Organizing Your Freezer: 5 Easy Steps

As a professional organizer, I’ve tackled freezers of all shapes and sizes. There’s no universal method for organizing a freezer—what works for a top freezer may not suit a bottom drawer freezer. The strategy for a French door model will differ from that of a side-by-side unit. Even for an expert, organizing a freezer can be a complex task.

However, it doesn’t need to be hard. The key lies in working with your specific freezer’s layout while applying basic organizational principles. If you follow this guide, you’ll save space, store more of your favorite items, and reduce food waste, saving you money.

Organizing Your Freezer: 5 Easy Steps

Perform a Thorough Cleanout

The first step in any organizational project is to empty the space, sort through the contents, and discard anything unnecessary. For your freezer, this means clearing out expired or freezer-burned items.

Once you’ve decluttered, temporarily transfer the items to a cooler or another freezer. This is an excellent opportunity to defrost and clean your freezer thoroughly before moving on to the next steps.

Evaluate Your Space

After your freezer has been emptied and cleaned, assess the available storage. Take stock of the number of shelves and compartments and note any adjustable parts. It’s a good idea to measure each section’s dimensions—height, width, and depth—while they’re still accessible.

If your freezer has always felt overcrowded, you may not have used the space efficiently, or you could be buying too much-frozen food. Consider scaling back bulk purchases or investing in an additional chest or upright freezer.

Designate Sections

Now comes the fun part—organizing your daily essentials in a way that makes sense. Begin by categorizing the items you’ve decided to keep. Typical categories might include:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Desserts (e.g., ice cream, cookie dough)
• Meats and seafood
• Carbs (e.g., rice, bread, pizza dough)
• Pre-packaged meals
• Leftovers

You might also have some unconventional items, such as beer mugs or liquor bottles, or even a tiny section for self-care items like ice rollers and reusable gel eye masks. Remember, your freezer should cater to your specific needs.

Once you’ve determined your categories, allocate a specific shelf or compartment to each. Frozen pizzas, for example, require a wide but shallow space, while ice cream tubs need less width but more height.

Aim to keep similar items together, though this may not always be possible depending on your freezer’s layout. Don’t worry too much about this step; the next step will help simplify storage.

Implement Helpful Organizational Tools

A well-organized freezer can save you time and reduce food waste. Start by making the most of your freezer’s built-in compartments or sliding trays. You can bypass this step if these existing parts are sufficient for your needs.

However, if additional organization is required, consider incorporating suitable tools based on the size and type of your freezer.

Due to space constraints, you won’t be able to stack multiple clear bins as you might in a refrigerator. However, adding one or two items can significantly enhance your storage efficiency.

Before purchasing any organizational tools, ensure they are rated for fridge and freezer use to avoid cracking or breaking. Durable plastic or vinyl-coated steel products are generally reliable in cold environments. Additionally, dissolvable food labels can be a quick and easy solution for marking leftovers and expiration dates.

For Top Freezers and Side-by-Side Freezers:

• Divided Racks: Ideal for organizing small, slim items such as bags of frozen vegetables.
• Shelf Risers: Useful for short items, allowing you to utilize the vertical space on a shelf more effectively.

For Bottom Freezers and French Door Freezers:

• Deep, Narrow Open Bins: Perfect for lining up in the drawer to sort items by category.
• Shallow Sliding Baskets: These can be placed on the top pull-out drawer to contain small items.

For All Freezer Configurations:

• Small Open Bins: Great for grouping categories and keeping your freezer tidy.
• Reusable Silicone Bags: These take up less room than traditional food storage containers and are excellent for storing leftovers.

Perform Routine Maintenance

Regular maintenance is key to keeping your freezer organized long-term. Aim to declutter and reorganize your freezer at least once a month.

During these sessions, remove any food that has gone bad since your last check. Tidy up items that have strayed from their designated categories, and adjust your organizational tools to suit your evolving needs.