Fridge Organization 101: A Shelf by Shelf Guide

Think your refrigerator is just one big box of evenly cold air? Not so! The temperature inside the average fridge actually varies from front to back, bottom to top and everywhere in between. Because of this, food product placement within the appliance is far more important than you probably realize.

The whole purpose of the modern refrigerator is to slow the growth of bacteria, which thrive in temperatures from 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 to 60 degrees Celsius) [source: USDA]. As a result, refrigerators are typically set at or below that low end to protect foods from succumbing to bacteria, which threaten to spoil them prematurely or even worse, make you sick.

Manufacturing giant Samsung recommends an ideal setting of 38 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) [source: Samsung]. Many refrigerators (even the new ones!) don't feature an easy-to-read temperature display. If that's the case for yours, drop a few bucks on a freestanding refrigerator thermometer to make sure everything's working as it should and your food is being kept at safe temperatures [source: FDA].

Although it might seem like time spent organizing the fridge will spoil your day, doing so will actually make it more user-friendly, easier to clean and food safety-conscious. Check out this location-specific guide to refrigerator food storage:

Those little door compartments on the inside of refrigerator doors are convenient, but they don't maintain a consistent temperature, so definitely refrain from putting perishable foods, like eggs or dairy products, in there.

Instead, reserve this space for extra condiments, salsas, salad dressings and other such items that are high in preservatives anyway, and thus unlikely to be affected by slightly higher temps. Pasteurized orange juice can also live in the door no problem. Bottles of soda and wine can stay there too.

This area is not as cold as the bottom of the fridge, so save it for the foods that don't need extra-chilly temps. Restaurant professionals will tell you that the industry standard is to store foods that are ready-to-eat or already cooked (like leftovers and pies) on the top shelf.

Storing them up high also keeps these items from being contaminated by meats or other drippy products, which could cause food-borne illness.

Cheat sheet: salad dressings, condiments, pickles, salsas, butter, margarine, pasteurized orange juice, nut oils.

Cheat sheet: drinks, leftovers, ready-to-eat foods.

This is the most temperature-controlled part of the fridge, so place eggs here [source: Sforza]. Drinks and prepared foods can also live on the middle shelf if you ran out of room up top.

Cheat sheet: eggs, fruit that doesn't fit in the drawers, anything that didn't fit on the top shelf.

The back of the bottom shelf is the coldest spot in the fridge, so store perishable dairy products here to keep them edible, longer. Never store foods with high water content here, like certain fruits or veggies, because the water within them can and will freeze, effectively ruining them!

Cheat sheet: milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream.

The whole purpose of the modern refrigerator is to slow the growth of bacteria, which thrive in temperatures from 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 to 60 degrees Celsius). As a result, refrigerators are typically set at or below that low end to protect foods from succumbing to bacteria, which threaten to spoil them prematurely or even worse, make you sick.

Understanding the cold and hot spots of your fridge is a great start, but it'll only get you so far. But to save space, improve access, and stay ahead of expiration dates, you must do more. Here are a few additional tips and tricks to help you make the most of your precious space:

There's nothing left to do but enjoy your organized fridge! Fridge organization is about being proactive. So make a schedule and stick to it to ensure that everything lining the shelves and fridge bins is safe, fresh, and delicious.