Not Drawers, Not Racks: The Smart Solution That Makes Fridge Clutter A Problem Of The Past

Though time-consuming and effort-intensive, deep cleaning and organizing your fridge every quarter won't seem too daunting if you manage to keep it clutter-free. Alas, keeping your produce drawer neat can be a real challenge. Ensuring the soda bottles and beer cans remain in place can be difficult, too, especially if you stack them up without an organizer. And forget about maximizing the narrow door shelves so you can neatly line your food containers. But the good news is you don't have to purchase expensive drawers or racks to get the job done. Instead, you can revolutionize your kitchen storage with smart bookend solutions.

But there's a catch: You can't use just any bookends you have on hand to end chaos in your refrigerator. They must be thin, so as to not take up the already limited space inside. This means chunky pieces you reserve for your bookshelves are a no-go. Moreover, they must be sturdy, or they'll buckle under the weight of your bottles and containers. So, try avoiding decorative ones with hollow designs. You also want something that's durable and not prone to moisture-damage (like unsealed wood). Otherwise, you'll have to switch them out often. As for the shape, L-shaped bookends work great, but their T-shaped counterparts function better and can handle items on both sides. Plus, they're more stable. Stainless-steel bookends check all these boxes, are widely available, and aren't too expensive. 

The first step is to unplug your fridge. Then, clear out your refrigerator and throw away items that are past their prime. Once you have segregated the food and drinks you want to put back and the ones you want to discard or give away, try this easy vinegar hack to clean your fridge. While it airs out, get some alcohol wipes and give your stainless-steel bookends a wipe down. You don't want any lingering germs making contact with food items.

Now, you can start using the bookends to organize your fridge. If you want them to bring order to the soda cans in the door bins, place them such that their back is against the guard rails. Then you can stack your cans vertically without worrying about them falling over or rolling out. They can prove effective for putting your meal prep containers vertically in the side bins as well, since you won't have to struggle with pulling one out or putting it back. 

Similarly, use bookends to stack juice and water bottles on the racks. Their placement (standing up or lying down) will depend on how tall each of the shelves are. You can also combine two bookends (just ensure they face each other, like they usually do on bookshelves) if you want a large organizer to hold all your different bottles. These makeshift holders can even tame the chaos in your produce drawer. Just use them as slotted organizers and place one box or bag per bookend for a clutter-free look.