What would we do without refrigerators? The regal appliance that sits so grandly in the corner of your kitchen means so much to modern day food storage, that it’s hard to even comprehend what life would be like without her. We’d be taken back to the days of pioneers when food was salted and sent into a hole in the ground, yuck. Yes, the ol’ ice box has revolutionized the modern day kitchen, but, as an item that is used on a daily basis, they can take a beating. All the refrigerators I’ve lived with eventually have some drawer that won’t pull open, a shelf that breaks, or one of the baskets in the door goes missing. These are devastating losses as we tend to need every square inch of space to put all our yummy food, if not constantly, at one time or another.
Now, if you have had a part break in your refrigerator that compromised the amount of storage space, then you’ve probably done a little research to replace the part. We inherited our refrigerator from the previous homeowners and the “dairy” drawer was tragically broken. It was always falling off the track, and inevitably falling on eggs that were placed underneath it (I finally learned not to put the eggs there:). Anyway, the replacement drawers are not cheap, especially for a fridge we’ll probably be replacing soon.
For a while I tried to just cope with the lack of the valuable drawer, and then it dawned on me! Why not use other storage containers in the fridge! The cold won’t hurt them. It was quite the revelation. I mean, of course I think of putting baskets in cabinets, bookshelves, and the like, but never thought of the refrigerator! It didn’t take long for me to find a particularly long basket that would be perfect for the many bags of shredded cheese we have (yes, we fit in those statistics of Americans that eat too much cheese. It’s sooo good!)
I still needed something in the spot where the drawer used to be and stumbled upon a cabinet organizer that fit just perfectly! See how much extra space that lends? (note the eggs are on the top).
As I’ve lived with these “alternatives” I’ve actually come to love them more than the old drawer. Visibility is so much better this way. No more old meat and cheese shoved in the back and, it looks better. Why not style something that we encounter daily?
What storage solutions have you come up with that are “outside the box”? I’d love to hear about them!
Want to see more organization tips? Check out how I organize our pictures!
That’s a really good idea, and it’s true, I’d never thought of using organizing containers in the fridge before!
Rachel G recently posted…For those Left Behind
Right?
thanks, I’m glad you liked it
i love the alternative ideas for the fridge! I am always looking at alternative organizing ideas for around the house!
Tiffany K recently posted…Our Library
Yeah, its fun to think outside of the box and cone up with something hat actually works
Good idea, I am always just shoving stuff in and shutting the door. For now it works, but I cringe when thinking of the day when my kids are old enough to peruse on their own. My unorganized mess could turn into real big messes if not sifted through properly. I may have to figure out a new system.
Emily, Our house now a home recently posted…Winter home tour
You comment makes me smile
so true about it needing to be “sifted through properly”
Great ideas! Now I’m going to have try some of these. I’ve been trying to think of ways to organize my sons things for his school lunches! Thanks for sharing.
Crystal recently posted…{Five on Friday}
These are some great ideas for increasing the storage space in the fridge. I know I am constantly rearranging items to get things to fit right.
Katie Nystuen recently posted…Parallax Polish - Big Bang
As I read your post, I had a total lightbulb moment! Why can’t I use baskets in the fridge?! Great tips for organization.
Jessica recently posted…Nail Butter First Look and Review
I love the idea of having extra storage in the fridge, but I’m still not sure what might work for me.
Samantha Bender recently posted…Five on Friday (4)
I like that. I am looking for organization in my fridge its chaos right now and needs to be cleaned out from top to bottom.
Heather recently posted…Friday #Giveaway Linky