When we remodeled our kitchen, I was so excited to get a large refrigerator. Our old fridge was a really small side by side that wasn’t really able to hold a lot. So we had to get a second fridge for the basement to store more things in the fridge and freezer.

Well, fast forward to 4 years after the remodel that I have come to the conclusion that side by side refrigerators are just too small…no matter how big they claim to be. Our freezer cannot hold a frozen pizza. Things can get lost in the back because the fridge is so deep. And some of the shelves just can’t get to the height I want them to go.

But I do love the side by side because things don’t get lost in the drawer freezer. 

While they do have some pros and some cons, I would still recommend a side-by-side if you have the room.

So what is the best way to organize a side by side refrigerator? Well, I have some tips that will totally help you get yours organized, because they sure helped me get mine organized!

This post is sponsored by iDesign. Some links may contain affiliates.

Deep Clean

If you haven’t done a deep clean of your refrigerator, then I recommend starting there.

Take everything out and wipe down the fridge and freezer really well. It will help you get things into place so you can maintain order in the fridge. I scrub the entire fridge from top to bottom, including drawers and the compartments on the doors. I leave no space untouched during a deep clean.

Once the fridge is clean, you can start sorting the items that are out of the fridge.

Next Steps

I recommend keeping like items together. So storing all condiments together, produce together, meats together. This will help you see what you have instead of hunting for items stored all over your fridge.

Think about how a grocery store groups their items. Then do something similar in your fridge. You can even try giving each shelf or drawer a specific category to keep them all together.

I have found that produce stays best in the drawers. So those are things like fruits and veggies. I also like to group condiments together since you use them together. Having a space for food prep is another easy way to keep your fridge tidy. And keeping a shelf specifically for left overs! That will help your eye go directly to that spot when looking for food.

Storing dairy items in a drawer can also help them stay fresh and contained! But don’t have enough drawers for that? I have some products you will love to give you more drawer space!

Also, did you know that the corner closest to the freezer is the coldest? So try storing items like milk there to keep them as fresh as they can get.

Favorite Products

So one of my favorite products is the iDesign x The Home Edit divided fridge drawers. These drawers are the perfect addition to any refrigerator. Since they are stackable, you can easily add an additional drawer to your fridge. Plus the divider is removable so you can add more than one type of item in the drawer! If you don’t have a lot of drawer space, these are the best option to create some.

Another favorite product to use to help organize a side by side refrigerator is the pantry bins from iDesign. These bins fit perfect in my side by side fridge because they aren’t as deep as the fridge and freezer bins. I recommend using the freezer bins for the drawer freezers because they are perfect for that size freezer! In addition to the pantry bins, I also love the large divided bins. These have lids so they can be stackable and the divider is great for holding smaller items for food prep!

I also love turntables to keep the condiments on. Since the fridge is so deep, this works well for us to keep the condiments that would go bad on the door.

And I use drawer dividers in my drawers so I can keep items separate.

Finally I love the egg holder because it can hold 15 eggs in the holders then 23 if you stack the eggs with the lid on. When I refill the holder, I have yet to run out of room!!

Keeping It Tidy

Ok so we chatted about how to organize your side by side refrigerator by grouping items together based on how you use them or by category. Then we chatted about some of my favorite products. But how do you keep things tidy?

Well, you can start by weekly cleaning out your fridge. No, I don’t mean emptying all the items again.

I simply mean doing a quick swipe through and removing food that is bad, old, or no good. As you are clearing those out, then you can straighten up your bins and check to see what items need to be replaced.

This should limit food waste because you are constantly checking your food. It may seem intense, but once you get in the habit of doing these things, you will quickly find that it helps you limit the extra stuff that can easily pile up in the fridge!

I try to do this process every time I go to the grocery store. It is a great way to check items before you run to the store. Then putting the items away is easier because you have already cleared out some space.

More Fridge Organizing Ideas

Keeping your fridge organized can help keep your food costs down because you aren’t wasting anything, eating what you have, and are able to be more conscience of your spending.

These blog posts can help you organize different types of fridges:

Fridge Organization Ideas Anyone Can Use

How To Organize A Beverage Fridge

6 Steps For Fridge Organization With Kids

5 Easy Steps To Organizing Your Fridge And Freezer

Lining Refrigerator Shelves With Drawer Liner