We all have skeletons in our closets. I mean freezers. You know… those frost burnt, unrecognizable items, no one ever wants to talk about. It’s easier to pretend they don’t exist. Honestly though. Who thinks about freezer organization, whether that is their chest freezer in the garage, or their freezer in the kitchen? No one. That is until they need to make dinner. They know they have the specific ingredient they are looking for somewhere in there, but they have a hard time locating it. Then, when they do find it, it’s old and freezer burnt. It’s something they not only don’t want to see, but something they also don’t want to serve to their family. That’s why freezer organization is so important.
I recommend a few useful tips as you RESET your freezer organization:
- Start with a clean slate. If you have an old relic of a chest freezer like we do, be sure to defrost and clean it regularly. Ice build-up on the inside of your freezer can give food a funky, chemical taste, and no one wants that.
- Go through your freezer, once per quarter and remove everything. Check dates and discard any items that are beyond their prime or that you know will never be eaten by your family.
- When you purchase new items, mark them clearly with the purchase date, so you know when it came into your home and into your freezer. I like to keep a Sharpie near the freezer for easy access.
Important Information
- Use plastic baskets within the freezer to keep like items together… chicken together, beef together, pork, together, seafood together, veggies together, etc. Baskets, not only keep similar items together, but should your freezer, or the power go out, and items start to defrost, it will make clean up much easier. I found these baskets at our local Dollar Tree. (NOTE: I am not an affiliate with Dollar Tree and therefore will not earn anything from your purchase. However, I like them, so I thought I’d share.)
- Only purchase what you can use within the recommended freezing time frame. For help with this, use this fabulous chart I came across at the House Affection. It breaks down everything you need to know about freezing items, what to freeze, what not to freeze, and how long you should keep something frozen.
- Last tip I want to share: Use these useful Inventory Forms for both your Refrigerator Freezer and Chest Freezer to keep track of what you have inside. Not only will these Inventory Forms help you to know what’s inside, but they will also help you track what needs to be added to your Grocery Shopping List the next time you head to the grocery store.
I hope these tips and tools provided here will help you save time, save money on your grocery bill, and be more effective with your freezer organization. Also, if you organize your freezer, be sure to tell me how it went! I’d love to know!
Here’s to resetting your home, your freezers, and your life!
Roberta
“A place for everything and everything in its place.” – Benjamin Franklin
P.S. If you found this post useful, please be sure to share it with others, who may like it as well.
