12 Pro tips for refrigerator organization that lasts

There’s something very satisfying, and even calming, about opening up a clean, well-organized refrigerator, but fridge organization can be a bit daunting if you don’t know where to begin.

Learn how to organize a refrigerator with this guide, which offers tips to maximize your space and utilize your drawers, making creating in the kitchen an easier and more fluid process.

1. Remove food and wipe down the refrigerator interior

It’s critical to start with a “clean slate.” Before you begin organizing, remove everything from your refrigerator and throw away any expired items or food that has spoiled. Get the job done quickly and easily with these tips and tricks for properly cleaning and organizing a refrigerator.

2. Move less-perishable items to the refrigerator door

Because this part of the fridge can be subject to some temperature fluctuations, it should be reserved for condiments and other less-perishable or specialty items, like butter, soda, olives or capers.

Many refrigerators feature gallon-sized door bins designed to hold large containers like milk, so it’s fine to store milk there when your model is built for it. Storing eggs in the door should be avoided. Instead, store your eggs on an interior shelf where it’s cooler.

3. Include an “eat first” bin

To reduce food waste, designate an “eat first” bin in your refrigerator as a reminder to keep this food top-of-mind for use. This can help minimize the chances of perishable items expiring before you have a chance to use them in your creative recipes. Learn how to try and remove refrigerator smells if the foods do expire and cause a bad odor.

This step is as simple as using a clear plastic bin and labeling it “eat first.” Next, place this on a front shelf for line of sight and fill it with items that may expire sooner than other items. When you are about to start a recipe, remember to check this bin first.

4. Align foods to the upper and lower shelves

Shelves account for the bulk of a refrigerator's storage capacity. Generally, the lower shelves are a few degrees cooler than the upper shelves, so you’ll want to store food accordingly. Here’s a general idea of what to store on each shelf.

Upper shelves

Foods that will be cooked at the lowest temperatures, or not at all, go on the top shelves. Place prepared foods, leftovers or drinks on the upper shelves, too.

Lower shelves

Place your most perishable items, like raw meats and dairy products, on the lower shelves. Additionally, foods that will need to be cooked at the highest temperatures, such as poultry and fish, should be stored on the bottom shelves for cooler temperatures.

Shop KitchenAid®side-by-side refrigerators

KitchenAid^® side-by-side refrigerators help you keep food organized and easy to find. Select KitchenAid^® models offer Panoramic LED Lighting, which illuminates the back of the refrigerator to keep ingredients in sight and easy to find. The rear lighting tower, combined with additional LED light strips throughout the refrigerator and freezer, brighten up the view throughout. Other KitchenAid^® models feature Customizable Spaces for Items Big and Small, featuring nine removable glass shelves and eight adjustable door bins that keep all of your ingredients easily accessible. Rearrange to fit tall wine bottles, stash small items within reach and organize frozen favorites.

5. Organize food in clear bins

Using clear bins to store food in your refrigerator is convenient and gives you the ability to quickly find what you need without having to rummage through the shelves. In fact, it can be aesthetically pleasing to open your refrigerator and see your items properly organized and ready for your recipes.

6. Keep meats and cheeses in the deli drawer

Deli Drawers are designed to store perishable items, like meats and cheeses, to help optimize freshness. On many French door refrigerators from KitchenAid brand, this drawer can be used to store party trays and large platters, making them ideal for entertaining. Some KitchenAid^® models come equipped with the Full-Extension Self-Close Custom Temperature-Controlled Pantry Drawer, which features four presets so you can customize temperature for meat/fish, cold drinks, deli/cheese and wine. Enjoy the effortless feel of self-close glides plus full-drawer extension.

Learn more about how to organize a French door refrigerator.

Shop KitchenAid®French door refrigerators

Thinking about a KitchenAid^® French door refrigerator? Select models, such as this KitchenAid^® counter-depth refrigerator, feature the Preserva® Food Care System, which helps keep ingredients fresh and flavorful. This single evaporator system uses sensors to continually monitor temperature levels in both the refrigerator and freezer and adapts the flow of cold air between them to maintain optimal temperatures throughout.

7. Separate fruits and vegetables in high-humidity and low-humidity crisper drawers

Storing vegetables in your fridge can be a little tricky if you’re not familiar with humidity levels. Some crisper drawers are designed with different humidity levels to help preserve freshness and prolong the life of your produce.

High-humidity crisper drawer

As a general rule to organize your refrigerator properly, produce that is thin skinned should be stored at a higher humidity level. So, leafy greens, herbs, broccoli, asparagus, citrus and ethylene-sensitive produce like strawberries should be stored where moisture is higher.

Low-humidity crisper drawer

Ethylene gas is a natural hormone that certain fruits and vegetables release as they ripen. When exposed to other produce, these “ethylene emitters” can hasten rotting, so they need to be stored separately, at lower humidity levels, to help slow the ripening process. Store apples, avocados, pears, melons and stone fruits in the low-humidity drawer.

Shop KitchenAid®refrigerators with the Preserva®Food Care System

Select KitchenAid^® refrigerators feature the Preserva^® Food Care System that has two independent cooling systems—one dedicated to the refrigeration unit to help keep food fresh longer, and a separate one for frozen food.

These models are also equipped with the FreshFlow^™ Air Filter that helps to minimize odors, and the FreshFlow^™ Produce Preserver that helps delay over-ripening.

8. Add drawer liners

The bottoms of crisper drawers can get dirty fast. By simply lining them with absorbent liners, such as paper towels, you can help avoid unpleasant cleaning and spend more time creating. Remember to change the liners out every week or so to help maintain a fresh lining. 

Learn more about refrigerator cleaning tips and best practices.

9. Add storage baskets to wall space

Similar to clear storage bins, using small baskets in your refrigerator can sometimes be an effective organization hack to help maximize space, particularly when it comes to small items.

Instead of having these items disorganized and scattered throughout your shelves, take back control to help prevent waste and arrange your items with simple basket organization—allowing you to spend less time searching and more time focusing on your recipes in the kitchen.

10. Use a revolving tray to organize refrigerator shelves

Avoid rummaging around in the fridge and knocking things over to find that long-lost jar of tapenade. Add a circular, spinning or revolving tray to the front of the shelf so that small jars may be easier to reach. This can also be a handy way to store heavier bottles of oil and vinegar.

11. Hang bagged foods with ring clips

Another refrigerator organization hack to help maximize space is to use binder clips to hang bagged food items from some racks, such as lettuce, kale or shredded cheese. As an added bonus, this simultaneously serves as an effective method to seal opened bags of food as well.

12. Label foods in the fridge and freezer

Get in the habit of labeling everything with dates and names to help keep food organized. This comes in especially handy for foods stored in the freezer.

If you do happen to come across expired food, learn how to try to get rid of odors from your refrigerator.

Now that you know how to organize your refrigerator and maximize space with these tips, you can spend less time shuffling through your fridge and more time focusing on your recipes in the kitchen.

Shop popular KitchenAid®refrigerators

KitchenAid^® refrigerators help store your food and keep it fresh. Select models feature FreshSeal^™ Humidity-Controlled Crisper Bins with FreshSeal^™ gaskets that keep humidity locked in. Others, such as this KitchenAid^® side-by-side refrigerator have Adjustable Spill Resistant Glass Shelves, which are easy to clean and help prevent messes from spilling over into other parts of the refrigerator. The shelf edges are nano-etched with a finely textured surface that helps contain spills, and lets you use the whole shelf from edge to edge.