Apartment Refrigerator Organization That Really Works
- SK Carr
- Aug 14
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 20
I used to rearrange our fridge constantly. It’s just a standard apartment fridge, freezer on top, refrigerator on the bottom, deep shelves, minimal adjustability. The kind where food gets lost in the back and forgotten, especially when you have to get on your knees to dig for that jar of something.
Eventually, I got tired of the shuffle. I took out a tape measure, figured out exactly what I needed, and ordered a handful of organization products that finally made it work for us.
And the best part? I haven’t had to redo it since.
The Problem: A Deep, Dim Black Hole
There were only two adjustable shelves and a tiny cheese drawer, plus the produce drawers down below. That middle fridge space felt like a pit where things went to die. I was constantly moving shelves around trying to make it more functional, but nothing ever felt intuitive.
The Fix: Measure First, Then Shop Smart
I finally took proper measurements and started shopping with intention. I wasn’t trying to make it look Pinterest-perfect, I just wanted it to work in real life while also maximizing our storage capacity.
Below is a (not to scale) rendering I managed to mock up to show how I set it up and how I use every last square inch.
Shelf-by-Shelf Tour
Shelf 1 – Top Row
Left Top Bin: Kevin’s grill and specialty spices (salt blends that clump on the counter)
Left Bottom Refrigerator Drawer Organizer: Kevin’s cocktail things
Right Refrigerator Drawer Organizer: maple syrup, jelly, extra condiments
Open Center and Top Right above Drawer: Leftovers (Rubbermaid storage containers are a perfect fit!)
Why it works: The back items don’t get lost. Each bin pulls out like a drawer.
Shelf 2 – Middle Row
Top Left: Two small clear refrigerator drawers. One holds extra butter sticks, the other holds all our Better Than Bouillon jars
Bottom Left: two can organizers for holding with beer or sparkling water
Right: Water pitcher, oat milk, creamer, a juice and any other beverage things
Why it works: Small items stay visible and grouped. Drinks are easy to grab.
Shelf 3 – Bottom Row (Above Produce)
We moved the original cheese drawer down to sit right above the produce drawers (no more wasted space!)
Added a Target refrigerator drawer to the right of the cheese drawer to hold our meat
Egg bin on the far right side makes it easy to see how many we have left
Why it works: This creates an extra usable row for flatter items without wasting depth. We also no longer have to get down on our knees to see what’s in the botttom back of the fridge. We simple slide out each container or drawer and easily grab what we need.
Produce Drawers
No changes, just better use of space. We divide ours as fruits in the left drawer and vegetables in the right one.
Don’t Skip the Door: How We Organize It by Category
Even though the door isn’t adjustable, it’s one of the easiest areas to organize. We grouped items by category so we’re not hunting for things or buying duplicates.
Top Shelf: Everyday condiments: mustard, mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, etc. (things we reach for often). Plus the built-in butter drawer.
Middle Shelf:
Left side: Cocktail syrups and mixers—grenadine, purées, flavored syrups
Right side: Pickled/briny things—jalapeños, olives, Asian sauces like hoisin or gochujang
Bottom Shelf: Liquors, lemon/lime juice, open mixers Kevin uses for drinks
Why it works: Everything has a home, and everyone knows where to look.
Will These Products Fit Your Fridge?
If you have a standard apartment refrigerator, most of these products will likely work beautifully. They're designed for deeper shelves and vertical stacking, just like ours.
Our fridge shelves are 18.25" deep, and we’ve included a rendering below that shows our exact shelf layout and spacing. Even if your setup is slightly different, this should give you a helpful reference point.
If you have a more shallow or side-by-side refrigerator, a few products (like the Target refrigerator drawer or the stackable can holders) may not fit as smoothly.
Tips before you order:
Measure the depth of your fridge shelves
Compare with product dimensions
Check for clearance to pull bins in and out
Even if the exact products don’t fit, the layout strategy still works. Group like items, contain loose things in drawers or bins, and create designated pull-out zones to keep things visible and accessible.
Our MVP Products
Small Refrigerator drawers (2 pack)
Stackable can holders (2 pack)
Apartment Refrigerator Organization That's Real Life, Not Pinterest
This isn’t one of those rainbow-coded, all-glass, color-blocked fridge setups. This is real-life apartment refrigerator organization, designed for usability, not perfection.
Everything has a home. Nothing gets buried. And I haven’t had to reorganize it once since setting it up this way.
Want to Try This Setup?
Even if you don’t use the exact same products, I hope this post gives you ideas to make your fridge more functional for your real life, not just for Instagram.
Got Fridge Chaos?
Drop a comment below and tell me what your biggest fridge frustration is—I’d love to help brainstorm solutions.
P.S. This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase through them. These links help us keep our website ad-free, and we’re genuinely grateful for your support.
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