The Best Way To Create Space For Large Items In Your Fridge Is Effortless

When your fridge starts to look more like a chaotic puzzle than a well-organized cooling appliance, it becomes a challenge to find space for new food items. While limited space can improve efficiency by stopping your fridge from working too hard, it can also lead to wasted produce if you can't store fresh vegetables, dairy, and other ingredients. The best way to remedy this is to create space for large items first, so you can have sufficient room for the smaller ones. By adjusting the shelving inside your fridge, you can accommodate items like a party platter, a tall pitcher, or an oversized takeout box. Then, the remaining spaces will be useful for medium to small items.

Most modern refrigerators are designed with adjustable shelving that can slide, move up and down, or even be removed completely. Take advantage of this feature when organizing your fridge. By moving these shelves around, you are customizing the interior space of the fridge for all your groceries and not just forcing every bit into the default layout. Perhaps you need extra vertical space for bottled beverages this week, but then you'll need room for the large cake box next week. The beauty of this hack is that you can modify it every time you need to introduce new items to your fridge for storage. No more playing Tetris when you have leftovers, and no more squishing delicate produce just to squeeze in a new carton of milk.

While moving shelves around may be the easiest way to clear up space in the fridge, you can take your fridge organization to the next level by understanding how your appliance works and creating zones for different types of food items. Knowing where the coldest part of your fridge is and the areas that are not as cold helps establish zones. Designate one zone for each food type. For instance, put dairy and raw meat or poultry that is being thawed in the coldest zone, which is usually the bottom shelf. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be tucked in the crisper drawers, while the kids' snacks should also have their own designated area. The leftovers should rest on the top shelf.

By moving around the shelves and organizing your refrigerator into zones, it becomes easier for everyone in the household to know exactly where to grab the next time they open the fridge. This cuts down the time spent on rummaging around for a treat and prevents certain food items and drinks from getting lost in the back. To further enhance this setup, use containers or organizers like a lazy Susan for the condiments and unsealed jars. Of course, don't forget to keep your fridge clean, so it doesn't just look organized, it also smells fresh and feels immaculate. We suggest wiping down the shelves and walls each time you rearrange the configuration inside.