How to Organize Your Fridge in Swoonworthy Style

The warmer breeze of spring ushers in the sweet fragrance of flowers in bloom, shifting our mood meters to renewed optimism and unbridled joy. While we love all the seasons for varying reasons, spring ignites a sensorial rush as we emerge from our decorated cocoons into the sun like seedlings pushing through the soil. Just that visual alone is enough to make our hearts expand. This healthy dose of merriment is accompanied by a fervor to clean up the mess and clear out the clutter. Yes, spring cleaning is in full swing. As always, when talking about the fundamentals like organization or cleaning, we like to inject a little magic into the mundane. So, when it comes to the dilemma of how to organize your fridge, we want to do it right, but we also want to do it in style. Because form and function live simultaneously in our world. 

So, keep scrolling to discover a few simple tips to guide your fridge organization. We hope this helps you to set up a system that keeps your groceries looking chic while they’re keeping cool but you should also know that this isn’t a one-time thing—there is regular maintenance and tweaking required to keep it that way, but don’t stress, because we’re all students here. 

First things first… clear it out!

Unlike other areas of your home, the fridge is being used every day multiple times a day (especially if you have kids!), not to mention every week after a grocery or farmer’s market run. But that doesn’t mean you need to do a full reset and clean every time you shop. The goal is to set up an organized system for your fridge so you only have to re-organize and clean periodically.

Clean it up

Once everything is cleared out, it’s time for that deep clean. Wipe everything down from top to bottom including the door storage and the shelves—really get into every section and crevice. And don’t forget the outside of the fridge from the handles to the rubber seal. If you’re really going deep, then be sure to clean underneath the fridge, too. We recommend using non-toxic cleaning products for the fridge to minimize fumes and chemicals around food. 

Create sections

Now that your fridge is all clean and clear, it’s time for the fun part: how to organize your fridge. Since you’re not the only one going through your fridge, it’s important to identify categories so that everyone knows what goes where. Some examples include: dairy, produce, eggs, condiments, snacks, soda, etc. Employ clear containers to house each of these sections and if you’re really organized, you can even label them.

Organize in zones

The key to reducing waste is storing it in the proper areas of your fridge (if you can!). Here’s a quick rundown but this consumer reports guide is more detailed:

Top shelf: dairy, yogurt, cream, packaged foods.
Middle shelf: cooked meats, leftovers, packaged foods,
Bottom shelf: raw meat, poultry, fish, eggs, covered in sealed containers.
Bottom drawers: fresh produce (salad, fruit, vegetables, herbs). Pro tip: wrap herbs in a damp paper towel before storing to prevent them from drying out or freeze them in an ice cube tray for ultimate freshness (just pop a few cubes as needed!). 

Now, to keep it that way

Once you’ve sectioned out your fridge, it will be much easier to keep it organized over time. But if you want to keep it that way, be sure to do a quick inventory check (list what you have and what you don’t) before you do a grocery or farmer’s market run so you don’t overbuy. Your fridge can quickly veer into unorganized territory when you have too much or double up on items. It’s also a more sustainable approach when you buy what you need and can safely use them without expiring (no one likes having to throw away beautiful produce!).