What is the definitive guide to organizing a fridge according to Hilary Erickson?

Hi, I’m Hilary Erickson from The Pregnancy Nurse. Love this question, because a calm fridge makes dinnertime with kids so much easier.

Here’s my “definitive” fridge system in a nutshell:

• Use long rows: Line up like items (milk/juice together, yogurts together, newest at the back) so you can see inventory at a glance.
• Analyze weird spaces: Tuck specific things into oddly sized areas (for me, eggs stacked under the deli drawer, cream cheese behind them) so they stop getting lost.
• Keep staples at hand level: Whatever you grab daily (for me: sour cream, butter, smoothie yogurt) goes front and center.
• Zone the door: Group condiments by use—sandwich/burger, Mexican/salsas, salad dressings. The giant bottom shelf can be the “junk drawer” of the fridge.
• Maintain the produce bins: Wash them monthly, keep cut‑up veggies ready with dip so kids snack on something healthy.
• Deep clean periodically: Pull shelves and wash about every 9 months; weekly I do a quick re‑set so things don’t drift into chaos.
• Skip most bins: I generally avoid baskets and bins in the fridge because they waste space for my family’s needs.

Is there a particular part of your fridge that feels the most out of control right now?