Whether you are getting ready for a camping trip or you full-time RV, it can be tricky to keep your camper’s fridge from getting messy. With these easy RV refrigerator organization tips you will be able to keep more food on hand and everything will stay in place while traveling.
I will never forget the first time we hit the road in our fifth wheel, when we arrived at our destination everything fell out of the fridge! We were no where near a grocery store and all of our eggs were crushed.
After our first couple of trips, I learned (the hard way) some tips and tricks on RV refrigerator organization that helped keep our food from spilling and we were able to store more too!
With that being said, Let’s get into my top tips for organizing your RV fridge!
Before You Get Organizing Your RV Fridge……
Keep in mind that RVs have a few different size fridges. So, it may take a little trial and error for what will work in your trailer.
What size is my RV fridge?
Residential refrigerators that you see at appliance stores, generally range from 18-21 cubic feet. While some RV’s will have a full-size residential refrigerator, most will be about 6-8 cubic feet.
Keep in mind that cubic feet represent the volume of a space based on its length, width, and height.
The exact cubic feet of your RV refrigerator may not be something you need to remember, but you will want to know the measurements of the interior refrigerator space.
It may be helpful to figure out:
- How wide?
- How deep?
- What is the height of each shelf?
- What are the measurements inside each drawer and shelves on the door?
Things to Keep in Mind About RV Refrigerators
- Generally speaking, the top shelf of a refrigerator is the warmest, and is good for prepared foods.
- The middle holds a consistent temperature and is good for dairy items
- The bottom is the coldest and is good for meat.
- The humidity will be regulated in a vegetable drawer.
- The door storage has the most unstable temperature.
This should give you an idea of the intended use of your refrigerator interior regions.
Enough tech talk, let’s organize!
9 Genius RV Refrigerator Organization Tips
Now that you know your fridge size and what the temperature is like in each section, this will help you determine how to best organize your RV Fridge.
Another thing to keep in mind is how your trailer is used. For instance, if you have a season campsite and are stationary you have a lot more options than someone who is full-time traveling. I tried my best to include tips for every situation….. so let’s get to it!
#1 Get a Reusable Egg Container
I’m going to guess that the most fragile item in a fridge is eggs. You are going to want to make sure you secure them.
I really like egg containers with lids because the containers are farm more durable than a cardboard egg carton. Many of them also include a lid, and this helps with stacking things (which will ultimately give you more space).
Many of these hold anywhere from 6 eggs up to 36 eggs. Make sure you measure your shelf, so you can choose a size that will fit.
Here are a couple Egg Containers that are perfect for RV Refrigerators:
- Small Refrigerator 6 Grid Egg Storage Box with Lid
- Large or Residential Refrigerator 28 Egg Storage Container with Lid
#2 Use Clear Storage Bins for Items that are Loose
You will want to secure items that will move around the most, things like cans or fresh fruit. Since you (typically) have less space, getting clear storage bins for these things will help you to stack things and make more room!
Here are some clear storage bins that will help you to create more space:
- Canned Drinks Dispenser-Style Bins.
- Berries, Lemons, Mandarin Oranges, Cheese Sticks: Stackable Organizer Bins
- Multiple Sizes Stackable Organizer Bins with Lids
#3 Use Produce Bags in Your Fruit + Veggie Drawer
I really love using reusable produce bags in the fruit and veggie drawers. This makes packing things in much easier and you don’t have to worry about things getting mixed together.
#4 Organize According to Your Plans/Menu
If you are camping with a group or with kids that get their own snacks, it is a good idea to have food items separated by what is ready and available to eat and what items are needed for meals as part of the planned menu.
I’ll never forget the time I had planned on making homemade pizza on the smoker. I guess I assumed everyone knew this and let’s just say that someone had ‘snacked’ on all of the pepperoni.
#5 Containers or Baggies for Raw Meat
I highly recommend having washable containers or disposable baggies for raw meat. Often times the juice drips and you don’t want that all over the food in your refrigerator.
#6 Add Under Shelf Bins
Under-shelf bins are great for extra storage and separation of your food items. If you feel like you need extra space, these will definitely give you more room
I do find that if you don’t need the extra space, they can really be in the way. So, keep that in mind before purchasing!
#7 Hanging Storage for Baggies
These are great for pre-portioned meals or if you have kiddos that need snacks often. I like that they hang down, so they don’t interfere with what is on the shelves!
#8 Pour Large Bottled Drinks into Locking Pitchers
Our family really enjoys tea, orange juice, and occasionally some kind of fruit juice. With so many different size bottles it can be tricky to fit them all in the fridge. I found that pouring them into these locking containers, helped us to have more space!
We also never had any leaks or spills when traveling, which was huge!
#9 Refrigerator Side Door Organization Bins
These are really helpful if you don’t have too many condiments, but would like to keep things like fruits or veggies secure. We enjoy a lot of fresh produce, so this is very helpful!
TIP FOR SECURING YOUR FOOD IN YOUR RV REFRIGERATOR
#1 Add a Barrier to Make Your Shelf Edge Taller
A great way to secure your newly organized items in your RV refrigerator is by using small tension rods. Increasing barriers of refrigerator shelves and doors can help your items stay neatly in place.
Here are some awesome taller barriers.
They will also help prevent items that have shifted during transport from falling out when you open your refrigerator door.
#2 Add shelf liners.
A great way to keep your items in place on their shelves is by utilizing textured shelf mats. These help keep bins and other items from sliding around on the shelf. We recommend shelf liners that are washable, waterproof, and anti-skid.
My Final Thoughts..
RV refrigerator organization may seem a little bit challenging. In reality, like many other aspects of RV life, once you get your refrigerator organized, you will save time and energy on this task during future trips.
There are many ways to organize your RV refrigerator and we hope that these tips will get you started on a perfectly organized RV refrigerator that works for you. With RV refrigerator organization tips and tips for securing your food in your RV refrigerator, there should be no crushed eggs or messy spills in your camping future.