VinLocate lets you build a virtual replica of your wine fridge shelf by shelf, so you always know exactly where every bottle is stored. This guide walks you through creating a shelf for a fridge storage.
What You'll Need
An InVintory account with a VinLocate-enabled plan (Premium or above)
At least one fridge storage already created in your collection (How to create storages)
Two Ways to Get Started
There are two entry points for creating a fridge shelf:
Option A: From the VinLocate Onboarding
If this is your first time using VinLocate, the app will present an onboarding screen that walks you through creating your first shelf. Tap Continue to proceed, or Skip For Now if you'd like to set it up later.
Option B: From Your Storage Settings
Open the fridge you want to add a shelf to. Scroll down to the Sections area and tap the gold Create button. This is the most common way to add new shelves.
Step 1: Name Your Shelf
A dark-themed sheet will appear titled Shelf Name. InVintory automatically suggests a name based on how many shelves you already have — for example, "Shelf 3" or "Shelf 47." You can change this to anything you like, such as "Top Shelf" or "Champagne Shelf."
You can always rename the shelf later, so don't worry about getting it perfect right away.
Tap Continue when you're happy with the name.
Step 2: Choose a Shelf Type
Next, you'll see the Slot Type screen where you choose how bottles are arranged on this shelf. InVintory offers six shelf types designed specifically for wine fridges:
Flat — Bottles lying flat on the shelf, one behind another. This is the most common arrangement for standard fridge shelves.
Lattice — Bottles stored in a staggered, diamond-shaped lattice pattern. Great for built-in lattice racks inside a fridge.
Horizontal — Bottles stored horizontally side by side.
Vertical — Bottles standing upright.
Tilted — Bottles resting at an angle, as on a presentation shelf.
Bins — A flexible bin-style shelf where you can store as many bottles as you need without a fixed grid. Ideal for shelves where bottles are stacked loosely.
Each type is shown with an illustration so you can see how it looks. Tap the one that best matches your real fridge shelf.
Tip: VinLocate's wine cases and bins offer limitless bottle storage — add as many bottles as you need. You'll see this in the "Did you know?" info card at the top of this screen.
Step 3: Choose Cork Direction (Most Shelf Types)
For most shelf types (all except Bins), you'll see the Bottle Direction screen asking which way the cork is facing. This is purely for visual aesthetics in the 3D model — it doesn't affect how your bottles are tracked.
The available directions depend on the shelf type you chose:
Shelf Type | Cork Direction Options |
Flat | Towards, Away, Alternating Front, Alternating Back |
Lattice | Towards, Away |
Horizontal | Left, Right |
Vertical | Up, Down |
Tilted | Tilt Up, Tilt Down |
Each option includes a 3D illustration of the bottle orientation so you can see exactly what it looks like. If none of the options exactly match your setup, just pick whichever one looks closest — it's only cosmetic.
Note on Flat shelves: The Alternating Front and Alternating Back options create a pattern where bottles alternate direction row by row. This is great if your fridge shelf has bottles arranged in an alternating pattern to fit more in.
Step 4: Customize Your Shelf Dimensions
After choosing the cork direction, the Customize Section screen opens with a live 3D preview of your shelf. Here you'll set the exact size using three tabs:
Column — How many bottles wide the shelf is (side to side)
Row — How many rows of bottles tall the shelf is (stacked vertically)
Depth — How many bottles deep the shelf is (front to back)
Tap a tab, then use the + and − buttons at the bottom to adjust the count. The 3D model updates in real time as you make changes, so you can see exactly how your shelf will look.
You'll also see two additional options:
Hide Hidden Bottles — Toggles visibility of bottles that are behind other bottles in the 3D view
Customize Layout — Opens options to remove individual bottle slots or change bottle directions for specific positions
When the layout matches your real shelf, tap Create in the top right corner to finish.
Special Case: Bins — Instant Creation
If you chose the Bins shelf type in Step 2, the shelf is created immediately — no cork direction or dimension steps are needed. A "Bin created" confirmation will appear, and you'll be taken directly to the 3D view of your new shelf.
What Happens Next
Once your shelf is created, you'll see it in the 3D view where you can:
Add bottles to specific positions on the shelf
Customize the layout by removing individual bottle slots or changing bottle directions
Create more shelves for the same fridge by going back to storage settings and tapping Create again
Each shelf is built one at a time, so repeat these steps for each physical shelf in your fridge.
Tips
Start from the top — InVintory auto-numbers shelves starting from "Shelf 1." It helps to create shelves from top to bottom, matching the order in your real fridge.
Rename anytime — Tap the three-dot menu on any section in storage settings to rename it.
Reorder shelves — Use the move up/move down options in the section's three-dot menu to reorder shelves if needed.
Customize after creation — You can always remove bottle slots or change bottle directions later by viewing the shelf in 3D and using the Customize Layout option.
Bins are unlimited — If you chose the Bins shelf type, there's no fixed grid. Add as many bottles as you want.