HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR FRENCH DOOR REFRIGERATOR

Having a French-door fridge can be a great asset to your kitchen. Regardless of which brand you have, learning how to properly organize it can help you make the most out of this appliance. In this article, we will provide helpful tips on how to keep your French door refrigerator neat and tidy. We’ll also discuss the importance of labeling food items and organizing shelves for easy access.

But first things first. You will need to remove everything from your fridge, throw away any foods with past expiration dates, and clean everything inside. Remove all of the shelves and storage bins and clean those areas you can’t see. There is nothing like organizing a beautifully shiny, clean refrigerator.

Now, I can tell you how to organize your fridge, but you have to keep in mind that everyone is different. People eat different types of food, some may have kids, and others not. So, please remember to think about how you use your fridge and make any adjustments as needed to make it work for you and your family.

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what to store on the Refrigerator door

The refrigerator door is a great storage spot that can help you organize your food items while saving space. The most important items to store on the fridge door are condiments, sauces, and salad dressings.

These are items used often and should be within easy reach. Place bottles of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and other sauces in the door pockets. This way they will always be near when needed without taking up valuable shelf space inside the fridge.

If you’re a soda drinker, have kid’s drinks, or bottles of water, and have the door space, then keeping these items on the door is also a good idea for convenience.

items to store on the Top shelf of your fridge

The upper shelves of your refrigerator are a great place to store some items that don’t necessarily need to be used every day but need to stay cold. Here are some of the items you may want to consider storing on the top shelf:

You can safely store leftovers in airtight containers on this shelf, as long as they are covered tightly so you don’t contaminate other foods below them.

And store items that you don’t need access to on a regular basis. These items may include some condiments, extra beverages, and of course your baking soda.

items to store on the Middle shelf of your fridge

The middle shelves of your refrigerator should be used for items that you need to access frequently. You can also store leftovers on the middle shelves so that they are easy to grab when needed.

It’s a great idea to store precooked meats in this area of your fridge, too. Just remember to have them in a sealed container.

Additionally, drinks like juices, sodas, and flavored waters can be stored on the middle shelves since they tend to be items you access more often than not.

To keep these items organized, you can use small bins to separate the different categories of food items within each shelf. For example, beverages, snacks, condiments, etc.

what items to store on the Bottom shelf

Cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products should be kept on the lower shelves of your refrigerator. This helps keep them away from heat sources that could cause spoilage while providing easier access to them.

Raw meats should be stored on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. This is because any leakage from raw meat will not contaminate other food items in the fridge and also helps prevent cross-contamination. Even better, put the meat onto a tray or in a bin to prevent spills.

When storing raw meats, make sure to wrap them properly with plastic or foil before placing them in the refrigerator. Make sure all packages are sealed tightly so no bacteria can enter or escape and never store cooked and uncooked meats together as this can increase the risk of foodborne illness.

how to organize your Crisper drawers

The crisper drawer is the perfect place to store fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens since it keeps them fresher for longer due to its humidity control.

To make the most of your bottom drawer or crisper drawers separate your fresh produce by keeping fruit in one drawer and vegetables in the other one. The trick is not to overpack it because having too much stuff crammed in can keep air from circulating around all of your produce, resulting in more food waste.

Make sure you move things around to ensure even circulation throughout both drawers. Any unused space should be filled with a damp paper towel so that moisture doesn’t escape and cause dryness. Lastly, don’t forget to cover any pre-cut fruits or veggies before storing them away!

Separate smaller fruits and veggies by storing them in clear fruit/veggie storage containers. This makes it easier to grab and go when you are hungry and keeps everything looking neat and organized.

what to keep in your Deli drawer

When organizing your deli drawer in your French door refrigerator, it’s important to keep all items labeled and grouped together. This will help you quickly identify what’s in the drawer and make finding ingredients quick and easy.

Start by grouping similar items together like deli meat, cheeses, sandwiches/wraps/rolls, condiments/spreads. Use small stackable containers or clear plastic bags to store smaller items like olives, pickles or spreads. You can also use mason jars for larger items like jams and jellies.

Don’t have a deli drawer? Try these.

utilizing the Back of the fridge

The back of the fridge is the coldest part of the fridge, and it can be used to store items that you don’t use often. Consider stocking your refrigerator with perishables such as eggs, dairy products, meats, fish, and poultry in the back of the shelves. This will keep them fresh for a longer period of time due to cooler temperatures.

Other items that can be stored in the back of the refrigerator include condiments like ketchup and mustard, as well as pickles or olives. It’s also a great place to store leftovers if you want them to stay fresh longer. Arrange items by keeping the taller items in the way back so you can easily find things.

Keep your less frequently used ingredients such as dried herbs and spices here too. If you are not going to use them within a few days, put them in an herb-saver container and store them in the back of your fridge where it’s colder so they won’t spoil quickly.

You should also consider storing any prepared foods or sauces in this area which helps keep their flavors intact for longer periods of time since they won’t have contact with warm air from other parts of the appliance.

Finally, drinks such as beer or sparkling water can also be stored here since they do not require refrigeration but benefit from being kept in a cold environment for optimal flavor and shelf life.

how to organize your french door fridge to make it pretty

For smaller items such as cans of soda or cheese sticks, for example, use glass containers or clear plastic bins to hold them together. Not only will this keep the fridge looking cleaner but it will be easier to access what you need.  This is a great stackable soda can organizer.

Try using lazy Susans to hold small items that can stand up like jars and cans. A quick spin of the tray and you can see exactly what you have on hand. 

Stackable bins will be your best friend for leftovers. I only use clear bins so I can see right away what I have and I don’t have to make labels

These are my favorite…they are hard clear plastic with great airtight lids that can be used in the micro, dishwasher, and freezer, and are PBA-free. Plus they will come in really handy for Thanksgiving leftovers!  Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage containers

Labeling your foods

Labeling foods in your refrigerator is a great way to keep them organized, make it easier to find items, and identify old foods. An inexpensive label maker can make your life much easier.

Try using removable labels to label shelves and drawers. This will help you quickly identify what goes where after your next shopping trip, so you can easily keep up with the organizing.

You can also label clear plastic bins of food which makes it easy to identify items quickly without having to stand there with the fridge door open wasting energy. Labeling is perfect for leftovers, especially if you don’t have clear bins. Make sure your labels are removable.

Consider labeling children’s snacks and drink containers. You could even label them according to different snack times such as “after school” or “breakfast”.

Here are a few of my best tips to keep in mind:

Before you replace the shelves and bins take a look at what you have to go back into the fridge. Think about what you use most often and plan to have these items front and center.  

If you have kids maybe you will want to keep foods that they enjoy on a lower shelf so they can easily reach them.  Once you decide where they should go re-install your adjustable shelves to fit the height of the items.

When replacing your foods or when adding new groceries, remember to put the old food items in the front. I can’t tell you how many things I throw away because I used the new item before the one I already had. So, if you have multiples of something like “yogurt”, then put the ones with a closer expiration date in front and work your way backward.

And finally, if you are on a diet or require special foods try and keep them all together in the fridge to reduce the temptation of looking around all the shelves for something to eat.

Organizing your French Door refrigerator will not only make things easier to find, help you with writing your grocery list, and keep your kids safe and healthy, but it will also look amazing!