Make your freezer twice as big and twice as easy to find things in by using these 3 tips.
People are always asking me how I get so much done. Part of it is because doing things is literally my job, but mainly it's because I'm a doer. I like to start, do and finish things. That makes me a doer. The thinkers among you are way smarter than me, way more insightful, and would probably do a far better job at all of the things I do … if you could ever stop thinking and actually start doing. But you don't.
Then there are the starters. The people who like to start a job to see how it's going to look or work and once they've done just enough to see that … they stop. These are the people living in homes with one strip of wallpaper on the wall, one refinished floor board and an exercise bra that's been exercised in exactly once.
But there's one other small way I get things done. By taking the time to organize shit. When I redid my entire house on a whim my whole life got easier. I knew where things were, I knew when I was running out of toilet paper and when someone wanted to borrow a book I could shoot my arm out like a Jack-in-the Box and pull it back with that book in my hand. This kind of organization takes time, a lot of time, to do, but in the end it saves you even more time. And it honestly does. It's not like when people say installing new windows will save you money in the long run. It won't. The long run would have to be 250 years long for you to save the money those windows cost. You will be warmer in the winter and have a better view of your neighbours fighting though, so it's still kind of worth it.
When I redid my kitchen I also redid my mudroom, which I've never shown you. What I did was remove the pantry from my old kitchen and dragged it into my mudroom. My neighbour who helped me pull it out in one piece thought I was crazy. Maybe I am. But the pantry idea isn't proof of that.
I then trimmed the pantry in and built some shelves to the left of it and framed them in along with my upright freezer. Add a door to cover up the freezer, paint everything the same colour and BOOM you have a good lookingish mudroom for barely any money.
Wait. That wasn't the point of this post at all. The point of this post was how to get twice as much stuff into your freezer. O.K. Let's talk about that.
But before we do take a look to the right and see the one thing that really improved my mudroom. It's a shoe closet from Ikea. I've wanted it for years now but could never be bothered to actually go to Ikea, drag it off of their warehouse shelf and bring it home. Just before Christmas I had enough time to do that. I had enough time because I took the Christmas Pledge by the way.
So now that my mudroom was lookin' so organized it was time to REALLY organize my freezer. This is my freezer "before" shot. I know. It looks pretty organized already right?
But here's the thing. Take a look at the photo again. LOOK at all the empty space. Everywhere there's emptiness is a spot that actual food could be stored. I'd sometimes try to compensate for that by piling food up higher and higher in the containers. It was always a crapshoot as to whether a falling filet or a bag of perogies would be the thing to break a toe when I opened the freezer.
When I was up to 9 mini-marshmallow sized casts on my toes I started to look for better containers for my freezer. Ones that would take better advantage of the space and let me fill up the rest of my freezer. No joke, it took months to find the right sized containers. And these still aren't exactly right. For them to be MOST efficient they should have straight sides so there are no gaps in between them, but I gave up on finding straight containers that were also the right size in terms of width, depth and height.
Behold the Organized Freezer 2.0.
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
Putting all the food into better sized storage containers has done 2 things. It's used up almost all of the available space in the freezer, but even more importantly it allows me to see exactly what is in every inch of the freezer. The containers are clear and they're labelled. Anyone who has ever owned a chest freezer knows what happens when you can't see what's in your freezer. 7 year old containers of weird gummy goo that used to be ice cream. That's what happens.
A disorganized freezer means there is ice cream in this world you are being deprived of eating.
Stop this craziness now.
Just by using these new containers (which I got on sale for $1.49 each) I've increased the amount I can fit into the freezer by almost double.
Add in this next tip and you'll love your freezer so much friends will think you met on Tinder. Because Tinder is all about love.
FREEZE IT FLAT
If you can freeze it flat in a baggie, DO IT. Soups, stews, gravy, sauces, broth … anything that doesn't have big bones sticking out of it can be frozen flat. Just pour whatever it is into a baggie, lay it flat in the freezer (putting it on a plate or baking sheets helps keep it really flat) until it's solid and then stack them. Freezing everything flat will gain you all kinds of space in your freezer.
Plus it makes things easy to flip through and when it's time to use it, flat baggies defrost quicker.
That's really all there is to gaining a ton of space in the abyss you call your freezer.
1. Store everything in clear containers that use all of the available space in the freezer.
2. Label the containers so you can find everything easily.
3. Freeze it flat.
Sound good? Now stop thinking about it and just do it. (Nike really has something there with that phrase). And once you start doing it, finish it. That's all there is to getting stuff done.
Well that and a little bit of crazy.
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Barngirl in Texas
Hi, Karen, I'm a thinker-starter-perfectionist: that means that by the time I get the research done and the perfect plan, I'm out of time to do any of it! I'm working on the Nike slogan to make it mine, too. Love following your site!
Connie S.
Luv those upright freezers. I have one and it's usually packed to the brim too. But i never thought to use bins to corral everything. Brillant!! No more frozen turkeys breaking these toes ;) And now that i know it's ok to do so i'll keep it fully stocked. I'm a foodie too and that's what we do - cook, eat, freeze and enjoy :)
Kris Wilson
Looks great Karen! I too love organizing, but struggle with my chest freezer, it's a mess. Maybe you could come over (I live close to you) and do a demo on how to organize a chest freezer and post it for your other readers? Just trying to help other poor unorganized chest freezer owners. And I'm surprised no one mentioned your deer head in the mudroom! Everyone is all up in arms over the cat litter container! What's the story there?
Karen
That's a vintage/wonky deer's head the fella bought at an auction. When he was here I would never let him hang it. The moment he ran away from home I went to the basement and put it up, lol. ~ karen!
Elen G
Sing it, Karen! I've been freezing flat for a year now, and I love it, love it, love it! Great piece from IKEA for shoes.
Heather
That is a lot of food! A whole container of cabbage rolls?
I think everyone else has said it all. Just want to say I love the ladle in the first picture!
Maria
You are a sexy sexy organizing woman. I love a good labeling, a good organizing and a decent throwing out.
Christin K
Looks like you could flip the boxes on the right upside down and they'd fit snugly against the left ones. I imagine the flat frozen bags would then slot quite nicely into the space leftover at the edge of the shelf. I have a chest freezer so organization is a bit more cumbersome. I use recycling bins with handles so I can easily lift out the top two to expose the two that fit below (I have a small chest freezer so the bins are fairly light even when full). I also use plastic boxes like yours on the little shelf to the side of the freezer for more stacking space; they fit freezer jars of jam and other small stuff perfectly.
Karen
omg I'll try that! Great idea! ~ karen
Ev Wilcox
I have a chest freezer from hell. Where can you get recycling bins? Will give it a try if I can find them!
Christin K
I bought the 6 gallon stack and carry bins from the Container Store. Inexpensive (10 bucks each), fit my freezer perfectly (I can get four in there), and the handle really makes it easy to lift them in and out.
Robin
I love freezing in the flat baggies and do this with all meals. One problem I have found, though, is that the baggies do not nestle well. They slide all over the place and sometimes even attack me all at once. Putting all the sliding baggies in a bin makes a great idea even better so now I am off to find some bins for my freezer. Thanks so much
Mary from Barrie
I think I could throw out 50 things from the freezer today. Just wondering, Karen - do the clear containers help prevent/delay freezer burn?
Karen
Hi Mary from Barrie! ~ I'm not sure if they do or not. I imagine they would a little, but I Foodsaver pretty much everything so it's hard to tell. The less air around something the less chances of freezer burn though so they might help a bit. ~ karen!
Beverley
Hi Mary from Barrie! Is this Barrie in Ontario? If so, I lived there too after I moved from Bond Head!!! Ah, such nice memories of Kempenfelt Beach as a teen :-)
Feral Turtle
This is the only way to freeze stuff. We've been doing this for many years and it is definitely the best!.. I do have a bit of freezer envy though.
Melissa in North Carolina
I agree with Maggie Van Sickle....that is a lot of food for one little Karen! Does your fancy dancy clear door fridge not have much of a freezer section? Anyway, it looks great and this post is inspiring. When I grow up I want to be a doer. I'm already pretty good at organizing my stuff. Thanks, Karen.
Karen
Hi Melissa! The glass door fridge is refrigerator from top to bottom! Alllll fridge. This is my only freezer. It stands on the other side of the wall my fridge is on so they're basically side by side, separated by a door. ~ karen!
maggie van sickle
Looks good . Wow a lot of food for a little bitty person.
Karen
LOL. I like food. :) ~ karen!
Jody
You are more than a doer; you are a finisher. If I chuck out all the freezer burnt crap in the bottom of my freezer does that count for Monday's 50? Organizing my freezer has been on my to do list forever.
julie
Jody, from what I'm reading, you're saving electricity by keeping that crap in there...less air!!
Thera
Beautiful mudroom!
As for the freezer, I too am stuck with a chest freezer, so I hung a clipboard, with some blank paper and a pen tied to it above.
When we put food in, write it down, take food out, cross it off, it's not pretty, but no ice cream is being neglected.
Bonnie
I think that the world is really divided into two types: the organized and the chaotic. Or, really, it is a continuum, with most people in the middle somewhere. I am on the right end, but I try to move toward the left sometimes. I just do not enjoy organizing; some people do.
But, what really amazes me is how much food you have for a person who lives alone. Do you have some inside information that the world is coming to an end?
Also, I will expose my ignorance--what is a shoe closet? Are the shoes in those drawers? Is that a European thing?
Karen
The drawers tilt out Bonnie. So it keeps all your shoes oganized and hidden. The whole chest is only about 7" deep so it takes up NO space at all. And … I just like food and cooking. :) ~ karen!
Bonnie
Look at this wonderful show closet: https://www.closets.com/?p=product&type=360-Organizer&gclid=CjwKEAiAxNilBRD88r2azcqB2zsSJABy2B96Tp55v_2IDDvcnTHms_w_VRpGy8bzD-BYDYoCSWE26xoCTdvw_wcB
I want one of these rotating things for all of the components of my closet. That way I could rotate my clothes by season to the front of my closet. Wouldn't that be cool. I originally wanted one of those rotating things that the dry cleaner has, and thought I could move my clothes seasonally to the attic for storage, but this is more realistic.
Bonnie
I meant to type shoe closet, but I guess it is a show closet.
Karol
Pumpkin ravioli. Now that sounds delicious!
Karen
Let me tell you. It IS, lol! I make it with Kabocha squash from the garden. It also has a bit of condensed milk, salt, pepper and sage. A few other things. ~ karen
Beverley
Now I might have missed it if you ever did post one….but can you share your recipe Karen? I love pumpkin ravioli drizzled with browned butter!
Diane
I'm not coming to your house to eat...ever! Kinda grossed out by the kitty litter in the freezer! I think you are the only person on the planet with kitty litter in the freezer. Makes me wonder what you are actually shrink wrapping in the bags!?! Kinda scary Karen...just sayin!
Karen
The litter box fits into the space perfect and is air tight. I use it to hold all of my seafood so I don't have any odour transfer, lol. ~ karen!
julie
If your seafood was nice and fresh, like we have here on the east coast it would barely have a smell! We are able to keep our fish intermingled with even bread or cake with no flavour transfer!!
Su
you mention Jack in the Box and now I want one.... since I already freeze stuff flat AND use containers I'm going out to find Jack.... :)
Mary Gilkinson
No matter how I try,my meat gets freezer burn. Do you experience this? If not, what is your method for freezing meat? Any tips on organizing bottom drawer freezers? somewhere in mine iI think I have frozen peas.
Karen
Mary - I use a Foodsaver. I've been using it for years and I've never had something I sealed in it get freezer burn. Meat will keep in the freezer for over a year and not get freezer burn. I can't recommend them enough! For the bottom drawer freezer use containers, but upright and skinny. So maybe 6 of them across the bottom freezer. Keep certain things in certain containers. They'll still be full of stuff and you'll have to dig through them a bit, but if you know the entire first container is filled with frozen vegetables you can just pull that one container out and go through it and nothing else in your freezer will move around and get jumbled up. ~ karen!
Pam'a
Karen, I've been pondering a Foodsaver for ages, and in looking at the accessories I see 8" and 11" rolls, as well as bags. Do you have a recommendation? Do the rolls allow you to make various sizes? Enquiring minds and all. :)
Karen
Hi Pam'a. Yes, if you buy a box of Foodsaver rolls they come with 2 different sizes. If you want to freeze 2 steaks for instance the slightly larger one will do 2 of them side by side. It's just a matter of preference. I just use both sizes until they're gone, lol. I have never used the premade bags but my choices are getting slimmer because the only way I've seen the boxed rolls for sale now is *with* the bags so I suppose I'll be giving them a shot in the next month or so. I prefer to cut the rolls and make the bag the size I want. Foodsavers are a bit finicky in terms of the size of your bag. If you cut them too small then the Foodsaver won't seal properly and you'll get air. I really love it though. It's a GREAT kitchen gadget. I'd get the smallest/cheapest one possible if I were you. Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better it just means taking up more room in your kitchen. ~ karen!
Ryn
Now I know how to organize my upright freezer when I finally get one. Thanks Karen!