Organize your freezer in a way that prevents food waste and therefore saves you money. What bins work best when creating categories and corralling smaller items that typically get lost below the mystery meat.
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I MAY GET A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE USING LINKS PROVIDED. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO COST TO YOU. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. VIEW THE FULL DISCLOSURE HERE
Today's organizing product suggestions and declutter tips will ensure you stop losing track of what you have in your freezer.
If it's been awhile since you cleaned out your freezer, let's do some prep work. Before we even get to the product suggestions for organization, I encourage you to start with these four steps!
Pull everything out
Toss anything that looks questionable
Wash the inside of the freezer with your preferred cleaning solution
Measure the inside of your freezer to make sure you purchase items that will work for you
You want to select containers that are the same depth as the freezer to maximize the space. For larger categories, you also want to choose containers with tall sides. Here are the products I have used over and over again that have worked well for both me and my clients.
I'll also show you two types of fridges: a side-by-side as well as the freezer on the bottom. Currently I have not worked with a client who has had the top freezer so I don't have pictures to provide you as I only provide suggestions from projects I've personally done. However, the same guidelines will apply.
Side-By-Side
In the example shown we have one Large MPB* (Veggies) and one Medium MPB* (Fruits) on a shelf - both purchased from The Container Store. You will need to measure your own fridge to see what combination works.
In addition, you can add a 16" deep container from mDesign. Shown here is the 16 x 3.75 x 5. They are also stackable.
Grab the 16" x 3.75" x 5" individually*, in a two pack*, four pack*, or eight pack*. If you want one that is a little wider, mDesign also has a 16" x 5.75" x 5". Grab the larger size here individually*, in a two pack*, four pack* or eight pack*.
As stated above, you can stack the 16"long containers, however, that will make it a little less convenient for grab and go. My recommendation is to NOT stack them if you have the extra space. It makes it more convenient to grab and go and when putting groceries away. Although it seems like a small step to take off a layer, it's still an extra step.
Bottom Freezer
Most of the newer kitchens we visit have the french doors for the fridge and then the freezer on the bottom. In this example, we are able to use two Large MPB* and two Medium MPB*, again from The Container Store, in the main deep section. This particular unit has a skinny drawer in the middle and larger drawer above.
I have used these containers in my freezer for over three years and I have no trouble with plastic cracking or breaking from going from cold to room temperature while I've taken them in and out of the freezer.
If you do not have access to a local Container Store and do not want to have items shipped, Target now has a similar product. Shown below is the comparison between the Target and The Container Store item. They are also called Multipurpose Bins and are part of the Brightroom line. Here are the links to the Large Multipurpose Bin and Medium Multipurpose Bin and currently, at the time of writing, the Target brand is more expensive than The Container Store option.
One of my goals for this blog is to offer practical organizing solutions that are both easy to implement and maintain. One such solution is to reduce the number of items in your home that require organization, including the amount of food you store. Cleaning out the freezer can be an eye-opening experience, especially if it's been neglected for a while. As someone who has had to throw out their entire freezer twice in a year due to power outages or equipment failure, I've learned the hard way that storing less in the freezer is the way to go.
Here are other things to consider as you put it place your new organizing system:
When returning from grocery shopping, put the NEW items behind the older items
Consider having a "we eat what's in the freezer" night one day a week for dinner
Remember not to pack the freezer to the brim, air needs to circulate
Stop over buying
When we can easily see what is in the freezer we are more likely to eat it. The point is to have food in there to eat not to store until the zombie apocalypse. I want to encourage you to eat what you have in the freezer before you add more to it. I have helped so many clean out their fridge and freezers and toss out so much food. Keep in mind food doesn't last forever and sometimes buying in bulk leads to more waste and spending more money than just buying the amount you need. To view how long food will last in the freezer, without losing taste, head to FoodSafety.Gov and trust me it's not as long as you think.
