10 Easy Steps to Organize Your Fridge

This site uses affiliate marketing, please read our disclaimer policy for more information.

The fridge is one of the most used items in our homes. Thus, it’s one of the easiest place to become messy and cluttered if not maintained.

Today, I am going to teach you 10 easy steps to get your fridge organized and remained organized despite the flow of groceries throughout the week.

1. Observe your fridge in its natural state

The very first step to organizing any space is to observe it for what it is. Resist the urge to throw out the spoiled peppers or week old leftovers. Simply stand in front of your fridge and observe.

These everyday messes will tell you exactly what you need for your space. It’s your guide on what organizers to buy and what layout to use.

As you’re observing, ask yourself the following:

How does the area function?
Do you have too little or too much space for a particular item?
- In other words, is the space distributed according to your needs?
Does your current system match the function of the space?
Does your current system take into account the limitations of members of your household?
- This determines their likelihood of maintaining the area. There’s no use in buying beautiful produces containers with lids and dividers if it’s going to be too much of an hassle for your household to maintain.

2. Write down on a piece of paper your problem areas and a solution to each problems

Admittedly, I am starting off at a decent place. I’ve had these bins for over 6 years now and have used them in every one of my apartments. However, despite having them my fridge was not staying organized and the bins were not being used as designated.
Problem areas I needed to address

Not enough space for beverages; overflow to shelves
Too many half used items (juices, Gogo Squeeze, yogurt jars) and no designated area to put them
Second and third row/shelves too small to accommodate taller items (ineffective use of space)
Fruit bin too small for the amount of fruits purchased weekly
Unorganized veggies
Bins poorly grouped together
Unattractive food containers (purely aesthetic)
Sauces in the upper door is disorganized and overcrowded
Too many condiments in the door that’s not used; poorly categorized

With these problems in mind, it’s much easier to come up with a solution that addresses your needs. Hence, why my first recommendation is to observe your fridge for what it is. My advice is to do this midweek, before your next grocery shopping.

3. Measure the width and depth of the shelves

This is really important because it influences the size and number of bins you can buy. If you want to accommodate many different categories opt for skinnier bins. But most importantly, take into account how much of one item you tend to buy verus another and let that be your guide on what size and type of organizers to buy.

4. Create a plan

The most essential step to creating a workable plan is to follow step 1, which is to observe your fridge for what it is and asking yourself those series of questions.

This step is all about creating a visual of how you want your fridge to look. At this point you have already identified your problem areas, identified what is needed to correct the problem areas, and measured the space.

Now you’re ready to do a rough sketch or moodboard of how you want your fridge to look. Be sure to take into account the actual size of your fridge and the organizers when you create the visual.

5. Shop for organizers

Choose organizers that fits your style, household likeliness of maintaining, and budget. You don’t need the cute produce bins with lids. You don’t need the fancy can or water bottle dispensers. What you need is organizers that addresses your problem areas and are easy to maintained. This is truly, the key to having a neat fridge despite the flow of food throughout the week.

6. Empty your fridge

7. Clean fridge

After cleaning your fridge I strongly recommend that you resize the shelves. This applies even if you’re living in a rental unit. It will maximize your storage capacity and inadvertently, make your fridge stay organized throughout the week.

8. Discard any expired items

9. Group food items into categories

You don’t have to stick to the traditional categories of fruits, vegetables, or dairy etc. Organize your fridge in categories that makes sense to you and your household. Maybe you like the cheese with the deli meats or the yogurt with the string cheese because it’s easier to grab in the morning before work.

The fridge is unique to every household, no two looks alike.

10. Organize

Now you get to enjoy your hard work. Simply place the food groups into the various organizers that you bought. Then, place them into the fridge in groups of 2-4 bins that makes logical sense to you. Maybe you prefer all your kids snacks on one shelf or the breakfast items together etc. Remember, our needs changes overtime so do whatever makes sense to you today.

11. Label

This is a bonus step that is totally optional. I understand that some individual finds label within the fridge to add visual clutter. However, there are instances where I would absolutely recommend labels. One, if you have young children. Two, if some members in your household requires help to stay organized.

The Takeaway

The fridge is unique to every household. Your fridge doesn’t have to look like the ones on Pinterest to be beautiful and functional. Maintaining a neat fridge is all about understanding your household needs and buying the right organizers that will encourage compliance.

Remember, having a functional and aesthetically pleasing home doesn’t have to be expensive.