had somewhere and you won’t have to go out to buy a new box. A good idea is to group like items together in small bins and label the contents. Or, choose bins that you can see through for quick identification.

Canned goods can quickly get “lost” on deep pantry shelves. Stacking cans one in front of the other is just not practical! You will forget what you’ve got stored in the back because you can’t see it. Choose a tiered shelf organizer that provides you with a full view of your canned goods.

Canisters

Transfer pantry staples such as sugar, flour and rice into see-through canisters. Doing so will not only help preserve the freshness of these items, it will be easier to see when you’re running low on an item. Many canisters are stackable, so you can utilize all of the space between pantry shelves!

Floor Storage

The floor is a good place to store larger items such as bulk food storage containers or baskets of often-used items such as onions and potatoes. Utilize the full space between the floor and your lowest shelf by choosing stacking bins or baskets.

Door Storage

If you have a door in your pantry or kitchen area, don’t neglect that often wasted space. Our elfa Door & Wall Rack is designed to fit onto the back of a door. The system’s flexible baskets provide you with extra storage space for canned goods and other dry foods, cleaning supplies and even bottles of soda! The rack will ease the overcrowding in your cabinets and make it possible to have everything at your fingertips.