5 Genius Tips For Organizing Your Fridge That’ll Make Food Last Longer

Whether you want to maximize space, ward off icky shelf messes, or prolong the life of produce, our simple tricks will transform your fridge into a money, time, and health-saver!

Banish odors and ward off mold with activated charcoal.

Sure, you know putting a box of baking soda in the fridge helps eliminate smells, but there’s now a better option: activated charcoal.

A recent study found it lasts up to three times longer than baking soda. Even better? Activated charcoal reduces moisture and humidity, which means it cuts down on mold and mildew, making your food last longer.

A few versions of activated charcoal even stick onto the walls of your fridge to maximize space. One option: remodeez Refrigerator Deodorizer Eliminator with activated charcoal (Buy on Amazon, $9.99).

Find more space for bottles with a repurposed wine rack.

When they’re standing upright, bottles of juice and other beverages can hog a ton of shelf space in your fridge while leaving unusable empty space above them.

To reclaim that real estate, repurpose an old bottle or wine rack so you can store bottles horizontally, recommends Amanda Clark, owner of Ever So Organized. “I use stackable acrylic wine holders for water bottles, sports drinks and, of course, wine!”

Eat healthier effortlessly with a savvy shelf strategy.

Conquer fridge chaos in three steps, urges Clark. “On the upper shelf, place ready-to-eat meals for easy access,” she says. “And since heat rises, keep foods that spoil easily like eggs, meat and milk, on the lowest shelf.”

Stash pre-cut fruits and veggies on the middle shelf — you’re much likelier to snack on those carrot sticks if they’re at eye level. In fact, keeping produce in clear containers significantly increases the likelihood you’ll munch on them.

Spill-proof shelves with place mats.

“No more scrubbing or doing yoga moves to reach spills in the back,” says housekeeping expert Gladys Connelly, explaining it’s easy to create your own fridge liners to protect against messes.

While most quality fridge liners cost more than $25 per pack, you can get the same effect by picking up a pack of vinyl or plastic place mats from the dollar store for less than $10. Simply cut the mats to fit — and stick with lighter colored mats, which won’t block the fridge light from reaching lower shelves.

Enjoy fresher foods with a crisper tweak.

Just set your crisper drawer to low-humidity for foods that rot easily, such as apples and nectarines, says Tyler Harris. “And use high humidity for foods that tend to wilt, like greens and herbs.”

Just be sure not to overpack crisper drawers — keep them at about two-thirds capacity, which keeps the temperature stable and allows for free airflow.

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This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.