How to Organise Your Fridge

Take a look inside your fridge. What do you see? Everything in the right place, easy to find?

Or maybe a jumble of raw and cooked foods. A few messy spills. And that inevitable bag of gone-off salad at the back...

If that’s you, you’re not alone.

But a well-organised fridge freezer doesn’t just look good. It will also work better – reducing food waste and your energy bills.

Here’s how to get your fridge freezer sorted in 5 easy steps.

1. Declutter and clean your fridge freezer

Whether you have a big American-style fridge freezer or a smaller under-counter fridge, start by emptying, sorting through and discarding any out-of-date items.

Then give your fridge freezer a thorough clean, following our guide.

2. Store similar foods together on the right shelf

Different areas of your fridge freezer have varying temperatures, so it’s important to store food correctly to maintain freshness and avoid contamination. Here’s a guide to where to place your items:

Top shelves: Store cooked or ready-to-eat meals, including leftovers, here. This area is ideal for items that don’t require further cooking. Always place cooked food above raw food to prevent cross-contamination. Also, be sure to let hot foods cool down before placing them in the fridge.

Middle/lower shelves: These are best for dairy products. For optimal freshness, store milk at the back of the fridge where it’s cooler. You may need to adjust the shelf height to fit larger containers like bottles or cartons.

Bottom shelf: This is the coldest part of the fridge, making it perfect for storing raw meat and fish. Ensure they’re wrapped properly to prevent any leaks or cross-contamination.

Drawers: Keep your fresh produce, such as fruits, vegetables, salads, and herbs, in their original packaging inside the drawers.

In many fridge freezers you can adjust the humidity setting in your fridge’s drawers according to the items you're storing. Use the high humidity setting for leafy greens to prevent moisture loss and keep them fresh.

For produce like apples and avocados, the low humidity setting is best, as it prevents excess moisture and slows spoilage. The setting can be adjusted simply on the drawer with the slide of a switch, so you can easily see the current level, helping keep your food fresher for longer.

Fridge door shelves: The door is the warmest part of your fridge, so store items like juices, condiments, and jams here, as they’re more resilient to slight temperature fluctuations.

 

3. Store food in sealed clear containers or bags

Invest in a set of refrigeration-proof clear containers (and freezer bags) to store food. Label and date the contents as you put them in.

This won’t just make food easier to find. It will also prevent spills and help stabilise your fridge freezer’s temperature by sealing moisture in.

Some fruits and vegetables (eg tomatoes, nectarines and plums) are best kept out of the fridge because the natural ripening gas they release can prematurely ripen and spoil other produce.

4. Don’t overload your fridge freezer

Cramming your fridge freezer with food won’t just make things tricky to find. It will also stop it cooling efficiently as the air can’t move freely around.

To avoid overloading, choose the right capacity fridge freezer for your needs.

If you have a family, a spacious frost-free fridge freezer is ideal – like the Sensis RFCMF0154EW 54.5cm 60/40 Total No Frost Fridge Freezer, which has 280 litres net storage capacity, four tempered glass shelves and three adjustable door balconies. Plus, its 60/40 fridge/freezer split means there’s more than enough fridge space for those weekly family shops.

Love fresh fruit and veg? The Hoover HOCH1T518EWHK 54cm 50/50 Frost Free Fridge Freezer might suit you better with its 50/50 fridge/freezer split and extra-large crisper drawer.

Alternatively, check out our full range of Beko, Blomberg, Bosch, Haier, Hisense, Hoover, LG and Sensis fridge freezers.

 

5. Plan your shopping and meals

Finally, setting aside time to plan shopping and meals can help you maintain a well-organised fridge freezer – by making it easier to check what you’ve got and what needs replacing, avoiding food waste.

It also reduces the temptation to cram your fridge freezer too full (see Tip 4).

This is especially important if you have a small fridge or small fridge freezer.

But even if you have a larger American fridge freezer or additional chest freezer, who doesn’t want to reduce waste and save money on their shopping bill?

If you need help choosing a new product to help you store your fresh and frozen goods, pop in store for advice, or check out our refrigeration range.