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1. Empty everything out (especially if you haven't in a while!) then wipe down the inside of the door, the shelves, and the drawers with an all-purpose cleaner so you can start with a completely clean slate.
I mean, maybe you clean up small spills and crumbs as they happen and are in a good weekly habit of tossing anything that's gone bad. Which, great! But if you haven't recently, wiping down the inside of your fridge is probably a good idea.
Better Life's All-Purpose Cleaner (yes, the one from Shark Tank!) is non-toxic and all of its cleaning ingredients are plant-based; you can get a pack of two in the sage and citrus scent for $12.99.
2. If they fit, you can also probably wash your fridge shelves in the dishwasher. Just avoid the heat dry cycle if there are any plastic parts, and make sure to let everything come to room temperature before starting the cycle.
3. Banish any lingering unpleasant odors with a charcoal purifier. All you have to do is set on a shelf and let it work its stench-absorbing magic.
Or attempt to hang it on the included suction cup hook, obvs.
Promising review: "I simply love this thing. I had leftover and perishable things in my fridge before I left for business trip and when I came back it smelled so bad. I cleaned the trays and everything, but it was no use! Finally I decided to order this Moso thing. And OMG, the next day everything was back to normal. Wow! It's magic. Only thing, the sticky hook doesn't stick very well, otherwise it's a great product. Must buy!" —Simardeep Singh Kochar
Get a pack of two on Amazon for $14.95.
4. When you put everything away again, store it according to your refrigerator's ~zones~, because different parts of the fridge will have slightly different temperatures and humidity levels.
5. Cover your shelves with nonadhesive liners so if there's a major spill, you can pull out and machine wash the liner instead scrubbing the entire piece of glass.
You will still have to move all your products out to pull the liner off, though. No real way around that!
Promising review: "These are great! I wish I would have known about this product years ago. They make the inside of the fridge look great and they are really are washable. A sticky spill...or a popsicle being tossed back into the freezer by a child "saving it for later" is no longer the huge mess it used to be. The washable liner gets lifted out and washed, no problem!" —R.R
Get a pack of six 12x24 liners you can cut to fit on Amazon for $19.99 (available in 12 colors).
6. You can also try covering them in Press 'n' Seal wrap, then tossing it if you discover a cemented-on sticky spot.
7. Easily access everything you have stashed at the very back of each of your shelves with a set of pull-out storage bins. They're also simple to pull out and clean in case of a leak or spill because they a) will contain the mess and b) are much easier to wash than the entire shelf.
They're not dishwasher-safe, though.
Promising review: "Finally my fridge looks clean, neat and organized. These bins are so strong and sturdy. They are really nice, wash up like a dream, and haven't tarnished, cracked or changed shapes. These are multi-purpose bins. I have them everywhere in kitchen, pantry, fridge, counter tops, bathroom cabinets and in my home office. They are so versatile and keep everything neat." —Peaches
Get the four-piece set on Amazon for $27.99.
8. If you have a particularly narrow shelf or a tiny fridge, a dual-sided bin can work wonders to make every last square inch of storage space accessible and functional.
I have something similar in my small New York studio fridge; I store jams, jellies, and other condiments on one side, and cheeses and deli stuff on the other. Without it, I'd definitely forget anything that got pushed to that far back corner!
Promising review: "Love this piece, fits very nicely in a couple of places on my fridge and freezer shelves. A great organizer and space saver for bottles, cans, bags and otherwise non-stackable goods. It has a solid grip in-wall handle; you can fill it with cans and bottles, pull it off shelf and it will stay solid. There are little feet on the bottom keep it from slipping on glass or on wire shelves. Unlike some plastic containers, this will break if you throw it. It is hard acrylic, but heavy enough I would image it would take a brick wall to do so." —Amazon Frequent Flyer
Get it on Amazon for $19.99.
9. And apply decals to your most-used bins so everyone who opens your fridge knows where to find everything and where to put things away.
CalliBananaBoutique is a small business based in New Jersey that carries all kinds of custom labels and stickers!
Promising review: "These labels are perfect! I ordered several to organize and label fridge bins. I love the font. They are super easy to apply as well. I may end up labeling everything in my house. Super fast shipping also. Thank you!" —Wendy Norman
Get custom decals from CalliBananaBoutique on Etsy for $1.50+ each (available in four heights, 18 fonts, and 10 colors).
10. Designate one bin as an "Eat Me First" box to help reduce food waste and to create a one-stop spot to double check for what may need to be thrown away.
11. And, whether you have kids or simply want to snack a little healthier yourself, keep pre-portioned snacks in another easy-access bin.
12. Never forget about those condiments stashed in the back again — put them all on a lazy Susan, and your favorite kimchi will only be a quick spin away from your roommate's hot sauce.
13. Quit throwing away moldy strawberries and wilted spinach (and cleaning up the aftermath it leaves on your shelves) by storing them in filtered containers that will genuinely keep everything fresh for almost two weeks.
I've been using these pretty much constantly since March 2018 — except for when they're in the dishwasher — and I can't even begin to guess how much money they've saved and food waste they've prevented!
Promising review: "Oh-my-gosh, they work! I went on a 10-day trip to visit my mom and left my husband home with asparagus, strawberries, and spinach in the containers. He ate some of all of them, but there was plenty left when I got back and they were in perfect condition! I couldn’t believe it! These will save us a lot of money not throwing away food because we couldn’t get through it fast enough. (We shop at Costco and get large containers of produce.) These are TOTALLY worth getting and I will be getting a few more sizes. Excellent product!!!" —Elizabeth Walter
Get a three-pack on Amazon for $26.99 (one 6.3 cup/strawberry-size container and two 17.3 cup/lettuce-size containers).
14. Repurpose the bottom half of an empty cardboard egg carton so all of your mostly-empty condiments and bottles stay ready to use at any given moment.
15. Then once they're 98% empty, scrape out all the last bits with a mini spatula so you can enjoy every bite of food you paid for. That lets you immediately recycle the container, instead of putting it back in the fridge mostly-empty.
Besides food jars, these reach into even the deepest corners of makeup bottles, face washes, and lotions so you never have to toss any actual product again, just the packaging.
Promising review: "I used the Spatty when my makeup was almost gone and ended up getting enough makeup out of the bottle that it lasted another four weeks. If I didn't have the Spatty, the makeup bottle would have been in the trash a month earlier. The Spatty Daddy also works so well in mayo, mustard, and ketchup jars and bottles. Well worth every penny. Thank you, love it!!!!" —Michelle Green
Get the set of two — one with a 6-inch handle, and another with a 12-inch handle (for different tasks!) — on Amazon for $11.99.
And yes, they actually work, like, really well — here's our Spatty Daddy review.
16. Divvy up your wide produce drawer with expandable organizers so you can kiss your days of digging for the parsley beneath a pile of carrots goodbye.
17. Avoid cross-contamination by storing your raw meat and fish in its very own bin or drawer, away from everything else.
18. Save part of a package of bacon in this sealing saver, so you can easily peel off and cook just a few pieces at a time.
Some reviewers say it's a little short, depending on the bacon you get, but that if you take the bacon out of the original package it can easily squish in.
Promising review: "This item is perfect for its intended purpose. I buy Oscar Mayer bacon and the whole slab of bacon fits in just fine with no scrunching (you do have to take it out of the package, of course!) The lid closes securely and has unique dual tabs in opposite corners to make it very easy to open (you push down on one part of the tab for leverage and lift up on the other. Do this with both corners at once and voila, the cover pops off). What's more, it is adorable, even cuter than the picture." —operaforbeginnersdotblog
Get it on Amazon for $12.99.
19. Package all your meal prep or last night's leftovers in super transparent, shatter-resistant, leak-proof, air-tight containers so you know exactly what you have on hand in a single glance.
These heavy-duty plastic containers are microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe. They even have little vents you can open so you can microwave them with the lid on, preventing splatters!
Promising review: "I’m pleased with the performance of these glass-like plastic containers. They’re great for meal prep, freezing and microwaving. Even microwaved tomato sauce doesn’t stain these. The clip-on lids mean there’s no spilling or leaking despite frequent drops. The extremely tight seal may be tough for hands which are more arthritic than mine. Many sizes available. I can heartily recommend these." —HollyShort
Get a five-container set from Amazon for $17.99.
For more about why these are so great, read our Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers review!
20. Transform the side of one shelf into a miniature wine chiller with a sturdy stacking rack.
Promising review: "This product really helps store wines that are too tall to store upright. It works for other tall containers too. My family frequently uses one of the racks for storing 32oz bottles of smoothies. They are easy to clean and stack very securely." —J. Smith
Get the set of two from Amazon for $16.99.
21. And easily monitor your supply of beer, seltzer, or soda with this crystal-clear can holder — the cans will always roll to the front, making them easy to grab.
The lidded top lets you take advantage of all of the vertical space above the cans, but pops off for easy loading. Each one holds nine cans, but the organizers also easily stack on one another. Side note: if you don't have an ice maker, one genius reviewer repurposed theirs for ice cube storage!
Promising review: "Nice and sturdy. Looks so much better than a case of sodas. The shelf on top sits loosely but does not slide around. It is not as long as a fridge pack of sodas. Only holds nine cans." —viciousterra
Get it on Amazon for $15.29.
22. Or get a single organizer that efficiently stacks basically any kind of bottle you happen to have at the moment, including soda/seltzer/beer cans, beer bottles, (reusable) water bottles, and wine...and all of them at once, if that's what you need.
23. Close up partly-finished wine bottles with a vacuum sealer that both keeps your wine fresh and makes it easy to stash that bottle on its side in your fridge.
I've used one of these for years, and so have my parents; all you do is quickly wet one of the included rubber stoppers under running water, stick it in the bottle, then use the pump to suck out the air that's between the cork and the rest of your wine. When it's done, it makes an audible "click-click!" noise. Then you can lay the wine on its side without any fear of leaks!
Promising review: "Wow! I have had this for about five months now — it works great! I drink red wine quite a bit and almost always leave a glass or two in the bottle. Prior to buying this, that glass or two was basically vinegar within one or two days (depending on the type of wine). If you have a half bottle or more remaining, this pump will keep that half bottle tasting like it was just opened for three or four more days. If you have about one glass left in the bottle, expect this pump to keep the wine good for a day or two." —Red
Get it on Amazon for $12.99 (available in two colors).
24. Take full advantage of any magnetic surfaces on the inside of your fridge by attaching magnets to the bottom of small plastic containers.
25. Pledge (with the help of an old T-shirt) cleans and polishes your stainless-steel in a single, quick, satisfying step.
26. Or if you prefer to wipe down your stainless daily or weekly, opt for a spray cleaner that'll have your fridge shining in less than a minute. All you have to do is spritz it a few times, then wipe down with the included microfiber cloth.
Promising review: "Perfect cleaner for my new Whirlpool stainless appliances. It also seems to make it a bit fingerprint resistant as well. Since I cleaned my fridge down a month ago, I haven't had to do it again yet. I'm sure if I had kids it'd be a little different, but this stuff is where it's at. I've tried cheaper big-box store cleaners and they all take a lot of arm work to get the haze of the initial product to wipe off." —William Blake Fisher
Get it on Amazon for $16.95.
27. If you find it terribly annoying that you have to constantly wipe down the fridge's door handles — why can't the people you live with not resist opening and closing it with sticky fingers??? — consider some machine-washable handle wraps.
They use Velcro to secure down the back, and are a cinch to put on or remove. And they'll look sleeker than the dirty stainless!
Promising review: "I was tired of cleaning all the stainless-steel handles on my kitchen appliances. With these covers I'm able to open/close the doors on my fridge, microwave, oven etc. without leaving stains. In the washer they go; I make sure the Velcro is closed and put the covers in a washing net to prevent them from getting stuck on clothes." —Watership Down
Get the set of two on Amazon for $6.99+ (available in five sizes) or a similar style in black for $18.90.
28. Depending on your model, brushing off your refrigerator coils could help it use less power to keep your food cold, saving you money in the long run.
Now if only you had a magic spell that would instantly teach everyone you live with to keep everything sparkling!
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