Fridge organization

[libbygrl109]

Kind of a s/o of the pantry organization...
Does anyone have a good system for organizing their fridge? Mine is, well, not. I find myself just cramming groceries in every week, and it only gets worse after I've prepped my breakfasts and lunches for the week. I've looked through Pinterest, and everything seems too good to be true. So, I need real life stories!

[bee20]

My biggest thing has been to always always clean out the fridge on garbage night.

Other than that I divide it roughly into zones with protein going in the bottom drawers, veggies that wilt in <3 days go front and center (I use those breathable plastic bins for these, I forgot about them in the drawers), and leftovers or meal prep stacked in the top.

My biggest organizational issue in the past was forgetting about food and having it turn into a science experiment, this has helped me use up food before it goes bad and really reduce waste and nastiness.

[mccallister84]

I did a big fridge re organization back in October and it has lasted. For me the key was coming up with the correct zones. Then I bought bins to corral things.

So I have bins for yogurt, cheese, dairy that isn’t cheese - sour cream, cream cheese, etc., then milk and leftover share a shelf. In the drawers I have veggies and meat. I also bought two drawers that hang from a shelf and we have lunch meat and herbs in those.

[wavepool]

I bought fridge depth clear bins that are just wife enough to store pickles, condiments, creamers, for my top shelf. Then I can pull those out like a drawer. I sometimes take one out, depending on what I need fridge space for. Bought double wide bins for dairy- cheese in one, yogurt, sour cream, etc in the other. I use my drawers for fruits and veggies. My old fridge had a divided drawer for meat, which was nice because I could put raw on one side and cooked on the other. I use one shelf just for meal prep stuff.
This has really helped me see everything we have and not wind up with more than one of something open and in the fridge, which has saved space and is better organized!

[libbygrl109]

mccallister84, wavepool, where did you find your bins? I feel like my biggest problem is condiments. It seems I am overrun with them. I have been cooking more recipes that has me trying new sauces (like asian recipes), so they tend up a lot of room because I only use a little at a time. I would love to corral all of them to make more room for everything else.

[mccallister84]

Jan 24, 2021 10:03:09 GMT -5 libbygrl109 said:

mccallister84, wavepool, where did you find your bins? I feel like my biggest problem is condiments. It seems I am overrun with them. I have been cooking more recipes that has me trying new sauces (like asian recipes), so they tend up a lot of room because I only use a little at a time. I would love to corral all of them to make more room for everything else.

HapiLeap Fridge Drawer Organizer,... www.amazon.com/dp/B07FMMYM52?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Set Of 4 Refrigerator Organizer... www.amazon.com/dp/B08HBF6N5G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

All of our condiments are on the fridge door. Do they all need to be refrigerated once opened?

[wavepool]

www.target.com/p/acrylic-drawer-6-x9-made-by-design-8482/-/A-53147558

I got some of these and then also got some from Home Goods since Target ran out when I was buying them.
I keep most of the condiments in the door, but also like to make a bunch of different types of food and wind up with all sorts of ingredients for them!

[libbygrl109]

Jan 24, 2021 10:14:22 GMT -5 mccallister84 said:

Jan 24, 2021 10:03:09 GMT -5 libbygrl109 said:

mccallister84 , wavepool , where did you find your bins? I feel like my biggest problem is condiments. It seems I am overrun with them. I have been cooking more recipes that has me trying new sauces (like asian recipes), so they tend up a lot of room because I only use a little at a time. I would love to corral all of them to make more room for everything else.

HapiLeap Fridge Drawer Organizer,... www.amazon.com/dp/B07FMMYM52?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Set Of 4 Refrigerator Organizer... www.amazon.com/dp/B08HBF6N5G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

All of our condiments are on the fridge door. Do they all need to be refrigerated once opened?

Most of them do. We have most of them in the door right now, but some spill over into the main area. I am hoping that when we get our new fridge when we redo the kitchen that I will have more space in the doors.

[MrsAxilla]

I’ve got to get DH to stop buying condiments at Costco first...

[hbomdiggity]

Even with a counter depth fridge, stuff still seems to get lost in the back. Clear bins have been helpful so that I can pull the bin out vs having to take out stuff individually.

Another thing was rethinking shelving height. I’ve always kind of had things a certain way based on how I’ve always done (and how I grew up) but switched things up and it’s working better.

[devonpow]

I use some of the Home Edit bins and storage things in our fridge. My biggest issue is DH - he has SO MANY condiments/sauces, plus cocktail making things. So the bins help corral them together and things don’t get lost.




We do have a second fridge in the basement that holds all the beverages - that helps a lot I admit

[libbygrl109]

Jan 24, 2021 19:57:09 GMT -5 devonpow said:

I use some of the Home Edit bins and storage things in our fridge. My biggest issue is DH - he has SO MANY condiments/sauces, plus cocktail making things. So the bins help corral them together and things don’t get lost.




We do have a second fridge in the basement that holds all the beverages - that helps a lot I admit

I wish we had a second fridge. Sometimes I feel like my husband’s beverages take up half the space.

[cosmowife]

Jan 24, 2021 19:57:09 GMT -5 devonpow said:

I use some of the Home Edit bins and storage things in our fridge. My biggest issue is DH - he has SO MANY condiments/sauces, plus cocktail making things. So the bins help corral them together and things don’t get lost.



We do have a second fridge in the basement that holds all the beverages - that helps a lot I admit

What kind of refrigerator is this? It looks like a built in? It has so much space!!! I hate my fridge and eventually would like a new one.

[bittybomb]

I clean my fridge once a week on grocery shopping day. I have a French door fridge with bottom freezer. I have one shelf on the left above a deli drawer and then two vegigie bins underneath. On the right is two shelves. On the left on the top I keep our meat on the top, along with whatever Tupperware we have with leftovers. Underneath that I keep the milk, oj, half and half, brita and any boxed broth I have opened from dinners the week before. On the right top shelf I keep dips, sour cream, yogurts. Middle is eggs and smaller Tupperwares. Bottom is fruit containers - mostly berries, and grape tomatoes. If my kids don't see it it will go to waste. Veggie bins have veggies for the week - carrots, celery, onions, baby carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers. Deli drawer has lunch meat and all cheeses. One one door all the condiments and garlic cloves, and on the other salad dressings and butter.

Our freezer is a hot mess.

[devonpow]

Jan 26, 2021 8:36:43 GMT -5 cosmowife said:

Jan 24, 2021 19:57:09 GMT -5 devonpow said:

I use some of the Home Edit bins and storage things in our fridge. My biggest issue is DH - he has SO MANY condiments/sauces, plus cocktail making things. So the bins help corral them together and things don’t get lost.



We do have a second fridge in the basement that holds all the beverages - that helps a lot I admit

What kind of refrigerator is this? It looks like a built in? It has so much space!!! I hate my fridge and eventually would like a new one.

it’s a subzero. It came with the house - I love it but dread potentially needing to replace it someday lol. Luckily they should last a long time. This one is 20 years old and still going strong 🤞