17 Hacks To Keep Your Fridge Exceptionally Clean & Organised

17 Hacks To Keep Your Fridge Exceptionally Clean & Organised

There's nothing worse than a foul-smelling, disorganised fridge when you're hungry and in search of snacks! Here are my 17 top tips on how to keep your fridge fresh and tidy...

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1. Golden rule - be smart about how you store your food

Pic: Squawkfox
Visit Squawkfox for more fabulous frugal tips.

Keep this handy and informative guide to keeping a clean and organised fridge - on your fridge! It tells you where to put certain foods and how to keep produce and perishables as fresh as possible. A great little reference guide.

2. Organise your fridge using storage boxes

Pic: Goodbye House Hello Home
Bravo Goodbye House Hello Home - the tidiest fridge I've ever seen!

Most fridges come with drawers for your fruit and vegetables, but don't be afraid to stock up on more. It makes organisational sense to keep certain items together in boxes so you know where everything is. Take inspiration from this immaculate-looking fridge from Goodbye House Hello Home.

3. Don't forget to label your storage boxes

Pic: Organizing Home Life.
Love these labels from Organizing Home Life.

If you've decided to use extra storage boxes in your fridge make sure you label them clearly so you and everyone else in your home know where everything lives. Not only does it make putting things away easier, but you'll be able to find things a lot quicker. Perfect for those late night fridge raids!

4. Label the shelves in your fridge too

Screen Shot 2016-08-11 at 15.55.27
Screen Shot 2016-08-11 at 15.55.35

You can also label your shelves in the fridge and on the doors for when you can't label a storage box. Use a label maker or stick the letters on like Organizing Made Fun have here - it looks so pretty!

5. Line your shelves for spillage protection

Pic: Raising Up Rubies.
So pretty and practical, Raising Up Rubies.

Make like Jaime from Raising Up Rubies and simplify your kitchen by lining your fridge shelves with placemats or liners. You can cut them down to size then take them out for a wash and soak when they need it. Liners help keep your shelves nice and clean and provide added protection from spills and leaks.

6. Use six-pack holders to organise your door shelves

Pic: Reddit
A nifty idea from a Reddit user.

Keep those beer bottle holders and use them to organise your drinks, bottles and even condiments. It'll also help keep your fridge cleaner for longer. You can always chuck them in the recycling bin when they get a bit soggy or dirty.

7. Vacuum clean your fridge - seriously!

Grab your slim tube attachment and give it a quick clean with a baby wipe or disinfectant before hoovering up any hard to reach areas. Try not to suck up any whole bits of food as this may prove problematic if your food starts to go off in the hoover! Suck up any dried leaves, crumbs and dirt from those hard-to-reach areas.

8. Invest in a Bacon Fresh Pod for raw & cold meats

Find it on Amazon.
A must-buy for bacon lovers.

Open packets of raw meat and cold cuts are not only unhygienic but can make your fridge smell pretty bad. Keep everything airtight and away from other foods by investing in a Bacon Fresh Pod or similar slim food containers from Amazon.

9. Use a bulldog clip to keep bottles in place

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Stop bottles of beer and wine from rolling across the shelves by clipping a bulldog clip to the side. It'll stop the bottles from sliding and help keep them neatly stack up.

10. Make a fridge triage box to stop wastage

Pic: Clossette
A brilliant hack from Clossette.

Keep a clearly-labelled shoe box in your fridge for any perishable items that 0nly have a day or two left before they expires. It acts as a great reminder and your older produce won't get 'lost' amongst the newer items. For more ideas like this check out my 17 genius ways to use everyday items to organise your kitchen.

11. Keep a box of Bicarbonate of Soda in your fridge to soak up smells

Pic: Living So Abundantly.
Pic: Living So Abundantly.

Bicarbonate of Soda is an expert odor absorber. Keep an opened box or a small cup of the white stuff in your fridge to soak up any bad whiffs and smells. Change it every month and add a few drops of lemon extract for a fresh citrus burst whenever you open the fridge.

12. Use baby wipes for a non-fuss way to clean your fridge

If you're in a hurry, grab a baby wipe and give your fridge a quick wipe down. They are particularly good at picking up crumbs and food debris while giving plastic and glass a nice shiny finish. Use them to clean not only the inside but the outside too - they work exceptionally well on chrome! For more unexpected uses for baby wipes check out my article.

13. Organise bottles with a Lazy Susan

Pic: Appliances Online
Labels AND Lazy Susans at Appliances Online.

Keep plastic Lazy Susans on your top shelf to help arrange your bottles and condiments. Not only will they provide easy access to lots of items, but it'll make cleaning any spills and leaks a heck of a lot easier.

14. Clean shelves and drawers in the dishwasher

If you're lucky enough to own a dishwasher, remove the shelves and drawers from your fridge and stick them in for a hot cycle. They'll be cleaner than ever before and really doesn't require any effort on your part! Check out these 21 things you didn't know you could clean in the dishwasher for more no-fuss cleaning ideas.

15. Use Bicarbonate of Soda to clean your fridge

Avoid contaminating your food with cleaning products, and use Bicarbonate of Soda instead. Using a soft sponge, wipe down all the surfaces with a solution of 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons of BoS. Use water to rinse then wipe clean with a tea towel or kitchen roll. Bicarbonate of Soda is all all-around multitasker in the home, find out how you can clean your entire home with just one pot.

16. Invest in these preserving liners for your fruit & veggie drawers

Screen Shot 2016-08-11 at 16.26.59

These absorbent liners help prevent your fruit from spoiling and bruising, and keep vegetables crisp. The fridge stays cleaner too, as they are completely washable. These liners from Amazon absorb up to 3 times its weight in moisture, helping your fridge stay clean and your food fresher for longer.

 17. Label opened foods with masking tape

Genius.
Genius!

Keep a roll of masking tape and a marker attached to your fridge so you can quick mark the date on perishable items - no more gone off houmous pots or dips! If you can keep a better eye on the foods in yoru fridge that are expiring, you'll keep a cleaner fresher fridge. Easy.

Thanks for reading! If you have any fridge tips of your own please feel free to comment. I'd love to hear them.

Anushka F

Editor

A keen money-saver and fan of all things natural, Anushka enjoys making her own beauty products and is partial to a bit of crafting. Never short of a clever tip or two, she's always looking for new ways to make her money go even further.

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  1. Author Debbie on August 22, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    I'm going to organise my fridge, I've left it far too long, I hope there are no nasty bits, and no obnoxious pong, in fact it's quite an easy job, once I settle to it, and I really wonder why I took so long to do it ... Out with the useful labels, and boxes, for it's wise to know where all the contents are, to plan and organise ... well, that didn't take too long, and now my fridge is fine, with one box labelled 'chocolate mousse', another labelled 'wine'!!!

    1. Author Anushka F on August 25, 2016 at 9:25 am

      What a fabulous ode to the fridge! Love it Debbie, keep them coming...

    Reply
  2. Author SUSAN J WARD on August 22, 2016 at 3:25 pm

    Just cleaned my fridge out after being inspired by your article and now with left over jam and Jus roll pastry I am going to make some jam tarts just right with a cup of tea for my husband when he comes back from tiling our son's renovated property- he will be surprised!

    1. Author Anushka F on August 25, 2016 at 9:25 am

      Oh that sounds lovely Susan! Now I would quite like a jam tart. Happy to hear you've been inspired by my article, I'll be doing the same this bank holiday weekend.

    Reply
  3. Author Gwen on August 22, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    Very interesting

    1. Author Anushka F on August 25, 2016 at 9:24 am

      Thanks Gwen!

    Reply
  4. Author Ravin on September 4, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    Another way to get rid of a bad smell in the fridge: charcoal. Just put a couple of pieces in a bowl, place anywhere in the fridge and the smell will soon be absorbed and banished!

    1. Author Anushka F on September 7, 2016 at 9:39 am

      Wow that's an interesting tip, I've never heard of that before. I'll try it out!

    Reply
  5. Author R on July 3, 2017 at 1:48 pm

    Putting too many storage boxes messes with the airflow and cooling, making your fridge work harder. Using more energy and extra pressure on the motor.

    1. Author Stephanie C on July 4, 2017 at 9:17 am

      Hi Rose. This is a good point - we like to think it's about getting the balance right :)

    Reply
  6. Author J cool on May 30, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    I line the bottom of my fridge with puppy training pads. Works great.

    1. Author Joanne A on May 30, 2019 at 12:39 pm

      Great idea!

    Reply
  7. Author Marcia on October 27, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    Most of the World do not have fridges the size that you show. Many do not have on at all! You must live in a different World.

    1. Author Joanne A on October 28, 2019 at 9:20 am

      Hi Marcia! Thanks for your feedback. We are planning to update this article for a standard-sized fridge. We hope that you can take some inspiration from it in the meantime.

    Reply
  8. Author Sue on March 3, 2020 at 12:04 pm

    Wish I had the room to put the things where they need to go but just have 2 shelves and a small space on door i have quiet a bit of food to put in as well so it tends to go where it fits

    1. Author Joanne A on March 5, 2020 at 10:35 am

      It can be difficult to stay organised when you don't have much room, Sue! Have you tried adding baskets to make it easier to stack things on top of each other? I suppose the best way to stay organised would be to only keep what you absolutely need and use. Make sure that you're regularly emptying out and cleaning your fridge. Hope this helps!

    Reply
  9. Author Pamela Weatherall on March 7, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    I have just noticed in picture 2 you have potatoes in the salad bin, I thought you couldn't or shouldn't store potatoes in the fridge ?

    1. Author Joanne A on March 9, 2020 at 9:54 am

      Hi Pamela! Good spot - we'll be updating these photos soon.

    Reply
  10. Author Rose Foster on June 19, 2021 at 10:37 am

    I line my door shelves with kitchen roll, it helps keep it clean and dry and is easy to change when it gets dirty.

    1. Author Joanne A on October 14, 2022 at 10:11 am

      Lovely idea!

    Reply
  11. Author Lisa Folwell on September 18, 2021 at 9:54 am

    To get rid of any smells in your fridge, chop an onion in half and Pop it in the top of your fridge. Put the other half in the freezer wrapped up for the following week. IT STOPS SMELLS 🤗

    1. Author Joanne A on September 15, 2022 at 12:16 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Lisa!

    Reply

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