topic Re: Organizing the freezer in Among Friends

Organizing the freezer

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:15:28 GMT

I have a chest type freezer in the garage, not enough room for an upright, which I would have preferred....is there a way to organize so that everthing is not just a big mess?

I label everything in either baggies, freezer paper for meat, or lock and locks. I also have a seal a meal...but how to organize all those things? I do have three wire baskets that run the depth (front to back) of the freezer, that helps but under that shelving..well I have to rummage thru a lot of stuff to get what I want...maybe there is not a good way to organize but thought I would ask.

thanks.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Laura14 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:44:44 GMT

I place my vegatable bags on top off one another, frozen fruit bags in their own section, etc.

If you can make designated areas, I find that helps me keep track of where everything may be when I go back for it.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Meowingkitty — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:01:38 GMT

I just use wire baskets. One each for ground beef, veggies, cheese, chicken, misc. works for us.

Re: Organizing the freezer

lynnie61 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:07:35 GMT

@Mom2Dogs I recently moved and have both. The upright actually takes up less floor space. The upright is currently packed, and we haven't used the chest freezer since we moved. I'll like to see the responses, too! I try plastic bins, but it's still a mess. Plus the upright is old, and needs defrosted soon! I buy some meat on sale, but keep saying I won't overload it but it doesn't seem to work, but I do rotate well with a date system with a sharpie at least!

Re: Organizing the freezer

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:31:31 GMT

@lynnie61 The only way I could have opened an uprigh is if my husband's car is not in the garage!! That would not work out to well so we had to go with the chest type.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Kachina624 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:34:28 GMT

@Mom2Dogs. Our poster @Sooner has the best ideas for organizing a freezer I ever heard. Maybe she'll chime in. She's written about it before. Maybe "search forums & blogs".

Re: Organizing the freezer

Icegoddess — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:53:11 GMT

Upright freezers are so much more expensive than the chest-type. I have a chest-type freezer in the garage and it only came with one wire basket. It's quite old, older than my 1997 Jeep and older than my 1995 marriage.

I have plastic bins that I try to keep like foods in. However, the biggest problem is getting to the lower bins which isn't as simple as pulling a bin out since loose items will fall into the area unless you pull them out too.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Sooner — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:56:28 GMT

@Kachina624 Who ME??? I don't remember but this is what we do. We use wire baskets and narrow boxes that fit the shelves. For frozen chickens, we stand them up in a narrow box--they don't slide and takes up less room.

We also use that method for boxed and bagged things like frozen veggies. Narrow containers that fit the product.

We keep all meats together so it's easy to see what we have and need to pick-up. Ice cream and frozen treats is in a wire basket.

The idea is that everything is contained and sorted and that makes life a whole lot easier. Things don't get tossed, lost and old!

Re: Organizing the freezer

Carmie — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:05:00 GMT

I have two chest freezers and one upright. I keep them all organized.

I try to freeze just about everything in freezer zip lock bags. I have gallon, 1/2 gallon and quart size.

I try to freeze everything flat. I lay the filled bags in the freezer on their sides. When frozen,I put them in a container upright like books.

I do this for both types of freezers. The chest freezer always has dollar store containers in the bottom. I keep bags of veggies and other items already bought in boxes and bags in the bottom sorted...veggies in one container, meat in another, etc.

I also stack the containers/ baskets with food in them. Sometimes I have to lift out a container to get to another one under it.

The secret is always putting things where they belong. My husband just tosses stuff in.

I keep items I use a lot and delicate items in the hanging baskets on top.

Re: Organizing the freezer

fthunt — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:14:11 GMT

Bought our upright 1985 and still going strong Needs defrosting - just priced a new GE $700 frost free, L ED interior lite, etc.

But throwing this one to the curb.scares me.

The old were built better -

OP what's the measure (height) in your messy area?

Having understanding of your space.................

Re: Organizing the freezer

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:17:33 GMT

@Carmie. Thanks for the visual..I have some plastic bins - but I like the look of yours..a bit bigger than what I have.

I freeze everything, well almost everything, so I need organiation. This new chest freezer is a bit bigger than my old one so I need to get this storage issue under control.

I have mixed up two batches of Christmas cookies today and will freeze to bake closer to Christmas...I don't want to lose the dough in the bottom of the freezer.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Kachina624 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:39:32 GMT

@Carmie. @Sooner. You both have some great ideas for keeping freezers organized.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:41:11 GMT

@Carmie So you think freezer bags are OK for the freezer...yes sound dumb...but I am always concerned about freezer burn.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Kachina624 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:41:59 GMT

@fthunt. That defrosting is a real PIA but I wouldn't part with your oldie. You're right, much more reliable than the new ones?

Re: Organizing the freezer

Carmie — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:16:55 GMT

@Mom2Dogs I have been using freezer bags for years. I buy the ones made for the freezer. I squeeze the air out and make sure the bags are closed really tight.

I have never had any issues. Some things I might double bag. Example: bagels. I put two in a small freezer bag, then put multiple bags into a large one. This keeps them from getting lost if they fall to the bottom and keeps them double fresh.

BTW, the pics are not of my freezer. Right now my freezers are so packed, a picture would not be helpful in showing how to organize. I have a lot of plastic containers. One of my chest freezers is huge. The other is much smaller.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Sooner — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:24:21 GMT

We have a food saver for longer term or bigger packages for the freezer. But we bought a Zwilling Fresh and Save Vacuum Sealer that is small easy to use and fits in a drawer.

You have to get the bags made for it, but they are easily washed in the dishwasher and reused. But it is far quicker and easier than the big Food Saver, and it gets used all the time for leftovers we will eat in a month or two. We bought it just after Thanksgiving last year.

Re: Organizing the freezer

Carmie — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:26:18 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@fthunt. That defrosting is a real PIA but I wouldn't part with your oldie. You're right, much more reliable than the new ones?

I prefer a freezer that you need to defrost. The self defrosting ones, pull the moisture out and cause freezer burn. The self defrost cycle changes the temp and is not consistent.

Self defrost have more even temps and are better for long term storage.

I have both types.

Re: Organizing the freezer

fthunt — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:40:52 GMT

Defrosting....my method .... 2 hair dryers with a shop vac at my side to drain the collected water as chunks of frost buildup fall.

My younger days - took little over hour. NOW ?

How does one do a chest s style?

Re: Organizing the freezer

Jo1313 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 21:10:16 GMT

wrote:
I have two chest freezers and one upright. I keep them all organized.

I try to freeze just about everything in freezer zip lock bags. I have gallon, 1/2 gallon and quart size.

I try to freeze everything flat. I lay the filled bags in the freezer on their sides. When frozen,I put them in a container upright like books.

I do this for both types of freezers. The chest freezer always has dollar store containers in the bottom. I keep bags of veggies and other items already bought in boxes and bags in the bottom sorted...veggies in one container, meat in another, etc.

I also stack the containers/ baskets with food in them. Sometimes I have to lift out a container to get to another one under it.

The secret is always putting things where they belong. My husband just tosses stuff in.

I keep items I use a lot and delicate items in the hanging baskets on top.

@Carmie

I do similar in my chest freezer...I do "try" to keep a list of what is where in the freezer..on the freezer door..so I don't lose it!

Re: Organizing the freezer

wagirl — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 22:21:04 GMT

I can only wish......I had another freezer--have a tiny one in a tiny refer in my tiny kitchen in my.....smallapartment. Had a big refer with a freezer on the bottom, then another older refer with a top freezer--then a small upright freezer in the garage of the house I sold a few years ago----held sooo much. I did find clear plastic regtangles that are narrow with high sides in a couple different widths, that fit well in my tiny freezer and I can organize ok. Still can't buy much to freeze but it works.