Oh the great creation of the fridge. Can you imagine our modern lives without them? We are so lucky to be able to keep things fresh, and for so long. I never would have guessed it but a US physician John Gorrie built the first refrigerator tool in 1844 to produce ice for cooling the air for yellow fever patients. But the first ice making machine used for food purposes such as meat packing and brewing was invented by James Harrison in 1857. Models of the refrigerator have definitely changed over the years and we now have HUGE fridges that hold a TON.

Keeping your refrigerator organized not only makes it easier to find what you're looking for, but it can also create more space and keep things from going to waste. There is nothing more frustrating and wasteful to me than having to throw away expired food that has been forgotten about because it was hidden in the back. Whether you have a large family, roommates, or even live alone, here are a few ideas that may be able to cure you of the waste. Check them out and see if they help your fridge stay more organized:

“Eat me First” Bin: Even with the best intentions, I always end up throwing out spoiled or expired food that was buried in the back of the refrigerator. It drives me nuts. Take this great tip of an “eat me first” bin to prevent future waste.

Lazy Susan in the Fridge!: For all of those containers and jars that get lost in the back of there fridge, consider using a small lazy susan or two for easy access to all of your condiments and such! If you have taller shelves the double stacked lazy susan would be super helpful as well.

Upside Down Squeeze Bottles: Store your squeeze bottles upside down in an egg carton to not only make them squeeze with east, but to also keep them from sliding around and falling over in the refrigerator door. I love this idea and know it would save us on those hotdog and hamburger dinner nights. No more shaking and shaking to get the mustard out.

DIY Magnetic Storage Bins: Just by trimming adhesive magnetic sheets to fit the bottom of small plastic storage containers, you can store things like nuts, seeds and herbs up and off the valuable shelf space in your refrigerator. You’d need to hand wash these containers so don't store anything really messy or sticky in them.

Lining Shelves for Easy Clean up: Press’n Seal plastic wrap has so many uses but one very great money saver is using it to line the messy shelves in the fridge in lieu of the expensive shelf liners. Just be sure to clean your shelves really well and allow to dry completely before applying it.

Freezer Drawer Bins: If you have the bottom pull-out style freezer, chances are you’ve lost or forgotten about dozens of things that tend to get buried in the bottom of that ginormous, deep drawer that doesn’t have any dividers. Purchase some inexpensive multi-purpose bins and wallah your foods no longer a pit of despair hole. This is one I will definitely be using in our newly inherited fridge with that style. It will save us from lots of digging around I am sure.

I love these clever ideas and can’t wait to help my refrigerator get more organized. What other ways have you discovered that have helped you keep your food from going to waste, comment below, I’d love to hear!