Continuing our reflections on preparing the kitchen for summer, today we'll focus on the refrigerator.

I don't know about you, but I need lots of refrigerator space in the summer. I want room for pitchers of iced tea and sangria. I want bowls of salad and a place to marinate meat and veggies before I toss them on the grill. I need room to chill a nice big watermelon.

So, that means it's time to do a good cleaning — even attacking the science experiments in the back. Ditch the partially used condiments that are almost old enough to vote. Build 10 days of meals around the food in the fridge, using as much of it as possible. Decide on the basics you need to have in the fridge at all times (milk, eggs, butter, siracha sauce, beer, a nice white wine, etc.) Purge ruthlessly until you are down to the essentials and foods you plan to use soon (like within a week).

Wash down all of the shelves (many pull out to make cleaning easier). Once the shelves are clean, you can put the things you'll keep back on the shelves, keeping like with like so that you can find things when you need them.

Here's a great idea I got from Jamie Oliver. Start with a clean crisper drawer. Line it with a slightly damp clean kitchen towel. When you buy (or pick) a batch of salad greens, wash them, spin them dry, and place them in the crisper drawer. They will stay crisp and fresh for several days. When you want a nice healthy salad, all you have to do is reach in a grab a few handfuls and you are ready to go! Easy peasy, as Jamie would say!