Refrigerator Organization Ideas You Should Try Out

Having the best refrigerator or freezer doesn’t always have to be about having a lot of space – it’s about being smart and creative with your storage.

To help you maximize your storage and make sure everything looks neat, organized, and easily accessible, here are some fridge organization ideas to consider.

Refrigerator Organization Ideas for a Tidier and More Functional Fridge

Keeping your fridge organized is easy as long as you know where to start. 

With the help of a few refrigerator organization ideas, you’ll have a picture-perfect fridge right after.

1. Store Items in Clear Containers

Refrigerator organization is made easy with the use of clear containers! Not only can you easily identify what’s inside, but it also helps preserve food’s freshness.

All you need to do is place items in these and voila – you’re done!

No need to open lids or remove from the fridge; all that needs to be done is viewing from outside.

What could be easier?

Plus, all those containers on the top shelf keep everything in plain sight – no more hunting around for something specific.

2. Use Reusable Storage Bags

Are you looking for a convenient way to store foods safely in the freezer? Try out reusable silicone storage bags!

Not only can you avoid bulky packaging, but these are ideal solutions for freezing meat, veggies, and leftovers.

All you need to do is fill up the bag with your desired food items and seal it tightly before storing it in your fridge drawers.

When finished, just wash and dry them so they are ready to be used again.

Start replacing traditional methods of storage with more efficient ones that provide great convenience.

3. Remove Food Items From Their Original Box

Your cake and pizza boxes are taking up a lot of room on your refrigerator’s top shelf. Worse, it blocks you from accessing all other items because of their size. 

Consider removing them from the original box and transferring it to containers instead. This is a very straightforward fridge organization tip you need to remember.

We highly recommend this tip, especially if you only have a few slices of cake or pizza left. 

4. Keep Items You’re Constantly Grabbing Close

Make sure to put your most used items at the front of your fridge so you can easily pull them out. 

You don’t have to worry about digging around for them, considering the number of times you need to use them. You can even put a lazy susan for more convenience. 

Placing it on your door compartments will also help, especially for soda cans, salad dressings, and milk! 

5. Separate Foodstuffs by Type

Always organize your fridge based on the food type. As much as possible, you want to separate your raw meat from the leafy greens to prevent contamination. 

Doing this also ensures that your fridge drawers stay organized at all times. It gives you easy access to your ingredients without too much effort! 

Make sure to use drawer organizers or storage containers. Having a separate drawer for each food item helps you sort better.

6. Create Zones for Different Food Groups

If you’ve got a large refrigerator, creating a zone for each food type is one of the first few things you can do. 

This fun activity ensures all your drawer space is properly utilized. We recommend creating five zones in your fridge, which we’ve listed below. 

Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and veggies should be placed in a crisper drawer to maintain their freshness. 

If you don’t have crisper drawers, you can store them in the bottom shelf drawers of your fridge. Just make sure to wrap it in a clean plastic bag or container. 

Leftovers

Put your leftovers on the upper shelves of your refrigerator, or at least at eye level. This ensures you remember all about them and don’t end up with a lot of food waste. 

We usually forget about our leftovers, especially those piled at the back of the fridge. 

Meat

You must always store meat on the lowest shelf of your refrigerator or in the freezer. The goal is to prevent any of its liquids from contaminating other foods. 

Ensure all your meats are stored in storage containers and stored properly in the fridge. 

Condiments

You can store condiments on shelves of your refrigerator door. Since they don’t expire easily, placing them in the warm part of the fridge is okay. 

You can put your favorite condiments like hot sauce, maple syrup, salad dressing, and all other extra condiments in one place. 

Drinks

You should place drinks in either the most accessible or coldest portion of your refrigerator. If you always want cold drinks, keep them on the bottom shelf. 

But if you’re after accessibility, you can store your drinks in the fridge door or on the middle shelves. 

7. Learn How to Store Produce and Herbs

If you are fond of storing fresh herbs and produce, you should know how to store them properly. This helps you keep them fresh at all times! 

We recommend wrapping your herbs in beeswax wrap or paper towels to keep them fresh. You can also place them inside mason jars if they’re already dry. 

We recommend putting your produce inside a plastic wrap and storing them inside your fridge’s crisper drawers. 

8. Adjust the Shelving According to Your Needs

We all have different needs and uses for our fridges. Make sure to devise a plan to help you maximize its use!

Here are some of our favorite ideas we’d love to share. 

Divide Bigger Areas Into Smaller Parts

Utilize all the vertical space in your fridge, especially if it’s big. Divide it into smaller parts to ensure every space is used accordingly. 

You can use fridge organization bins or drawer dividers to help you get started. You can also put on a lazy susan if you want!

Consider Two-Tier Organizers

Two-tier organizers are a lifesaver because it lets us utilize the vertical space inside our fridge. 

It’s perfect for storing all our canned drinks in one area, ensuring they don’t look cluttered. This gives us more space for other food items!

Try Narrow Fridge Bins

We love fridge bins because of how good they look inside our fridge. Everything looks much more organized when you use storage bins. 

You can categorize nearly everything, such as bell peppers, eggs, and drinks. 

Get Stackable Drawers

There are a bunch of stackable bins out there that are a perfect solution for fridge organization ideas. You can pile them on each other and use all the space. 

We love stackable drawers because we can have a full fridge! Your refrigerator can look like a picture from an Architectural Digest magazine.

9. Place Nearly-Expired Food at the Front of the Fridge

Always check the expiration date of your food items. As much as possible, items close to expiration must be placed in the front. 

This ensures you consume them and don’t end up with a ton of waste. You can do this to your highly perishable items like sour cream and other dairy products. 

You can put all your other items at the back of the fridge, especially if their expiry is still very far away. 

10. Label Everything

Labeling is one of our favorite refrigerator organization ideas out there. It’s a fun activity that requires little effort. 

We recommend using a label maker, so all your labels look the same. You can be as creative as you want with them! Using dry markers works just as well. 

This will make your fridge easier to navigate without all the effort. You can even label the contents of your kitchen cabinets if you want! 

11. Use Shelf Liners

If you aren’t using shelf liners for your fridge bins yet, you’re missing out on a lot. It’s one of the things you can use to keep a well-organized fridge. 

We love how shelf liners keep all liquids and dirt away from the bottom of our shelves. All we have to do is slide them out of place and rinse! 

It also ensures that the bottom of our shelf doesn’t get damaged and scratched quickly, thanks to its toughness. 

12. Keep Your Refrigerator Smelling Fresh

Finally, ensure your fridge always smells fresh no matter how much and what you put in it. You don’t want the smell to overwhelm you when you open your fridge door. 

To fight against any nasty smells, we’ve listed some of our favorite tips you can try out. 

Clean Your Fridge

Make sure to establish a cleaning schedule for your fridge. This ensures you are on top of your refrigerator organization and only retain the essential items. 

Wipe down your fridge using warm and soapy water. Be thorough with it by making sure you wipe all the fridge shelves. Do the same for the outside of your fridge, including the refrigerator door. 

Pay Attention to the Temperature

Ensure your refrigerator is running based on the recommended temperature setting by the manufacturer. 

Keep your fridge in a low humidity setting to keep your produce fresh. It also helps chill your water bottles and deli meat while they’re not in use. 

Store Food Properly

We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to know how to store your food properly. 

There’s no hard and fast rule to it, as long as you ensure you don’t contaminate your food from one item to another. 

Throw Out Rotten Food

One of the major reasons your fridge could smell bad is because there is rotten food inside. Always list down the expiration dates to prevent this from happening! 

A great refrigerator organization tip is to clear out your bins and shelves of any unused and expired items. 

Use Natural Deodorizer

Natural deodorizers are one of the best ways to eliminate any nasty smell inside your fridge. You’ll have a fresh-smelling fridge each time!

Natural deodorizers ensure you don’t put harmful chemicals inside your fridge that can contaminate your food. Here are some of our favorite deodorizers you can use:

• Baking soda
• Charcoal
• Coffee beans
• Lemon
• Vinegar

How Often Should I Clean the Fridge?

Having a set schedule for cleaning your refrigerator helps keep it organized for the long haul

It’s ideal to do a thorough deep-clean of your fridge every three to four months.

The exact timeline really depends on what you are using your fridge for.

If you’re storing meats and other foods that easily spoil, then more frequent cleanings may be necessary in order to eliminate any potential bacteria or germs buildup.

But if you mostly use it just to store containers, boxes, and such as milk cartons and frozen pizzas, then less regular scrubbing will probably suffice.

Here are some tips on how best to cleanse your fridge.

Tip 1: Stick to a Regular Cleaning Routine

For a truly clean refrigerator, consistency is key. Setting a regular cleaning schedule and sticking to it can ensure your fridge is always in tip-top shape.

Tip 2: Address Every Element of the Fridge

From the shelves to the drawers and even the storage bin, make sure you are thorough in your approach. 

Don’t forget about wiping down the exterior of your fridge including its door and backside. Always be mindful when moving a refrigerator – safety first!

Make sure one shelf is NOT left unattended.

Tip 3: Reach for an All-Natural Cleaner

When you clean your whole fridge, using an all-natural cleaner will guarantee that no harmful chemicals will come into contact with your food.

Tip 4: Take Care of Spills Right Away

If any messes or spills occur in the bins while stocking or reorganizing in the fridge alertly take care of them as soon as possible before they become solidified or dried up.

Conclusion

Now that you know the different refrigerator organization ideas, what else are you waiting for? It’s time to get started to have your own organized fridge. 

You don’t have to worry about not having enough storage inside your refrigerator anymore. More importantly, you don’t need to be a professional organizer. 

We hope you enjoyed this article. Let us know below which of the fridge organization ideas we’ve mentioned is your favorite! 

You can also check out the different freezer organization ideas in case your freezer also needs some organizing.