The Importance of an Organized Freezer
An organized freezer helps you get the most out of your freezer and avoid tossing out food that’s freezer burned. It also lets you quickly access the frozen food items you use most and quickly take inventory, so you know what you have and what you’ll need to purchase on your next grocery store trip. In the long run, you’ll save time and money.
Freezing food helps retain its freshness and prevent food waste. Although food can be frozen for a long time, the longer it’s frozen, the more it will deteriorate in quality, appearance and flavor. Organizing your freezer ensures nothing gets overlooked before its expiration date.
Freezer Types
Freezers are available in several different types, including:
Upright Freezer: A vertical freezer that consists of one door with one interior area and shelving.
Chest Freezer, also known as a deep freezer: A spacious horizontal chest-like freezer with the door on top.
Refrigerator-Freezer, which include:
- Top Freezer: A mini freezer compartment located at the top of a refrigerator.
- Bottom Freezer: A freezer compartment located at the bottom of an upright refrigerator. The bottom freezer is available in drawer or cabinet style. A bottom freezer has more organization options and typically has more storage capacity than a top freezer.
- French Door Freezer: A refrigerator with two half doors that open out with a bottom freezer.
- Side by Side Freezer: One-half of a vertical refrigerator that contains two doors with one side being a fridge and the other a freezer.
Upright freezers and chest freezers are the two most popular types of freezers.
Organizing a Freezer
A stainless steel ConServ convertible upright freezer/refrigerator filled with food.
If you think the way you store food in the freezer isn’t a big deal, you’re not alone. There’s a right way and a wrong way to organize a freezer. Where you put meats, the best way to store soup, how to quickly identify food, and more — these are all important factors when it comes to freezer organization. Below are 10 freezer organizer ideas to help you organize your freezer.
1. Take Inventory
Before you begin organizing your freezer, you first need to know what the contents of the freezer are. The best way to do this is to unpack everything in the freezer. You’ll have to work fast, though, to keep foods from defrosting.
To properly defrost a freezer, our helpful guide offers step-by-step instructions along with tips on how to prevent frost buildup.
2. Out With the Old
Declutter by throwing out any food that’s gone bad, has freezer burn, or food that may have defrosted and refrozen. Also look for expiration dates and throw away any that expired beyond a reasonable date.
Food can dry out in the freezer, resulting in freezer burn. However, while it isn’t nice to look at, freezer burn isn’t unsafe, and it won’t harm you.
3. Create Food Zones
Group related items together or specific to your family. For instance, you could create zones for meats, veggies, prepackaged meals, frozen fruits, leftovers, breakfast, dinner, etc.
4. Easy Access
For foods that you use the most — like bread, ready-to-cook meals, frozen vegetables, etc. — keep them at the front of the freezer for easy access. Consider making this a primary zone along with the other zones you created.
5. Identify and Label
Once you’ve designated your zones, now it’s time to label. If you plan to use baskets or bins for storage, you don’t necessarily need to label each individual food item, but you should label each basket or bin. However, if you’re not using any baskets or bins, label each food item, noting the contents and the date on the label. You don’t need a fancy labelling machine. Masking tape and a freezer marker pen or permanent marker work fine.
6. To Date or Not to Date
The longer food stays in the freezer, the higher the chance that it will get freezer burn. To help prevent freezer burn, organize foods by their expiration date. This can also be a designated zone.
7. Get More Storage
Many food products that you buy come in boxes which take up excess space in the freezer. Getting rid of the packaging helps you use the available space more economically. Put the contents in a basket, bin or freezer-safe bag and label it. If necessary, cut out the cooking directions from the carton and keep it stored with the food item.
8. Get Even More Storage
To get even more storage space in your freezer, vacuum-seal your meats, veggies and fish. Vacuum sealing removes air in the bag and provides an airtight seal and extends the food’s shelf life. It also protects the food from dehydration and freezer burn as well as mold and bacteria growth.
If you don’t currently have a vacuum sealer, now is a great time to invest in one.
9. Storing Freezer-to-Oven Meals
Disposable aluminum pans are the perfect choice to store food that goes straight from the freezer to the oven. It’s a wonderful way to prep meals for a busy week and can be a huge time saver. Since they’re disposable, you can cook, freeze and give away meals to family and friends without fretting over getting the dish back.
10. Portion Control
Instead of freezing an entire tray of drumsticks or other foods, separate them into smaller, more useable portions. Portion control also helps when meal planning. Unless you intend to use the pack up in one go, you’ll have just enough to prepare when you want a meal for two.
Baskets, Bins, Container and More
One of the best and easiest ways to organize your freezer is by using freezer baskets, freezer storage bins and freezer dividers. Freezer bags and containers also rank high in useability, and they can help keep your freezer organized, as well. Below are the benefits of each storage type.
Benefits of Baskets and Bin
Baskets and bins help you organize your freezer by creating the various compartments you need. Measure the interior space of your freezer to determine how many baskets or bins you need. Depending on the type of baskets or bins you choose, you can stack them, taking advantage of unused vertical space. Important points to consider when shopping for baskets and bins include selecting the right shape and size that are the best fit for your freezer. Basket and bin benefits include:
- helping to establish food zones.
- ensuring that the items you choose are made from freezer-safe materials with airtight lids to avoid cracking and leakage.
- helping you make effective use of the available space.
Benefits of Dividers
While baskets and bins are good options for organizing your freezer, there’s another tool you can use to keep your freezer from slipping into disarray: dividers. Divider benefits include:
- flexibility that lets you change the configuration whenever you want and create a custom look for your freezer space.
- easily locating the items you’re looking for without rummaging through the freezer.
- considering the divider’s stability and the weight of the food, you can stack items above the divider, allowing you to take advantage of the unused vertical space.
Benefits of Containers
Containers are another way to help organize your freezer, but which ones do you choose? Look for sturdy, rigid plastic containers or glass (like Mason jars) that have a good airtight seal. Also choose containers that are BPA-free, as well as microwave- and dishwasher-safe. Containers are stackable and provide another way to take advantage of unused vertical space. Container benefits include:
- convenience of going from freezer to microwave.
- availability of snap-on locks to create an airtight seal.
- strength and durability.
Benefits of Freezer Bags
When extra space is what you need, freezer bags are a great option. Be sure to get bags that are designed for the freezer. Regular storage bags are not as thick and durable as freezer bags and your food is likely to experience freezer burn. To create an airtight seal with a freezer bag using the water displacement method, place food in the bag and seal the bag almost all the way to the end of the zipper, leaving about one inch open. Using a pot of water, slowly lower the bag into the water as the water pressure pushes the air from the bag. Once you reach the open corner and before the bag goes underwater, zip the bag closed. You should now have an airtight sealed bag. Freezer bag benefits include:
- reducing the volume and air exposure of your food.
- durability and strength that makes them less likely to tear or puncture.
- food that stays fresher longer.
- protecting food from freezer burn.
Organizing a Chest Freezer or Bottom-Drawer Freezer
The goal of freezing food is to maximize the space you have. Using some type of organizer for freezers, like deep freezer organizers, will help keep the space in order. Chest and bottom-drawer freezers typically don’t come with built-in shelving. This can make it difficult to organize these types of freezers; however, you can still organize them and maximize the vertical space by using freezer-safe containers and dividers.
Utilize freezer baskets or storage bins that are clear with see-through lids to keep everything neat and orderly. Freezer drawer organizers, such as dividers work great to create zones where you’ll store different food types. Storing food side-by-side with labels on each item helps you identify foods quickly, as opposed to stacking items on top of each other. If your freezer doesn’t have built-in bins or dividers, it’s a good idea to invest in some to make it easier to organize.
Organizing an Upright Freezer
With an upright freezer, you have more room to play with. Before purchasing your storage medium, measure the freezer’s interior so you’ll have an idea of what will fit inside. Organizing an upright freezer is similar to organizing a chest freezer except you have more opportunity to store items upright/vertically. You also have the advantage of being better able to see what’s inside containers (and read the container’s contents if you’ve labeled them).
Every time you open the freezer door, you introduce warm air into the freezer. Inside the door is where the heat fluctuates the most, so don’t store meats there. Meats should be stored in containers at the bottom of the freezer to prevent bacteria growth and cross-contamination with other foods. The top of the freezer is the warmest, so store soups, casseroles, vegetables, breads and other baked goods there. Upright freezers typically come with shelves, baskets or drawers to help you organize your food. Take advantage of them.
Helpful Tips For Organizing a Freezer
Below are freezer organization ideas to help as you arrange your freezer.
- Be careful when using glass containers for storage. Glass can break in cold temperatures so ensure that you find glass containers that are freezer-safe.
- Never put cans or glass containers that are full of liquids in the freezer as these expand and contract and pose a safety hazard.
- Some foods aren’t freezer-friendly. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some foods that don’t do well in the freezer: eggs, dairy products, coffee, lettuce, celery, cabbage, salad dressing or other condiments, rice, tomatoes, potatoes, fried foods, cucumbers, celery, sour cream, and carbonated drinks.
- When using bins in a deep freezer, stagger them to make it easier to get into them. Also, try to keep the center area clear so that you can easily see and access the bottom.
- To save on space, freeze soups, sauces and other liquids flat in freezer storage bags. Once frozen, the bags can be stacked horizontally or vertically.
- When using containers or bins to store your food, opt for clear ones to help you identify foods in case a label falls off or isn’t easy to read.
- Store new foods towards the back of the fridge, in their zone, and move older foods forward.
- The door is the warmest part of the freezer as the temperature fluctuates every time the door is opened. It’s the perfect spot for nuts, bread, whole grains, ice packs, etc., and the worst place for ice cream, raw meat, poultry, fish milk, etc.
- Prevent freezer burn by making sure the freezer is set at the right temperature (zero degrees Fahrenheit), using airtight containers, avoiding thawing and refreezing foods, allowing the food to cool before placing it in the freezer, avoiding opening the freezer door too often and using butcher paper or wax freezing paper instead of plastic wrap (if you’re not using containers, bins or baskets).
- Make sure food is fully cooled before putting it in the freezer. Warm food raises the freezer’s temperature and can cause other foods in the freezer to start defrosting. To speed the cooling process, divide the food into smaller sections.
- High-fat foods, like ice cream and butter, should be stored at the back of the freezer.
- When organizing food in a chest or deep freezer, place the oldest food (according to your date labeling) in the front. This way you’re reminded of which food to consume first.
- Don’t overpack the freezer or crowd it. A nearly full (80%) refrigerator retains cold better, but to maintain an optimal temperature, air needs to circulate around the food (which it can’t do if the freezer is overpacked).
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that customers ask about how to organize a freezer.
What is the best way to organize a freezer?
The best way is to configure the freezer to fit your needs. Start by taking an inventory of what you have and throw anything away that is well past its expiration date or food that has freezer burn. Use baskets, bins and dividers to create zones of specific foods and be sure to label everything. Old food goes to the back while new food and foods that you use regularly should be at the front.
What can I use for freezer dividers?
Baskets or wire frames make for good freezer dividers. You can also make your own by cutting up plastic storage bins to create custom dividers.
Can I use plastic bins in my freezer?
Plastic bins can be used in the freezer, but not all plastic is created equal. Look for plastic bins that are sturdy and designed for freezer use.
How do you pack a freezer efficiently?
You want to make the most out of the freezer space you have. Using rectangular or square containers stack well. Also, store like items together and on their side (vertically).