25 Brilliant Fridge Organization Hacks That Are Borderline Life-Changing
Want to learn how to maximize your fridge organization? Here are 25 game changing fridge organization hacks that you’re going to want to implement ASAP.
For a lot of us, our fridge is one of the biggest high-traffic areas in our entire home. I mean, just think of the amount of times you go into your fridge each day – it’s a lot!
And with any area of your home that you are constantly going in and out of, it’s bound to get a little messy. Even if you start with an organized fridge, you can easily reverse all of your hard work in a matter of days if you don’t have a good system in place.
I’m guilty of it too, which is why it’s so important that your fridge doesn’t just look pretty, but is actually practical to keep up with your everyday life.
Which leads us into the entire point of this post…
I’m going to be breaking down the best of the best fridge organization hacks so you no longer have to wonder how to achieve an organized fridge that stays that way long-term!
These fridge organization hacks should 100% be talked about more than they are – because they’re just that good!
By the time you’re done with this post, you’ll want to start reorganizing your fridge immediately. 😉
This post is all about the best fridge organization hacks to keep your fridge insanely clean and organized.
The Best Fridge Organization Hacks:
1. Create a “Eat Me First” Bin That Prevents Food From Dying in the Back
If you’ve ever been stuck with leftovers that never get eaten, or groceries that go bad before you get the chance to eat them (the worst feeling) – this basket will be a life saver!
A small to medium sized basket should do the trick. Just make sure to keep it front and center (at eye level) so you don’t forget it’s there.
It’ll quickly become a habit to check the basket before reaching for anything else – and it will save you from throwing so much food away!
2. Line Shelves With Press-and-Seal Wrap for a 10-Second Clean
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If you’ve ever had something spill in your fridge (especially those sticky substances), you know the struggle of trying to clean up the aftermath – which usually takes longer than it should (especially if it’s in a hard to reach spot).
An easy way to get around this is by using plastic wrap or plastic liner on your fridge shelves. It is SO much easier to take out these mats and rinse them off in the sink or pull off some plastic wrap. 10 minutes of cleaning will easily widdle down to less than a minute with this hack. You can thank me later. 😉
3. Store Condiments in a Pull-Out Bin Instead of the Door
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Storing your condiments in a pull out bin instead of the fridge door is good for three reasons:
- Fridge door temperatures fluctuate (a lot!) so food gets spoiled a lot easier there
- Keeping all of your condiments in one easy-to-reach bin will keep your fridge insanely organized
- If your condiments spill (which they tend to do), all you have to do is wash out a single bin, rather than having to deal with cleaning out the fridge door shelves
And if you want to take the organization one step further, try grouping your condiments together. You can either do this by placing all of your most-used ones towards the front or group them by type of condiment (sauces, spreads, etc.).
Either way, this fridge organization hack will save you time and your sanity. 🙂
4. Store Milk on the Top Shelf Instead of the Door
The top shelf of your fridge is the best at maintaining a super consistent temperature. So for items like milk, that tend to spoil easily, you’re going to want to make sure they have a designated spot where they will stay as cold as possible.
You might even want to transfer majority of your dairy products to the top shelf for this reason. That way they stay fresh, and are all grouped together too.
5. Use a Lazy Susan for Small Jars So Nothing Gets Lost
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The second I started using lazy Susans in my fridge is the second I was actually able to maintain an organized fridge. The right organizers can make all of the difference – especially if they help with the convenience factor – and this is as convenient as it gets!
This idea is perfect for things like yogurt, sauces, and small jars that can get easily pushed to the back. For one, it’s easy to forget what’s in your fridge when this happens, and for two, you have to go digging and pull out half of your fridge just to reach what’s hiding in the depths of your fridge.
When you have good systems in place, it gets a lot easier to keep your fridge organized long term!
6. Store Similar Items Together
This is such an easy fridge hack to adopt, but it will do wonders for making your fridge feel a lot less overwhelming. When everything is all over the place in your fridge and there is no order, it usually takes you a second to find what you’re looking for.
But if you start storing like items together, you’ll know exactly where to go when you open your fridge. And visually, it just makes more sense for your brain when you have similar items grouped together.
7. The Left Side = Oldest Food Rule
A lot of times we have trouble keeping track of what food has been sitting in our fridge for a while. So to fix this problem, dedicate one side of your fridge to the older food. I know this might sound kind of weird, but it will help you keep track of what food you should use first, before moving onto the newer items.
This is a great trick for keeping a seamless rotation going in your fridge and making sure older food isn’t going to waste!
8. Remove Excess Packaging Before Putting Food Away
If we’re being honest here, most food packages waste a ton of fridge space (and aren’t that visually appealing to look at). So transferring your products out of their original packaging and into clear bins, jars, and Tupperware will do wonders for storing your food more efficiently – while also adding to the aesthetic of your fridge.
This hack will instantly make your fridge look a lot cleaner! All of those beautifully organized Pinterest fridges you see, start with removing the unnecessary packaging.
9. Use Clear Bins Only
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This one goes hand in hand with the last hack. Clear bins are going to be your best friend when it comes to fridge organization. It’s a lot easier to give your fridge a tidy look when everything is stored in matching bins.
You also won’t have to guess where you put certain items – it’s impossible for your food to hide in clear bins! And of course, there is something so satisfying about opening your fridge and being able to see everything with a glance.
Clear bins = an instant fridge glow up!
10. Assign Every Shelf a Job
It’s easy to get stuck in a pattern of shoving food wherever there is an open spot. But that doesn’t help you to keep your fridge organized (at all!). What does, is assigning each shelf in your fridge a job. Dedicate the top shelf to all of your dairy products, the next shelf down to leftovers and meal prep, and so on.
There’s no need to guess when you have a structured system to keep your fridge orderly. And next time you’re putting away groceries, or trying to find something in your fridge, you’ll have a pretty good idea of where to go.
11. Leave Some Breathing Room
One of the worst things you can do, is stuff your fridge with so much food, you quite literally have no space left. I know this can be easier said than done, but a fridge that is overcrowded is visually overwhelming, and can get tricky to navigate.
Even if you fill your fridge 90% full, leaving that 10% for small gaps that allow you to reach items better and create organized groups in your fridge, will make a huge difference!
Even if your packed fridge is technically organized, whenever there are a ton of items crammed into a tight space (this goes for any area in your house), it will automatically feel cluttered and claustrophobic (which is the opposite of what we want).
12. The “Sunday Reset” Habit
During the week, when you’re in a rush, things are bound to get misplaced and a little shaken up in your fridge. That’s okay, it happens. But the best thing you can do to make sure your fridge stays as consistently organized as possible, is to do a quick weekly reset.
I have deemed Sundays “cleaning days”, so I work my fridge reset in with the rest of my cleaning to dos, but you can really do this at any point throughout the week. Just try to keep it consistent so you don’t forget.
You should only need 5-10 minutes to go in, make sure everything is in its place, maybe wipe down some shelves, and you’re good to go! It always feels nice to go into a new week with a fridge that’s as clean as the rest of your home.
13. Store Leftovers in Matching Containers
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You can’t deny that matching containers are everything! It’s so simple, but matching Tupperware or leftover containers makes it feel like your fridge just makes sense. There is no confusion, only visual clarity!
And I don’t know about you, but when my leftovers are in cute matching containers, it makes me more excited to eat them. Same goes for meal prepping!
14. Put the Most Used Items at Eye Level
Naturally when you open the fridge, your eyes are going to go to the middle shelf. Eye-level height always gets immediate attention, because it’s right in front of your face.
So use this to your advantage! Take your most used items in your fridge, and put them at eye level. You would be surprised how easy this will make your life. Sometimes, you just need to give yourself easy wins that allow you to move without disruptions.
It’s simple, but it’s pretty darn effective – and will give your brain a small break (it’s the little things!).
15. Store Drinks in Rows
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The amount of visual satisfaction you get from storing your drinks in pretty rows is crazy! This might be the #1 way to keep your fridge organized, while also making it look effortlessly aesthetic.
The easiest way I’ve found to keep up with this, is by using a drink dispenser. That way, there are no gaps, and you don’t have to constantly move things around every time you grab a drink to make your rows look perfect. Definitely one of my favorite fridge hacks!
16. Label Expiration Dates Clearly
One problem I feel like we all have when it comes to fridge organization, is knowing when items are going to go bad. This is especially a problem if you’re switching items out of their original packaging and into matching containers. Make sure when you’re doing this to transfer the expiration dates as well as the food!
The good thing about plastic and glass organizers, is that you can easily write on them with a white board marker (specifically they’re “best by” dates so you’re not guessing when items will go bad, you’ll be able to check).
17. Create a Meal Prep Zone
If you’re someone who meal preps, creating a designated zone in your fridge for all of your ready-to-go food is a great way to make sure your Tupperware containers aren’t taking over the entire fridge!
It can also get a little tricky to find what you’re looking for when all of the containers look the same and are stacked on top of each other. I like to create sections within my meal prep zone to fix this. I’ll stack (or create rows) with all of my breakfast prep, then a different stack with all of my lunches, and then dinners.
It’s almost like. grab and go section at a grocery store. Everything is perfectly lined up and prepped for your week ahead!
18. Store Herbs in Jars With Water
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Even if your fridge is insanely organized, if it stinks, your progress feels ruined! You want your fridge to smell as good as it looks (in a fresh way of course).
I highly, highly recommend keeping some sort of fridge deodorizer tucked in the back for this reason. And even if you clean out your fridge regularly, there can still be a lingering smell (don’t ask me why). It’s never a bad idea to get a little extra help to neutralize your fridge smell.
And if it’s tucked in the back, you won’t even be able to notice this little deodorizer, only your nose will. 😉
21. Store Cheese in One Container
Another hack that I feel like more people should talk about, but don’t. Storing all of your cheeses in the same container will prevent them from drying out.
I think a lot of use store our cheeses together anyways, just because it makes sense when grouping things together, but if you’re not, you’re going to want to make this change. No one wants dried out cheese, it just doesn’t taste the same.
22. Store Eggs in Original Carton
This hack might feel a little backwards, since we talked so much about taking items out of their original packaging and using clear bins. But, when it comes to your eggs, keeping them in the carton they come in will actually help protect their freshness. I guess the carton is there for a reason. 🤷♀️
23. Use Vertical Storage
Maximizing the vertical space in your fridge will save you so much space! A lot of people like to stack out, instead of stack up (which in some cases makes sense). But if you’re dealing with multiples of the same item, like yogurt, make sure you’re stacking both ways.
Now, you don’t want to create the Leaning Tower of Pisa in your fridge, but don’t be afraid to expand up beyond one item. And this doesn’t mean cover every inch until you hit the top of the fridge. Just make sure you’re not leaving a ton of vertical space up for grabs that you could be utilizing.
24. Store Leftovers in Front
I am definitely guilty of forgetting about my leftovers and having to throw them away because they went bad by the time I remembered I had them.
And if you do the same, you might want to consider moving your leftovers to the front of the fridge. It’s kind of hard to forget they’re there when they’re one of the first things you see when you open the fridge – and you won’t have to feel bad that you forgot to eat them.
25. Keep Fridge Visually Simple
Above all else, keep your fridge simple. The less overwhelmed you are when you open your fridge, the easier time you’ll have finding what you’re looking for. And even though we all want to keep our fridges as organized as possible, sometimes the simple system is the better one.
Make sure the way that you organize your fridge makes sense for you and your life style. The last thing you want to do is organize your fridge in a way that you can’t or just don’t want to keep up with.
These fridge organization hacks are meant to make your life easier, not more stressful. So take the ones that you like and leave the ones that you don’t. 🙂
This post was all about the best fridge organization hacks to keep your fridge insanely clean and organized.
Other Posts You May Like:
23 Practical Fridge Organization Ideas That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier
82 Shockingly Dirty Places in Your Home That Everyone Forgets to Clean | Places People Forget to Clean
Copy this fridge organization hack:
I don’t know why this isn’t talked about more, but your herbs will last so much longer, simply by putting them in some water in your fridge. Otherwise, you have herbs going bad after a couple of days (which is hardly enough time to use them all up).
You can easily turn this into a DIY by using vases or jars you already have around the house. Or, you can get an herb-keeper that’s designed for the job. Either works!
The only herb you don’t want to store this way is your basil. Basil does not do well in the fridge, so make sure to keep it on your counter to help it stay fresh for longer.
19. Use Door for Drinks Only
Remember how we talked about temperature change having a lot to do with where you store your food? Well, drinks are actually one of the things that will do well stored in your fridge door.
They’re able to tolerate temperature change a lot better than most items, so you don’t have to worry about them spoiling quickly here.
20. Keep a Fridge Deodorizer in the Back
Copy this fridge organization hack:
Even if your fridge is insanely organized, if it stinks, your progress feels ruined! You want your fridge to smell as good as it looks (in a fresh way of course).
I highly, highly recommend keeping some sort of fridge deodorizer tucked in the back for this reason. And even if you clean out your fridge regularly, there can still be a lingering smell (don’t ask me why). It’s never a bad idea to get a little extra help to neutralize your fridge smell.
And if it’s tucked in the back, you won’t even be able to notice this little deodorizer, only your nose will. 😉
21. Store Cheese in One Container
Another hack that I feel like more people should talk about, but don’t. Storing all of your cheeses in the same container will prevent them from drying out.
I think a lot of use store our cheeses together anyways, just because it makes sense when grouping things together, but if you’re not, you’re going to want to make this change. No one wants dried out cheese, it just doesn’t taste the same.
22. Store Eggs in Original Carton
This hack might feel a little backwards, since we talked so much about taking items out of their original packaging and using clear bins. But, when it comes to your eggs, keeping them in the carton they come in will actually help protect their freshness. I guess the carton is there for a reason. 🤷♀️
23. Use Vertical Storage
Maximizing the vertical space in your fridge will save you so much space! A lot of people like to stack out, instead of stack up (which in some cases makes sense). But if you’re dealing with multiples of the same item, like yogurt, make sure you’re stacking both ways.
Now, you don’t want to create the Leaning Tower of Pisa in your fridge, but don’t be afraid to expand up beyond one item. And this doesn’t mean cover every inch until you hit the top of the fridge. Just make sure you’re not leaving a ton of vertical space up for grabs that you could be utilizing.
24. Store Leftovers in Front
I am definitely guilty of forgetting about my leftovers and having to throw them away because they went bad by the time I remembered I had them.
And if you do the same, you might want to consider moving your leftovers to the front of the fridge. It’s kind of hard to forget they’re there when they’re one of the first things you see when you open the fridge – and you won’t have to feel bad that you forgot to eat them.
25. Keep Fridge Visually Simple
Above all else, keep your fridge simple. The less overwhelmed you are when you open your fridge, the easier time you’ll have finding what you’re looking for. And even though we all want to keep our fridges as organized as possible, sometimes the simple system is the better one.
Make sure the way that you organize your fridge makes sense for you and your life style. The last thing you want to do is organize your fridge in a way that you can’t or just don’t want to keep up with.
These fridge organization hacks are meant to make your life easier, not more stressful. So take the ones that you like and leave the ones that you don’t. 🙂
This post was all about the best fridge organization hacks to keep your fridge insanely clean and organized.
Other Posts You May Like:
23 Practical Fridge Organization Ideas That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier
82 Shockingly Dirty Places in Your Home That Everyone Forgets to Clean | Places People Forget to Clean
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