Is There a Right Way to Organize Your Refrigerator?

Abbey Ryan is a storyteller, preferably of stories in written form. Across the 5 years of her professional writing career, her work has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Amazon, The Medical News Today, and more. When she's not writing (which is rare), she's likely traveling, painting, or on the hunt for a good snack. Read more...

Picture this: You open your refrigerator, hoping to cook up a delicious meal, only to be greeted by an avalanche of forgotten leftovers, an inexplicably sticky pickle jar, and a carton of milk that has long surpassed its expiration date. At the end of it, you can't find anything that you need.

Sound familiar? We’ve all been there, lost in the chaotic abyss of our refrigerators. But it doesn't need to stay this way. Learning proper refrigerator organization can transform your kitchen.

If you want an organized fridge, always start with a clean fridge. Take everything out, clean your containers, jars, and shelves…and then you can get to organizing!

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The best way to organize your fridge is by shelf. The fridge's top shelf is a great place for leftovers and other foods that expire quickly or need to be eaten soon. The middle shelf is often suitable for dairy and produce. It also tends to be the tallest shelf, so any food or beverages you have that need tall spaces are perfect here.

Finally, the bottom shelf is where you should store your meat. This tends to be a cool place, but it's also safest in case any of your meat drips. This way, any leakage won't drip on your other food making for a food safety issue. Lastly, the door is perfect for condiments and dressings.

Ultimately, the right way to organize your refrigerator is the way that works for you, but there are best practices. When you organize your fridge, make sure everything has a place and you’ll be less likely to waste food.