Maximising Storage Space in Your Integrated Fridge Freezer: Our Top Tips

Want to make better use of your integrated fridge freezer? We’re not about to bring you 101 uses for the appliance; we all know it’s only good for storing food.

What we are about to give you, though, is some top tips on ensuring you maximise the space within it. After all, you could be packing a lot more into your fridge freezer if you take some time to consider how best to utilise the available shelving and compartments. Read on for our top tips…

Clear Out Your Fridge Freezer

When you open your fridge freezer door, does everything come cascading out? First things first, empty your fridge out completely. We know it isn’t the most exciting of tasks, but that way, you can see exactly what you have in there and which food items are about to expire.

Once you’ve discarded the food that’s past its best, you might also want to give some items a new home. For example, ‘gas releasers’ (such as avocados, bananas, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes) should be kept out of the fridge, or they can cause other veg to spoil before its time.

Make a plan to clear out you fridge and freezer regularly – and not only will you be minimising food waste, you’ll also be making better use of the space by ensuring that every last inch of your fridge freezer is taken up only by food that is within its use-by date. Good Housekeeping has some top tips, too, for making the most of your available space. 

Make Better Use of the Height of Your Fridge Freezer

Are you making good use of the height of your fridge freezer? If not, it’s time to invest in some handy storage solutions (plastic containers that conveniently stack or slot together, for example), that will allow you to do just that.

A rotating plate, such as a ‘Lazy Susan’, is handy for the fridge too. It won’t necessarily free up more room, but it’s an easy way to see exactly what you have hiding at the back of your fridge; simply spin it and easily locate that chutney that would’ve otherwise gone untouched.

Utilise All Areas of the Fridge and Freezer

Are you using your salad drawer? What about the shelving within the door of your fridge? If you’re fast running out of space, make use of containers (again, maximising the height of your fridge, if you can) that you can add smaller items to, like individually wrapped cheeses or mini chocolate bars. These are then easy to ‘grab and go’ when you’re running out of the door.

Beer or soft drink cans can be laid on top of each other in a neat row and stacked in a few layers to make the most of space.

Time to Defrost Your Freezer

Defrost your freezer regularly and do a stock check, as you would for your fridge. You may find you have more than enough bags of half-opened chips lurking at the back, so write down what you have, and you won’t double up on stuff when you’re next shopping. 

Then, allocate a shelf/drawer to each ‘type’ of food. For example, meat or fish for one shelf, chips and ‘sides’ for another (think garlic bread and roast potatoes), and extras like bread and milk (yes, don’t forget to always keep a bottle or two in the freezer for emergencies) can make up a third. And so on.

A simple task like clearing out your fridge or defrosting your freezer will help you better assess what you have – and what you need to buy – and make storing everything so much simpler. Look for handy storage solutions, too. Pinterest has a wealth of ideas just head here.