The Viral Fridgescaping Trend Isn’t Practical, But Here’s Why You Should Still Try It

If you’ve beautifully decorated every corner of your home, but left your refrigerator — well, the inside of your refrigerator we should say — out of the equation, you’re missing out. At least that’s what many people who have discovered “fridgescaping” seem to think.

With fridgescaping, instead of just putting their weekly food haul away, social media users are taking the time to curate it into an impressive display. Sure, it’s aesthetically more appealing, but some argue that organizing their refrigerator this way makes it easier for them to grab what they need — not to mention, the process itself sparks joy.

Although the term has grown popular recently (the hashtag has garnered thousands of views across TikTok and Instagram) it’s not a new concept. Blogger Kathy Perdue of Good Life of Design coined the term in 2010 as a play on tablescaping. “Why not put your everyday food items in pretty containers and have something pretty to look at when you open the door?” she wrote on her blog at the time.

Now, however, “pretty containers” are just one step in the process. Today’s fridgescapers focus on arranging produce in a mix of stylish wicker baskets, patterned dishes and glass storage. Household essentials, like milk, eggs and butter, get transferred into decorative pitchers, storage trays and antique butter dishes. And beyond creative food storage, fridgescaping might involve fresh flower arrangements and unexpected home decor accessories, like small picture frames, vintage sculptures and ornate trays.

“I’ve been able to turn a task that’s usually very mundane into something that I genuinely enjoy. Thanks to the maximalist that I am, it’s slowly turned into something bigger and bigger,” says Lynzi Judish, known as @lynziliving online, who has turned fridgescaping into an entire series, even experimenting with different themes (think an “enchanted forest” them or a look inspired by the film Practical Magic.)

If you’re looking for an easy way to romanticize your daily life and keep your kitchen organized, give the trend a try! It might take up a little bit of extra time, but fridgescaping can help you keep track of the contents inside your fridge.

“Historically, I’ve definitely let food go to waste in my refrigerator, because I have forgotten about it altogether,” Judish says. “With this process, I see every single thing in my refrigerator, and it’s made me more excited about meal planning. I never realized how often I’m in and out of the refrigerator until I started fridgescaping.”

• Not all decorative containers are food safe. Antique storage items, like glass pitchers and metal bowls, may contain traces of lead. You can try investing in lead test kits.
• Some produce stays fresh longer in store-bought containers. “I love the idea of transferring ingredients to another container because it can help you understand how much you have of something and remind you to consume it, but food often comes packaged in containers that help extend their shelf-life,” says Nicole Papantoniou, the director of Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances & Culinary Innovation Lab. “The key is to keep things within eyesight so you’re constantly reminded about what you should eat before it goes bad.”
• It takes a conscious effort to maintain the aesthetic — from the whole household. Juddish says, “I worry about women trying this with kids or a husband that isn’t on board and feeling frustrated that the refrigerator doesn’t stay as beautiful as expected.”