Favorite Ways to Easily Keep Your Fridge & Freezer Organized

Fridge & freezer organization makes a massive impact in the self-sufficient kitchen. Hands down, these areas are likely where the bulk of our food is stored. Especially if you’re just stepping into food preservation at home. And organization itself is one of the cornerstones of a functional & efficient kitchen. The order (or lack thereof) in these essential appliances will streamline meal prep, simplify grocery shopping & increase the good vibes you feel being in the kitchen. So, I want to share some easy & practical ways to transform your fridge & freezer into things of organized beauty.

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Do you know the feeling of thinking of something in your freezer and being able to visualize exactly where it is? That’s the power of a well-organized freezer!

Always being able to find exactly what you need because it’s just where you expect it to be. With a few simple strategies & some smart storage solutions, you’ll have control over these spaces in no time. And I really mean, no time.

This exercise is meant to help you maximize space so whether you have a tiny fridge or not, you can optimize for freshness and keep food accessible.

Here’s Why Fridge & Freezer Organization is So Important

It’s important to keep your refrigerator & freezer spaces organized for several reasons.

The biggest of which is wasted resources. In the self-sufficient kitchen, space & time are valuable commodities. So anything that imposes a risk of wasting either is a major liability.

But here are a few others:

Preserves Freshness. Besides looking gorgeous, proper fridge & freezer storage helps preserve the freshness of ingredients. This means your fruits, vegetables, meats & dairy products stay crisp, flavorful, vibrant & delicious for longer. And while a homemade meal might be quite simple – like just eggs & potatoes sometimes – it tastes insanely better when the quality of the food is high.
(Btw, I have been loving this lately. Whipping up some homemade mashed potatoes with a couple of lightly fried eggs. Leave the yolks just a lil runny & they give such a creaminess to the potatoes. On top of the butter. Try it!)

Supports Meal Planning. It can be difficult enough trying to think of what’s for dinner (or lunch, or breakfast or anything else). Must it also be difficult to read through everything you have too? Not at all! Having a well-organized fridge & freezer gives you a clear overview of what you have at-a-glance. I love it. This level of insight makes meal planning & preparation more efficient too. So, even if you’re a beginner, you can easily plan meals around what you have on hand, saving you time & reducing the need for last-minute grocery trips (so also saving you money).

Encourages Cooking from Scratch. This is a big one because when you’re trying to live self-sufficiently from your kitchen you inevitably will be cooking more & relying on food to be there to cook. When ingredients are properly stored & easy to reach, you’re more inclined to experiment with cooking from scratch. Somehow, just knowing fresh produce or quality proteins & other essentials are readily available encourages creativity in the kitchen. If you don’t have to think about it – “Do I have this or that?” – you’re more likely to step in the kitchen & get going.

Tips for Organizing the Fridge & Optimizing the Freezer Space

Categorize / Group like items: In both your refrigerator & your freezer, group similar items together like dairy products, fresh produce, condiments or meats, frozen veg & meals. This simple step makes it easier to locate ingredients & prevents them from getting lost in the shuffle. Once again, remember “If it’s out of sight…” Keep it in sight!

Use clear organizers or storage bins & labels: If you’re the boxy type organizer like me, a couple well-placed organizers will maximize shelf space while keeping things nice & neat. Stackable bins are perfect for storing smaller things like snacks, while lazy Susans are great for condiments & sauces. Plus, moving them out of the door frees up space to fill said door with yummy ferments! Whatdayaknow about that?

Clean & declutter regularly: Make it a habit to clean & declutter your fridge routinely. This is one of several kitchen management systems that are important to the flow of the self-sufficient kitchen. Your systems are the checks & balances here. Remove expired items, wipe down your shelves & drawers and check for any spills or leaks. A clean fridge & freezer not only looks really good, but it also is better for freshness. And while you’re cleaning, rotate your items using first in, first out (FIFO) method. That way older food is used before newer food.

All of these strategies are simple, but effective. So imagine the compound effect!

Maximizing Space & Efficiency In Your Fridge & Freezer Organization

So, you’ve organized your fridge & freezer to optimize cooking from scratch or to reduce food waste. But what about if you need to maximize space?

This is what you try.

Arrange items strategically: Keep your most frequently used items within easy reach. Lesser used items towards the back.

Use vertical space with stackable containers or shelves. Listen lovely, you start seeing all kinds of space when you take advantage of vertical space. And tools like stackable containers or shelves make it easy to create additional storage tiers. So then not only will you open up a place to store items neatly on top of each other, you won’t have wasted valuable space.

Ok, one more.

Consider drawer dividers or trays. You know, the ones you see in the Dollar Tree or Target dollar bin section. These nifty little devices aren’t just for silverware. They help block off, or compartmentalize the space into drawers so you can really optimize your fridge & freezer organization. You can use these to keep items neatly separated & easy to access. But you can also use dividers to create specific sections for different types of foods, such as fruits, vegetables & meats. And Is there anything cooler than using a magazine rack to store your frozen vacuum sealed meals??

Last Tips for Organization

1. Regularly check expiration dates

Don’t just think of the food type or container sizes when it comes to your fridge & freezer organization. Keep an eye on the best by/expiration dates too. Doing so allows you to plan meals around what needs using. If something is approaching it’s best buy date, shift it from “use/use now” to a “preserve now” category, especially if you don’t think you’ll be able to get to it. This is when it’s helpful to know how you like to preserve certain foods. And here’s how to make a plan to preserve food at home.

2. Include family members with your organization

Let the rest of your family in the house know what your system is! Train your child/ren to organize the fridge & freezer when they put away food or leftovers. This doesn’t just keep things organized & efficient. It passes on the knowledge of how to keep a self-sufficient kitchen running smooth like butter. The things you didn’t know but are learning & trying now will be the level the next generation starts out on.

3. Manage leftovers effectively

Other than eating them, here’s a couple tips on leftovers.

• Plan your meals with leftovers in mind. This means planning to cook meals you can double. A little for now, a little for later. Also consider dishes you can repurpose into a new meal. For example, roast a whole chicken on Sunday then use the leftover meat in sliders, soup, salads, or pasta that week.
• Store leftovers properly. Use durable, good quality storage containers that are airtight & microwave-safe if you use a microwave. Personally, I love storing in glass because I can reheat indirectly on the stove in some simmering water if necessary. Or, if you’ve made a double batch of something specifically for leftovers, vacuum seal it for freezer storage. And don’t forget to label it!!

So there you have it. Once you optimize your fridge & freezer organization, you’re on your way to a well-functioning self-sufficient kitchen! With a little effort, consistency & fine-tuning, you’ll have a brand new space for your cold-storage items. Yours doesn’t have to be Pinterest-worthy, it just needs to be good eatin’ food-worthy.

You’ve got this lovely!