I Tried the "Stations" Method to Organize My Fridge, and I’ll Never Go Back

If you’re like me, your kitchen, right now, is a mess. The pantry and fridge are packed with holiday-prep staples like all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, canned pumpkin purée, and butter. So much butter.

It doesn’t help that my husband and I have friends from Seattle staying with us, my son’s 8th birthday is in two weeks, and I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner for 15 people. My kitchen, and especially my fridge, is a wreck.

I’m not a fan of clutter. I’ll try any organizing and decluttering technique I come across, from the Core 4 Method to tidy up my office, to the Roll the Dice chore game that motivated my kid to clean up his bedroom. I’ve also used the “Didn’t Know” Rule for my junk drawer. They all worked, but I needed something different to tackle the inside of my fridge.

I recently heard about the “stations” method and decided to give it a try using these all-purpose clear storage bins I got at Target.

What Is the “Stations” Method?

The idea of creating “stations” in your fridge was shared by True Residential brand manager Chelsea Bothe. The idea is to designate areas, or stations, on shelves and drawers in your fridge (or freezer) based on function or similarity. For example, a snack section for your kids, a station of fresh fruits and veggies for smoothies, or everything you need for overnight oats in one container. Not only does this method cut down on messiness, but it also makes finding things in your packed fridge a whole lot easier.

How I Used the “Stations” Method

First, I needed to clean out the fridge. I used the Chaos Method of decluttering, where you literally empty everything — box, container, drawer — in a room or space, creating a temporary state of chaos to see what you own. I pulled everything out and spread the contents of my fridge on my kitchen island.

Then I culled. I grabbed a trash bag and filled it with expired yogurt cartons, uneaten leftovers, and a moldy lemon that was forgotten in the bottom of the crisper drawer. This was actually my favorite part of the experience. I discovered sauces I had forgotten about, salad dressings I hadn’t used yet, and a box of under-eye patches that I like to keep chilled. (Helps with depuffing.) The act of dumping expired whipping cream, mushy cucumbers, and mysterious Easter candy was very cathartic (albeit eye-opening, in terms of our level of food waste).

I removed shelves and drawers and wiped them all down using a solution of vinegar and water to clean the shelves and warm, soapy water to clean the drawers.

Next I used the Pile Method and put things together that made sense — fruits with fruits, cheeses with cheeses, condiments with condiments. I used the clear bins to create “stations” for the fridge: one for medicines, another for my kid’s snacks. The medicine bin I put on the top shelf (so the kid couldn’t reach it), and his snacks on the bottom-most shelf.

And if you’re a gardener like me, I put all of my seed packets — organized by type — in another clear bin for easy access. The cold helps maintain a higher germination rate, in case you were wondering.

Whatever items were left on my kitchen island I put back into the fridge in “stations” that made sense — breakfast items like eggs and yogurt on one shelf, condiments on the door, veggies in the crisper. I put things I don’t always use (like a small bag of almond flour, bars of Crisco, and a jar of gochujang) further back.

And just like that, I had a decluttered, better organized fridge. At least until Thanksgiving.

Further Reading

I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered

We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need

We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said