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Refrigerator Organization & Storage Ideas {Hall Of Fame Part 1}

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Lots of people took the refrigerator organization challenge here on the site, and below is the first part of the hall of fame showing how these participants organized their cold food storage.


Organizing Refrigerator & Freezer Challenge
I've focused on fridge pictures for this hall of fame, although the challenge was for both the fridge and freezer.

If what you see inspires you, or gets you motivated to clean out and organize these large appliances, you can follow along with Week #4 of the Challenge, which has step by step instructions for how to proceed.

Of course, also make sure you're safely storing everything in your fridge by studying this refrigerator storage chart to make sure you're placing everything in the right spots.

In addition, when you do the work for this week make sure to take before and after pictures, and then you too can submit them to get featured in the Home Organization Hall of Fame.

So, without further ado, please scroll down to see Part 1 of the Hall of Fame, and enjoy the before and after pictures!

(Oh, and if you're looking for before and after pictures for these ladies freezers that I mention, I've moved them all to their own page here.)

Photo by PV KS

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Organized Refrigerator With Baskets To Keep Like Items Together In Zones

after

after

Lee-Anne from Life In A Peanut Free Shell shared her before and after pics when she did this challenge.

She explained: "I used bins from Dollarama to keep 'like' and often used items together, and then used them to create 'zones' in the fridge."

She's got zones for dairy items, a designated spot for leftovers, a place for husband's lunches, a bin devoted to sandwich stuff (I personally think that one is genius!) and even has a spot for snacks her kids can get to when they want.

She went on to say that "the bins are great ā€“ just grab a bin when making a sandwich and all your spreads are there ā€“ no more searching the fridge for that little jar of strawberry jam!"



Area In Fridge For Lunch:

A reader, Mary Beth, wrote in to say: "The idea to designate an area in the fridge for lunch is a good one.

I bought one of those acrylic containers so everything I pack is in there, 'corraled' and all I do is pull it out and boom, ready to pack. Thanks for writing all the great tips!"

Here's another picture, this one sent in by a reader, Janice, who also uses the containers for organizing her refrigerator. She said, "I bought plastic bins and a soda and water organizer. I removed everything, threw away old foods and reorganized the entire area. Makes me smile when I open it. :) "

Use containers for refrigerator organization {featured on Home Storage Solutions 101}


You can find acrylic containers for your refrigerator like the ones Janice uses here:

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Added Shelf Liner To Make Fridge Look Pretty And Help With Spills

Add non-adhesive shelf liners to your refrigerator to help with spills and make it look pretty {featured on Home Storage Solutions 101}


A reader, Jeanette, showed this picture of her fridge after the challenge. She explained, "Cleaned, organized and added fridge coasters." She went on to explain she had added "non adhesive shelf liner. I just cut it to size to fit the shelves."

You can get the same type of shelf liner that Jeanette used here, called Smooth Top Easy Liner. It is available in quite a few colors and patterns.



A similar idea was also shown by another reader, Libby, who instead of using shelf liners added placemats to her refrigerator shelves.

Add placemats to your refrigerator shelves to catch spills and messes more easily {featured on Home Storage Solutions 101}

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Refrigerator Organization After Pictures: Organizing The Door And Fridge

Organized refrigerator

Organized refrigerator

Kelli worked on several of the weeks of the challenges all at once, and shared the "after" pictures, which you can see above.

I love how she's used uniform size and shaped Tupperware in her fridge to help it look organized, and the square shape (which I recommend more than the rounded shape) is easier to group together without lost space.

Here's another after photo showing both organizing the main body of the fridge and the doors, shown by another reader, Olga.

Organized refrigerator, including both the interior and doors {featured on Home Storage Solutions 101}


And another reader, Sarah, sent in photos of how she used glass jars to organize, instead of relying on plastic baskets or containers as many people do. She said, "Gave my fridge a makeover and thought others might like to see it! My family has eaten more fruit in the last 2 days than they usually do in a month!"

Containerize your refrigerator using glass jars to hold produce {featured on Home Storage Solutions 101}

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Took The Opportunity To Do A Deep Cleaning While I Was At It!

by Ferris @ The Hamman Family Blog

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after

Ferris from The Hamman Family Blog shared her before, middle and after pictures when she tackled this challenge.

When she did it she not only threw out old food but in addition she cleaned it all up.

She took all the stuff off the door and washed that down, then put the stuff back and took out all the shelves and drawers (see the middle of the process pictures) and cleaned everything before putting back and organizing what wasn't thrown out.

What a great job you did Ferris! Awesome work!

If you want to clean yours as well here are my instructions for cleaning your refrigerator on the sister site, Stain Removal 101.

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Organized Refrigerator From Around The World

by Wendysinfamilie.blogg.no

I am so excited that the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge is not only catching on here in my country, the USA, but all over the world.

Here's another foreign language blog, Wendsinfamilie.blogg.no where a reader has joined the challenge. {Edited to add, this blog has now been taken down.}

I love all her great pictures of her organized refrigerator! Plus, notice her wine or bottle rack within the refrigerator itself. Love that!

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Freezer And Refrigerator Organization - Inside And Out

by Bec @ 2012 - the year of challenges
(Adelaide, Australia)

after

after

Bec from 2012 - the year of challenges worked on the inside and out of this appliance.

Declutter refrigerator front and top hall of fame
I've added just the fridge pictures here, but I've featured the rest on other pages of the site.

Remember, for example that part of this challenge is to also clear off the front and top of this appliance.

She said, "This was the hardest bit. Lots of half empty containers and once all the food was out the shelves are so so dirty. I actually found there was quite a lot of space in my fridge after I organised a bit."

Great job Bec!

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Freezer And Refrigerator Organization: Before And After Pictures

by Crystal @ Crystal's Ramblings

after

after

Crystal from Crystal's Ramblings blogged about her results when she tackled this week's organizational mission.

She shared her before and after pictures for both sides of this appliance. I've shared the fridge pictures here, and the freezer ones on a separate hall of fame page.

I have to say, it looks pretty good! I loved that she waited to do this week's challenge right before trash day, so she could easily throw out any old food and not have it sit in her trash too long before it was carted away. Smart thinking Crystal!

In addition, she explained: "I did organize all the dressings together, jellies/jams, etc. All of the veggies are in one drawer, meats in another, etc."

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.

Organising My Fridge and Freezer (Part 1 from Pauline)

by Pauline
(Millmerran, Queensland, Australia)

Labels

Labels

Pauline shared her pictures of her freezer and refrigerator organization project in two parts (and the freezer is on a different page).

Pauline says:

I spent the day in the kitchen working on the fridge - which didn't need too much.

It gets out of control pretty easily because my hubby does most of the cooking and I do most of the organising.

The freezer was another story. Thanks for challenging me to get to this one!

Taylor says:

Pauline, I can tell from your pictures that you did a great job!

I especially love how you labeled some of the shelves, on both the door of the refrigerator and in the main refrigerator compartment to help you and anyone else know where things are supposed to go.

It really does take the guess work out of where to put stuff, and such a simple touch can really make the difference in keeping it organized too. Great job!

Here's another photo, from another reader, Rhonda, who also decided to label some of the shelves in her refrigerator. She said, "Trying to train men to return items. Not too much is it?"

Add labels for better refrigerator organization, and to help everyone remember where things go {featured on Home Storage Solutions 101}


Are You Inspired To Get Organized Now?

organized home challenge
I hope these before and after pictures have inspired you to tackle your own kitchen now.

If so, I encourage you to join the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge where over the course of the year we tackle each room and area of your home, plus all the big problem areas, so that you can have a decluttered and organized living space.

Plus, if you do this week's challenge then show your before and after pics and I'll add the best ones to the hall of fame.

You can submit your hall of fame submissions here.

You can also see even more organized refrigerator hall of fame photos here!


Real life refrigerator organization and storage ideas {on Home Storage Solutions 101}use this Pin it button to save to Pinterest

Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase a product through them I receive a small commission which helps me provide this information to you for free, plus support my family. My integrity and your satisfaction are very important to me so I only recommend products I would purchase myself, and that I believe would benefit you. To learn more please see my disclosure statement.

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Getting Rid Of Food & Pantry Clutter Hall Of Fame

Refrigerated Food Storage Guidelines {Printable Cheat Sheet}

Go From Refrigerator Organization Hall Of Fame {Part 1} To Home Page

Comments for Organising My Fridge and Freezer (Part 1 from Pauline)

Click here to add your own comments

progress this week
by: Kimbre Bellhouse

I managed to get all of my inventory lists filled in and put everything for the most part in proper Tupperware containers. Freezer in freezer mate and the fridge in fridge smart containers and/or Crystalwave and vent-n-serve re-heatable containers.

suggestion for condiments
by: Christine

Lazy Susan turntables are great for condiments.

I use bins for the small stuff
by: Susan

I have ice cube bins from old refrigerators (as I have an ice maker) and the transparent egg bin that came with my refrigerator that I do not use. They're perfect for storing little items in the refrigerator together.

line shelves for easy clean up
by: Zola

Line your shelves with Press N Seal plasticwrap, makes for very easy clean up!

designated spots for each item
by: Amelia

For years I have had specific spot in the refrig for milk, eggs, mayo as well as other things. This puts the looking for items to zero and saves time prepping. Everyone in the house puts specific items back where their spot is always.

took picture of how I wanted it for others to know
by: Anne

I have 4 teenage boys in the house, so what I did was after I organized, I took pictures and posted a sign on the door to let them see how I want the fridge to look. So far, so good.

Fridge freezer labels
by: Monique

I have made label for my fridge/freezer and laminated them. I've used various adhesives to adhere them but they keep falling off. Has anyone got any tips on what I could try? It needs to be able to be removable so I can change thing around at a later date if I want or need to. Thank you! :)

I use baskets too!
by: Corrine

I started employing this technique a couple years ago and it has proven priceless to not losing things to become science projects by being buried in the back (plus it is easier to take out a basket to grab a bottle rather than remove everything on the shelf). I took it a step further by labeling the baskets to help quickly find things and to provide my son an easy way of finding his snack basket (anything in his basket is fair game for him to eat- cheese sticks, veggie sticks, yogurt, and other assorted snack items). Plus, when something unexpectedly leaks it is contained and much easier cleanup.

Lazy Susans
by: Cheryl

I have two Lazy Susan's in my fridge. It REALLY helps find some of the things we don't use very often, like jelly.

Storage Bins
by: Amy

I get a lot of bins all sizes from Dollar Tree and Walmart. One thing I saw on Pinterest was a square bin with handle. One side is long and the other side is 2 bins. You use this especially for children to organize food like snacks, fast food where burger in one, drink in one, and fries/onion rings in one. Fits nicely on lap. You can also use for art supplies and paper so nothing rolls around and then on a hot day you find a melted crayon on seat or floor under seat. When you get a new dishwasher don't discard the old silverware bin or other bins. If still good shape use for art supplies, in fridge, pantry, school supplies, in car or medicine cabinet.

Water Bottles
by: Michael

Iā€™m in desperate need of how to store 16 and tall, thin 17 Oz. Water bottles in my fridge. Does anyone know if they make those roll out storage containers for soda cans for odd shaped water bottles as well?

If not, any ideas?

Michael Re Water Bottles
by: Robbyn

In order to corral all our water bottles so they don't fall over in the fridge I'm using a used baby wipes container. It now hold 8 of the 16 oz sized water bottles. Hope this helps. I'm still looking for a larger container myself as we use the bottled water (we have well water which is too much iron in it) and mix up the sugar free drink mixes in them for a quick beverage. I tend to drink more water because of this.

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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 52 Week Home Organization Challenge Hall Of Fame.


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