Creative Fridge and Pantry Organization Ideas, Straight From the Experts

Original article by Emily Huddleston. Excerpts reposted with permission by Redfin (link to original article).

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your messy fridge? Do you feel like it’s impossible to keep your overstuffed pantry tidy and clean? Well, don’t throw in the towel just yet –  having an organized, insta-worthy kitchen is not too far out of reach. 

The truth is, there isn’t one, correct way to stay organized in your space. It’s about finding and creating systems that work for you and your family. To help get you started, we spoke to professional organizers along with cooking and baking experts from Fort Worth, TX to Washington, DC. They shared their best advice on cleaning out and tidying up your fridge and pantry, including creative ways to solve some of the top kitchen storage problems. Check out what they had to say so you can start creating the organized kitchen of your dreams today. 

6 expert tips for pantry organization

Using shelf dividers to maximize the height of any pantry space. It gives you instant "shelves" to organize your pantry goods. One that I like using is the Container Store's Large Cabinet Shelf which is perfect for double stacking canned goods, pasta, or anything you need. - Tidy Warrior

Try an over-the-door organizer for kids’ snacks. Give kids easy and swift access to their favorite snacks and juice. Taking less than five minutes to install, over-the-door organizers provide pocket storage for light- and medium-weight items. – Neil Edley, Sugar Plum Chocolates

Group similar items together in the pantry. Transparent bins, baskets, and jars work well to store things in categories. Storing items this way uses space efficiently and you know exactly where to find each type of item. – Low Carb Yum

Utilize the corners. I love using a big Lazy Susan in each corner and storing like items on each – cans, condiments, oils/vinegars, etc. – Simply Squared Away

Create an area, generally higher up and out of your ‘prime real-estate’ zone, where unopened products are stored. For example, have the opened boxes of cereal accessible and locate the new/unopened boxes higher up. The same rules apply for crackers, potato chips, cookies, etc. – Time 4 Order

Take advantage of labeling. If you’re going to do one thing in your pantry, we recommend labeling. First (and most obvious) labels tell your family and guests where to find products, but more importantly, they indicate where to put them back; thus creating a self-sustaining solution! Labeled areas can also make it easier to determine when you need to replenish your inventory. – Tidy Nest

10 expert tips for fridge organization 

First, take inventory.  Condiments take up a lot of space, so avoid buying doubles which contribute to clutter. Store all your condiments in the doors as this is the warmest part of the refrigerator.  Upper shelves should contain prepared foods, drinks, and ready-to-eat foods.  Lower shelves should house raw ingredients. – Sorted

Tailor the organizing of your fridge to your specific needs.  Food items you frequently access should be in the front of your refrigerator or in the door. Also, using pull-out plastic refrigerator bins allows easier access to items in the back of your refrigerator. – Shirley Collins, My Little Organizer

Organize your fridge with clear plastic bins. My bins include a place for condiments, dairy products, and meat. I also use a clear can organizer for sparkling water or soda and a clear egg organizing bin. I love that the whole family knows where to put things and everything is really easy to see. – Keto Karma

Store cut-up vegetables like carrots and celery in water to maintain freshness for up to a week. You can cut them into sticks for easy snacking or chop them up small so you can cook with them in the future. A large mason jar works great for this. – Minimalista Organizing 

Remember, not every vegetable or fruit needs to be stored in the fridge. This includes bananas, tomatoes, onions, and more. Knowing this saves more space in the fridge. – Tidylosophy

Organize on a shop day. There is no use organizing your fridge on a day it is empty, it will just become overrun again the first time you hit the store. Make sure you are organizing your fridge and setting up a system that works when it is fully stocked. – Rachel Rosenthal

Make your grocery or trash day the time to discard expired and unused items. This will keep your fridge fresh and clean. – A Lifestyle Organizer

Adjust your fridge shelves to maximize your storage space based on your needs. This makes it so much easier to store and access items and frees up space for other essentials. – Chelsweets

Set up snack and lunch stations at a height that is easily accessible for little ones to reach.  Keeping healthy items, such as carrots with ranch and premade guacamole make it simple to grab and go when you’re in a hurry. A little planning with intent makes a week well spent. – LESS Luxury Home Organization

Keep your fridge organized by creating zones for each type of food. Produce and cheese in their respective drawers, large beverages along with condiments and dressings should go in the doors, and leftovers should be kept on a shelf and preferably in stacking glass containers. You can group smaller items like jars and sauces into long, narrow plastic bins that sit on the shelves. – CW Home