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If fridges are the window to our lives, what does yours say about you? Is it pure chaos, uncovered leftovers and three-month out of date yoghurt or an immaculate, organised, rainbow-coloured vision?
We’re not ones to judge, but people with the former should probably rethink their approach to chilled food storage if they want to achieve kitchen zen. That’s because a tidy fridge not only makes it easier to access what you need, but also keeps food at its best for longer.
“As well as looking great, an organised fridge will save you money, limit food waste and may even help you eat more healthily,” says Sue Spencer, a professional home organiser – also known as A Life More Organised – who trained with Marie Kondo. “Once your fridge is organised, you can see exactly what’s in there, and we tend to use what we see, which means we’ll use things up, and there’s less likely to be anything nasty growing at the back.”
There’s plenty of fridge organisation inspiration on TikTok and Instagram right now, even if the idea of such a huge overhaul does leave you feeling a little overwhelmed. Breaking the task down into steps and investing in some excellent fridge storage to keep everything in its rightful place will make it feel less daunting, though.
So, to help you on your way to a pristine, Insta-worthy fridge, here’s our ultimate guide to achieving your fridge organisation dreams.
We transformed a fridge, taking it from somewhat chaotic with no system of organisation to something that would impress Marie Kondo herself. To do this, we researched the various types of fridge food storage items, what they are best for and tried them out. We rated each fridge organiser on quality, functionality and how much they helped in our quest for orderly fridge perfection.
The best fridge organisers for 2022 are:
Best overall – VonShef 5pc airtight storage containers: £17.99, Vonhaus.com
Best for storing snacks – Oxo good grips prep and go snack container set: £12, Amazon.co.uk
Best for storing leftovers – Labour and Wait large steel lunchbox: £32, Labourandwait.co.uk
Other items in the range: Glass food storage containers
Fridge organisation beginners and pros alike will love this set of acrylic storage containers that hold a surprising amount of food and look great while doing so. There are two larger containers and three smaller, and all stack neatly, meaning they take up far less room in the fridge than you’d imagine for the capacity. The high-quality clear acrylic body allows you to see what’s inside, and the white contrast lid features a special airtight lock with a silicone seal that keeps food fresh and liquids inside. We think this is the set every fridge organiser should start out with and its excellent value for money too.
Other items in the range: Salad box, canisters, large food container
People with children will know that having snacks on hand is crucial to getting through the day with happy faces. You’ll want them ready to go, saving you time and the hassle of having to chop strawberries, for instance, to the sound of hungry whines. That’s why containers like these are essential. They hold just enough for a quick bite to keep them going until lunch, and the locking lid keeps the contents fresh. The containers are also leakproof, so they can go straight from the fridge to your bag for taking out without the worry of creating a sticky mess; plus, they’re pretty robust, so they will survive drops from a highchair.
We’ll admit we included this lunchbox as much for its looks as its functionality. The utility-style design is matched by its durability, thanks to the steel construction, which is also great for people who try to avoid storing food in plastic containers. It’s large enough to hold a generous amount of leftovers, preventing anything from going to waste, and doubles as a fantastic lunchbox, especially for picnics. We like how sandwiches and snacks can be kept separate with its removable divider and the hinged metal arms that keep the lid firmly in place.
Other items in the range: Sachet/ pouch organiser, food storage bins, stacking food bins
If yours is a household that always has several cans of drink in the fridge, this storage unit will be invaluable. It’s narrow, measuring 14cm across, and neatly holds nine fizzy drinks – no more cans rolling around on the fridge shelf. It’s a much more space-efficient way of storing them than having cans on their base, and you can take a drink from the front of the container to allow the next one to roll down.
Some fridges come with built-in egg storage boxes, but our tester’s didn’t, and keeping them in cardboard cartons isn’t quite the fridge organisation dream. This plastic egg box holds 10 eggs safely and comes with a lid, which means you can maximise space by stacking light items on top. It’s clear so you can see when you’re running low on eggs and need to add them to your shopping list, and it’s a real bargain.
Other items in the range: Juicer jar, preserve jars, clip-top jars
Multitasking kitchen tools always get our vote, and we think this would be a helpful addition in most kitchens. It’s a compact, classic Kilner glass jar, but as well as the usual two-part sealing lid, it has a stainless-steel fine grater insert. That means you can grate your ingredients straight into the jar for storing in the fridge. It’s perfect for garlic lovers who hate having to chop, crush or grind cloves each time they cook and because it’s made from glass, it kept our garlic and ginger mix fresh for several days. This jar is an excellent time-saver as well as being a nifty storage container.
Other items in the range: Cheese storage box, stacking canisters and tall canisters
Few things are worse than opening the fridge door to find that someone has opened a pack of cooked meat and left it uncovered until it’s taken on a crunchy, dried out form. Storing sliced or chopped deli meats in this storage box means you’ll never be confronted with that sight on opening the fridge door again.
The transparent unit comprises three separate layered boxes that stack on top of each other to make them airtight. Our tester found that they kept salami, wafer-thin ham and cooked chorizo fresh until the use-by date. This storage box is BPA free and safe for cleaning in the dishwasher.
Other items in the range: Small snack bags and sandwich bags
We dread to think of the waste single-use plastic food bags generate, so this alternative is a far better option if we want to protect the planet. The Russbe bags are just as useful, use them for storing sandwiches, snacks and leftovers, but instead of throwing them in the bin after use, you can wash and reuse them again. They press closed to keep food fresh and are just as good in the fridge as in the freezer. We were delighted to learn they are also safe for putting in the dishwasher, and they come with a three-year guarantee.
Other items in the range: Snack boxes, canisters, large food container
Meal prepping is the holy grail of kitchen organisation, saving time and money, but you’ll need plenty of meal-sized containers to store and reheat your dishes. This lunchbox from Oxo is ideal because it keeps food fresh, is leakproof, and it’s microwave safe. We especially like that it has two sections to keep the different components of your meal separated until you choose to mix them, and it includes a small sauce or dressing pot for adding right before you eat.
It is a little on the pricey side, especially if you need to buy several, but it makes sense to invest in decent quality food boxes that will keep you going for years to come.
Samsung stackers in collaboration with Tetris, pack of seven
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Best: Fun food storage
Rating: 7/10
Suitable for: Fridge and freezer
Dimensions: 0.8l capacity
Other items in the range: N/a
Most fridge organisation products are clear or white, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, you might want to inject a pop of colour into your kitchen. This set does just that and with a bit of retro charm to boot.
Comprising of seven different Tetris-shaped (or tetrominoes, if you want to get technical) food containers these can be stacked in a variety of ways to suit your needs and fridge size. Each has a lid, but we did notice that these were quite hard to take off at the first couple of uses, though this did get easier with time.
Our tester’s young family had a ball playing with the shapes after they’d eaten their snacks out of them. They are handwash only and unsuitable for use in the microwave but are safe for use in the freezer.
If you’ve got a small fridge or a few items that don’t warrant an enormous container, this compact tray will help keep things tidy. It has a turquoise silicone insert in the base and grip handle, making life easier when taking things out of the fridge. We found this especially helpful for storing covered or packaged foods, such as squeezy yoghurt pouches and mini wrapped cheeses because there is no lid. It is handwash only, but we were pleased that you could take the silicone base out for thorough cleaning.
Though it’s currently out of stock, you can sign up to be notified once Matalan’s storage tray is available to buy again.
Dimensions: Small 7.5cm x 14cm x 20cm / medium 12cm x 19.5cm x 29.5cm / large 18cm x 29cm x 40cm
Other items in the range: Slim and extra small boxes
This bundle means business when it comes to fridge organisation. There are two small containers, perfect for fruits and salad, one medium for things like meat and a large, which is ideal for vegetables. All have lids, and best of all, they stack securely for the ultimate modular fridge organisation setup. They are made from good-quality, food-safe plastic and feel sturdy enough to last at least the promised 10 years. However, you might have to move the shelves in your fridge around to fit it all in, especially the large container, which holds a huge volume of food.
Suitable for: Fridge, freezer microwave and dishwasher
Dimensions: Small 12.7cm x 12.7cm x 6.4cm / medium 15.2cm x 14cm x 7.6cm / large 18cm x 15.2cm x 9cm
Other items in the range: Available in frost, lavender and teal colours, plus other sizes and shapes, including snack bags and bowls
A cupboard full of food storage containers can be handy, but good luck finding their corresponding lids. This cup set ends that domestic nightmare by doing away with lids altogether. Instead, these cups are made from flexible food-safe silicone, and the opening zips shut like a food storage bag.
We found them especially useful for storing liquids because the flat base means they stand upright, which made pouring into them easy and prevented them from falling over and the contents spilling out. The seal is good too, but we’re not sure we would be confident that it would hold liquids safely if taken out in a bag, especially if pressure was put on it. But, if you don’t plan on using them outside of the home, then they’re perfect for storing liquids in the fridge.
The set includes one small, one medium and one large cup, and these are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe.
Dimensions: Small 20cm x 20cm / medium 26cm x 26cm / large 31cm x 31cm and extra / large 35cm x 35cm
Other items in the range: n/a
Beeswax food wraps are not new, but few look as good as these. This starter pack contains four wraps – small, medium, large and extra large – and all feature beautiful designs. They’re made from natural fibre infused with beeswax, tree resin and organic jojoba oil to keep food safe and fresh. You can used them to cover food containers, wrap sandwiches and even for making snack pouches.
We’ll admit, we found it a little hard to work with at first but once we got used to rubbing our hands together to create enough heat to mould them to our desired shape, it was a cinch. There are some restrictions though: they can’t be put in the microwave or dishwasher because that would melt the wax and they’re best used with cold food. Still, we love that even the packaging they come in is a recyclable cardboard sleeve, meaning they create no waste.
FoodSaver handheld vacuum sealer plus 10 bags and box
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Best: For food freshness
Rating: 8.5/10
Suitable for: Fridge and removable moisture reservoir is dishwasher safe
Dimensions: Device ⌀ 6cm x H 12cm
Other items in the range: Several different containers with lids and replacement bags
Bring out the big guns in the fight for food freshness with this smart little device. It’s a handheld mini vacuum that seals fresh or cooked food in either the reusable plastic zipper bags or the 1.2l food container, just like you’d see in a professional kitchen. We found this easy to use by placing it onto the marked area and pressing the button on the top to start sucking out the air; it was quiet too.
Best of all, it kept things like strawberries fresher for far longer than they usually do when kept in a regular food bag or box. We like that it comes with its own charging dock and takes up so little room for easy storage, and a three-year guarantee.
KonMari consultant, Sue Spencer, and fridge manufacturer, Hisense, offer their tips on how to organise your fridge:
Break the job down into manageable steps. Start by completing an audit of the contents, grouping together similar items and throwing away anything past its use-by date. After giving the fridge a good clean, you can start putting things back.
Use the bottom drawer for vegetables, the bottom shelf for raw meat and fish, and the lower shelf for fruit or salad. The middle shelf should be reserves for dairy and eggs, while the top shelf should used for leftovers or ready to eat foods. And the door should only be used to store condiments, juices, jams and butter.
Maintaining an impeccably organised fridge will involve plenty of containers and plastic storage bins to prevent foods from mixing and the whole thing becoming disorderly again. Fridge organisers can help you group things like cheese, salads and yoghurts, Spencer says, while airtight containers will keep fruit and vegetables fresher for longer, even when they are pre-chopped.
If you have shallow fridge door shelves, Spencer recommends using narrow fridge organisers that can fit inside and add height to prevent products from falling out every time you open the door.
Meanwhile, labelling your containers is a smart idea to know when it’s time to throw things out. Having a use-first fridge organiser for any close dated items will remind you to use them first, cutting down on food waste.
The verdict: Fridge organisers
The whole point of organising your fridge is to make life in the kitchen easier, and we think the VonShef 5pc airtight storage containers bundle achieves that in one great value-for-money set. The containers are strong, look good and can hold plenty of food while leaving space in the fridge for other storage boxes or loose food.