Fridge organisation 101: How to get a perfectly stored and perfectly styled fridge

When it comes to the fridge, it’s what’s inside that counts. Yes, first and foremost the fridge is for keeping things fresh, but a well organised fridge can save you money, unnecessary food waste, and time too.

So, how do we achieve fridge nirvana?

Here are a few tips, hacks and must-dos to save space, boost style and keep your fridge feeling fresh.

First, let's tackle space.

1. Loose the fridge pretenders

Lots of foods pretend they should be stored in the fridge when actually, they’re just as happy (and sometimes better tasting) when kept at room temp.

Putting the pretenders back in the cupboard where they belong will free up space, and help your fridge run more efficiently.

Juice is a big one here. Eager juices are designed to be kept out of the fridge, and only chilled just before drinking – allowing you to control the supply of juice that your family drinks, and opening up loads of room for more fridge dependent items and handy leftovers. But always check the packaging, as most brands still don’t use airtight packaging and need the fridge to stay fresh.

Tomatoes and stone fruits (peaches, plums,etc). Tomatoes actually become mushy and tasteless when kept in the fridge, so liberate them to your fruit bowl. The same effect applies to stone fruits - keep them out in the warmer air so they can ripen and fully develop their taste.

Ketchup. Debate rages over whether or not you keep your ketchup in the fridge. Though science says that if you usually get through your bottle within a month, there is no need to keep it chilled. In the cupboard it goes.

Butter. Keeping real butter in the fridge makes no sense, but still, a lot of us do. No one needs rock hard, unspreadable butter in their lives. It’s time to invest in a butter dish.

Eggs. This depends on where your eggs have come from (well, chickens, obviously) – supermarket eggs do need to be popped in the fridge, but farm-fresh hen-house eggs can be kept at room temperature.

Chocolate. Keeping chocolate in the fridge is a dangerous game. For the sake of your teeth (and your taste buds), switch your sweet treats to a cool cupboard.

2. Location, location, location

When it comes to fridge storage, location matters. Follow a simple rule of three to get everything in the right place, for the right time.

Top and middle shelves - best for ready-to-eat foods like cooked meats and dairy.

Bottom shelf - keep uncooked meat and fish here in clear covered containers.

Crisper drawers - are literally designed to keep fruits and vegetables fresh.

Now, moving onto style...

OK, OK, it’s only the inside of the fridge, but great storage can also lead to great style. Function must come first, of course, but neatly stacked, nicely labelled containers can seriously up the levels of satisfaction you feel when you open the fridge door, and make some serious improvements to the amount of food you waste.

Simple, clear organisers - clear storage containers are the cornerstone of a well organised fridge. They allow you to clearly see what you have, notice when items are running low, and see when they’re past their best. They also limit your use of single-use plastics like cling film.

Labels - OK, we know this might feel a bit OTT, but on a practical level, labelling your storage containers means you’ll spend less time inspecting what’s left in your leftovers. Choosing and designing labels also allows you to add a bit of style to your storage and put your own stamp on things, literally.

Hacks and gadgets - this bit can actually be quite fun. There are tonnes of clever gadgets on the market that make your fridge storage life easier - from sauce turntables, to drinks can dispensers, to bottle racks. It’s weirdly satisfying.

Are you cool enough?

There is one essential, basic thing we can all do to get the most of our fridge - check the temperature.

If you’ve never thought to check the temperature of your fridge then you’re not alone. It’s not at the top of everyone’s to-do list. But some foods require different temperatures to stay at their best, and the volume of food stored in your fridge can affect how efficiently it runs.

It’s worth doing a regular check, because keeping your fridge at a cool 5 degrees or lower can help keep your food fresh for up to three days longer.

Fridge freedom matters

At Eager we care about what goes in the fridge. Refrigeration is part of our modern lives, and like our love of juice, it’s not going away anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it better, for ourselves and for the planet.

All Eager juice cartons are designed to be fully airtight, which means our high-quality classic juices can stay just as fresh as the ‘refrigerated’ ones, without the need to be stored in the fridge.

This removes all the unnecessary refrigeration from our supply chain and cuts our carbon emissions by roughly 25%. It’s a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction, and we know there’s always more work to be done.

Are you inspired to free your fridge? Try our delicious, store anywhere juice boxes, and get that fridge feeling fresh.