7 Tips to a More Organized Fridge and Freezer

Get to know the temperature zones

Understand the landscape of your fridge — warmer and colder areas, for example. The goal is to keep food safe and edible so you avoid wasting it, Carothers says. The door is the warmest area, and the back of the fridge the coldest. So the door is best for storing your least perishable items — ketchup and other condiments — while milk and eggs should go toward the back. It’s the same in your freezer — anywhere near the door, the temperature will fluctuate when the freezer is open, Carothers says. But the fluctuation isn’t as critical in the freezer as in the fridge since its colder temperatures even out more quickly, she says. 

An important reminder when it comes to temperature: Leave room for airflow. A “wall” of food reduces airflow and makes the fridge less effective at cooling, so perishables won’t last as long. Samsung recommends keeping at least half an inch of space between items in your fridge and checking that they don’t block air vents. It’s OK to have your freezer pretty full, Hradek says, but not packed so tightly that air can’t circulate. 

Assign categories to shelves

Create zones in your appliances, says Lela Burris, blogger and owner of Organized-ish of Chattanooga, Tennessee. “Instead of being ultra-specific on what exact items will go where, designate categorized zones: one shelf for meats and prepackaged meals, one section for drinks, dedicated section for leftovers. That allows you to not stress over placement.” So, for example, instead of having an exact place for hamburger meat, have a basket or drawer for storing all meats.

Plan for the unexpected

Leave extra space in your fridge for, say, a bulky to-go box, says Naeemah Ford Goldson, owner of Restore Order Professional Organizing in Atlanta. “You can leave space for things — leave space for leftovers, leave space for things like food that friends might bring over to your home,” she says. It’s a good idea for your freezer too — just in case you come across a good deal on something you can’t eat all at once. 

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Don’t be lured in by fancy containers

If you have a system in place, you don’t need all the chic containers in rainbow order that you see on social media. “That is definitely something that’s not easy to maintain,” Ford Goldson says. “I’m not a big fan of decanting items that belong in the fridge.”

For starters, you’ll just have to wash all those containers before you go to the store to refill them, Hradek says. She recommends paying more attention to functionality and less to looks, but most importantly, you should find a system you can maintain. “Whatever you’ll be able to maintain has more value than something that you might do once, but then never be able to do it again because you don’t have the gumption,” she says.

Use your freezer like a pantry; just make sure that you’re willing to eat whatever you put in, so it doesn’t become a dump zone, Hradek says. Every six weeks or so, she challenges herself to skip the grocery store and plan meals using only what’s in her fridge and freezer. “It’s going to force me to go into that freezer, look at everything that’s in there, and make use of it,” she says.

Have a few use-up recipes, such as soup or stew, that you can rely on to use up vegetables, pasta or other leftovers. Try a vegetable quesadilla or pizza boats from the Iowa extension service.

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Have a good, regular cleaning routine

Make it a habit once a week to sort the foods in your fridge, and once in a while, wipe down the shelves with hot, soapy water, Carothers says. Be vigilant about spills, she says. “If you have a spill in your fridge, best to clean that immediately, especially if it’s poultry. That’s going to potentially spread bacteria to other places.” Every month or so, take everything out and give the refrigerator a deeper “spring clean,” she suggests. 

The Michigan State University Extension program recommends defrosting your freezer at least once a year, then cleaning with hot water and detergent. To get rid of any odors, wipe down the interior, including the door and gasket, with hot water and baking soda. Rinse with a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water.

Don’t let appliances get ‘out of whack’

Refrigerators and freezers are hard to keep organized since it’s easy to shove in the latest groceries without thinking, and you may not be the only person using the appliance. So follow Rogers’ basic organizing rule: Don’t let your refrigerator or freezer get too far “out of whack.”

Check your fridge once a week, and throw out or freeze leftovers coming up on four days old — the limit recommended by the USDA. Toss, cook or freeze fresh foods that are losing their pep. Another way to keep your fridge and freezer under control? Go to the store with a list so you don’t buy more than you need, Hradek says. “The first step of planning your meals and making your grocery list should be a review of what you already have,” she says.