Refrigerator/Pantry/etc. organizing trend

[georgeharrison]

This is kind of a dumb post, but I see all this stuff about these organizing trends.  I think it looks good, but also some of the stuff I think is dumb.  Like why buy a huge thing of Tide liquid and then put it in a glass container?  Just because it looks good?  And why have all those dividers in your fridge?  Oh, my favorite, maybe, is buying milk in a carton and then moving it to a glass jar to put it in the fridge.  I don't get it.  But if you do this, I'd love to see pics.

I will say one thing that I did do is get containers for sugar, flour, etc.  They had been in zip lock bags and I will admit that it looks way better.

[devonpow]

I use clear bins for a ton of stuff in my fridge and pantry, mostly because it all fits more neatly and so I can clearly see what I have and what I need (I’m a huge Home Edit follower lol - I love a zone and a clear container). I don’t decant milk but I would think it A) looks nice and B) if you have all your drinks in the same size/shape container it’s easier to fit and get more room overall

[sproctopus]

I simply don't understand where leftovers go.

And yuck to the massive amount of single use plastics in those fridges.

[gardengal]

Some of it I get. Like, one of our clear bins that was shoe-box sized we used for closet org, had a broken lid. I now use that in the fridge to corral less used condiments on the top shelf. They are all together/not free roaming around fridge & I can just pull down bin to get what I need, no stool (bc I’m short) & moving things around to get what I need. I’ve been doing this since we bought our new, bigger fridge 8yrs ago.

So, it helps things not get lost & my access.

I do not understand decanting milk or juice or putting eggs in special container. Or putting those colorful pods into what looks like a cookie jar (seems like bad idea).

Like most trends, I think there’s some good ideas that might be helpful for some but a lot of it is just for pictures. I also recognize that for some this is kind of a hobby & it’s more productive than some of my hobbies so I don’t judge.

[egishere]

The laundry thing I don't understand either! I would somehow knock that glass right off the counter!

I do like the look in the fridge of everything in containers but haven't bothered to try it yet. It makes great sense for fruits/veggies.

[RitzyHeifer]

Lol, I used to follow I Heart Organizing, but the post when she spray painted to cap of her laundry detergent or bleach bottle to make it match her laundry room made me realize maybe it wasn’t my thing.

I have some clear snack containers for the pantry that I put bags of chips in because the hard sided and rectangular containers fit better on the shelf than soft bags. But if the entire bag doesn’t fit in the container then I just have 2 things to find a place for. With a snack-DH and a teenage son, I don’t have to wait too long to have more space in the containers though…

[followyourarrow]

Some of it I like and do, like I have a couple of baskets in the fridge and I recently bought soda can holders which has been life changing. Most stuff I don't decant though, I have a container for my Tide Pods, but I think that's about it.

[rupertpenny]

I was served a video on FB or IG yesterday and this person had a special container for everything in their fridge, it was wild. But, what are you supposed to do with a container that is made just for asparagus the weeks you don't buy asparagus? And you also have to wash all of these containers. I put most of my vegetables in the fridge completely loose. I might have to clean out my fridge more but I'm not washing a million different containers every night.

[redheadk]

I don't go that far with it but I do like the clear bins for condiments, jars, etc. in the fridge. It is much easier to pull the bin half way out to get what I need than it is to dig through all the jars loose on the shelf. I do not decant milk or laundry detergent. That is dumb.

I do use clear bins in our pantry. It helps a lot with all of the smaller items and keeping things organized in there. I find that we are much better about not letting things expire now and it's faster for me to check if we need to restock something.

[devonpow]

This is my fridge right now - so not everything in a bin, but I love the ones I have. I looove my turntable lol

[Patsy Baloney]

I would never do the organizing rigamarole (come the fuck on, it comes in a container) but I will watch the fuck out of those videos.

It is ASMR prime for me. The bonk and tap of the plastic is just *chef’s kiss*

[devonpow]

I realized I also use things for laundry pods etc like someone mentioned lol - I obviously have a problem. I don’t know, I find it calming to be in an organized environment. I go to the Container Store for my happy place

[rupertpenny]

I don't hate all bins and containers! I use them a lot for dry goods, especially stuff like rice or lentils that come in floppy bags.

Part of me is also bitter because I would love to be super organized but no one else in my family cares at all, not even a little bit. And then my feelings get hurt when no one makes an effort to put things in the proper place.

[W.T.Faulkner]

I think it looks really nice but I don’t understand how anyone has time for this shit.

[Aloe Vera]

devonpow I need that lazy Suzan for my fridge! Such a good idea.

[Gato]

Apr 6, 2022 10:36:45 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

I think it looks really nice but I don’t understand how anyone has time for this shit.

I was about to type this exact thing! But it would be really nice to know where everything is in my fridge. I spent about five minutes yesterday rooting around for DD’s favorite jam, which was behind the spinach, which was behind some leftovers. I’d love to have some organizing fairy come put stuff where it belongs overnight.

[rebneen]

Apr 6, 2022 10:36:45 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

I think it looks really nice but I don’t understand how anyone has time for this shit.

Amen.

I use bins and turntables in my pantry because I have to or else stuff falls down or is impossible to find.

My fridge has shelves and drawers sized for most things we buy. Isn’t the purpose of shelves and drawers to organize? Buying all this extra crap is creating so much waste (an asparagus container is a prime example). Plus how many people buy all this to look like a blog and then actually still use it a while later when that blog/system is “old” and something new comes out?!

[twinmomma]

Apr 6, 2022 10:25:57 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

I don't hate all bins and containers! I use them a lot for dry goods, especially stuff like rice or lentils that come in floppy bags.

Part of me is also bitter because I would love to be super organized but no one else in my family cares at all, not even a little bit. And then my feelings get hurt when no one makes an effort to put things in the proper place.

This is my major frustration. I try to keep the fridge in "zones" that are pretty straightforward. Drinks shelf, veggies in veggie drawer, fruit in fruit drawer, condiments on a shelf with a turntable. There's a big area for leftovers and prepped food. I don't have all the plastic bins but try to at least zone stuff so it's easier to find. And then I open the fridge and my boyfriend or the kids have shoved a bag of deli meat onto the condiments lazy susan. Or tried to fit a jug of milk onto the leftovers spot, which requires laying the carton down sideways instead of putting it on the drink shelf where it stands up and fits. Or a stray apple is stuck on the shelf on the door. And I just think to myself "WHY?!" and get annoyed and move it back. Rinse. Repeat. Until I die. 

[devonpow]

Apr 6, 2022 10:36:57 GMT -5 Aloe Vera said:

devonpow I need that lazy Suzan for my fridge! Such a good idea.

I’m a huge turntable fan! Also the best thing I got for under sink storage!

[samanthamkm]

I have some containers in my fridge. I keep DH's Greek yogurt in one and the kids Capri Suns in one. I also have a place to put meat to thaw in the fridge. When we do a meal service I use a box for all the cold items. I have a container for my bread. I want a pull out drawer for my eggs so if there's anything on top of the egg cartons it's easier to grab eggs. I have a side by side so space is at a premium.

My laundry pods are in a clear container because I only have a certain amount of space for my laundry stuff. I use the extras first before the clear bin.

[Cappy]

Not only do I not have time, but my fridge is never full bc I shop weekly and I'm on a tight budget. I do love looking at pics of everyone's organized stuff but I have zero desire to try. The one exception I have is having a few shallow baskets in the pantry where I dump the kids' snacks. I got sick of them taking the last of something and leaving the empty box so I just dump snacks in a basket/bin and let them have at it.

[Roc A Bee]

I have bins in my pantry in the hopes of keeping it organized. It works ok. We have a chips bin, bread/tortilla bin, ramen/noodles bin, and snacks.

I really think I’d like a bin for condiments. I have a lot in my fridge drawers but we are a saucy family.

I should also get one for water bottles. I hate that we buy them, but the kids and BF want them, so I lose the battle. I also hate that the kids load the fridge and put them all sort of ways including sideways.


So really I think this post talked me into buying more organization! I’m a pretty organized person but I’m not pouring milk or Tide into different containers.

[Deleted]

I have three storage bins in my fridge and it's for fruits, veg, and a soda can organizer. I don't have a pantry in my place but I have a wire rack so I have bins for snacks, drink mixes, cans, etc. Then I have OXO pop tops for flours, sugar, rice, open bags of popcorn, etc. Half that reason is because I keep everything in closed containers. I did not realize there was a cockroach issue in this place and I woke up with a cockroach on my face one night. I was so grossed out so I keep everything super clean, spray every three months, and keep some traps out and it significantly reduced the issue. I scream the whole time I have to kill a live cockroach but luckily I find them mostly dead these days.

[Deleted]

I don't decant every thing, but I do for some things. I don't bother with laundry soap or anything like that, because I don't leave it out nor do I have a desire to. I leave my coffee beans out, so I put them in a jar. I buy things like Olive Oil and Avocado Oil and Vinegar in large containers so I decent them into matching bottles that can be left out. I decant all of my spices in to matching jars. Also things like pasta, rice, oatmeal, cereal, etc. I have lots of bins and baskets in my fridge and cabinets. I like being able to just go to a specific basket to get what I need instead of having to dig through all kinds of boxes, jars, etc. Bar far my favorite thing though is my can storage in my basement for over flow items. It sparks joy

[mcppalmbeach]

This will never happen in my house lol. However I would love to see videos if anyone is sharing!

[TBM]

We remodeled the kitchen when we moved here 9yrs ago, and I started organizing with pullouts, closed containers and bins.

In the fridge it is just a few bins for condiments and like items, but it really helps save time since you can just slide the bin out part way to get something in the back instead of having to take everything in from out to get it.

We put dishwasher pods in an old clear panko container. lol They were in a cute canister, but it fell out of the cabinet and broke. We use the containers from Costco mixed nuts for stuff too, but all of that is for our convenience/ so it fits better, not to have a pinterest-y looking house.

I've mentioned this before, but my parents had a GE refrigerator where all of the shelves except the top shelf were half circle shelves that rotated all the way around. Nothing ever got lost in that fridge...it was the best.

[Deleted]

Oh, I forgot. I've also started adding Lazy Susans to help in some places. Like, on the kitchen table. I had a cute little galvanized steel thing for napkins, butter, salt and pepper, etc, but by itself it wasn't the best because if you were on the other side of the table, you still couldn't reach stuff, so I added a Lazy Susan on top of that. I also put one on top of the microwave for things like meds and what not that end up finding a home there. Also, it makes for a super simple clean up if I even want to declutter my kitchen for company.

In addition to bins in the kitchen, I also have clear and labeled bins in the hall closet for each family member to keep track and hats and gloves and what not.

[sent]

devonpow, but where are your leftovers? When we cook on the weekends, we make enough for the week and keep them in pyrex containers.

[sent]

I like a nice organized area, but moving eggs to another container just for eggs or decanting milk is not my priority. I think some of that stuff is for show especially since everything is all about content and photos and likes on social media.

[georgeharrison]

If I bought eggs in a flimsy carton on the regular, I would maybe go for one of those egg containers. We buy Happy Eggs and those are in a very sold carton.