The last time you opened the freezer, it might have looked super messy and disorganized. For instance, managing the freezer content seems like an impossible task and can also be the reason for an improper food arrangement.
It is now the right time to step ahead and know how to organize your freezer?
You can organize the freezer by decluttering and cleaning it first. Secure the food in freezer-friendly packaging and discard the spoiled ones. You can vacuum seal the food to create more space inside. Avoid overfilling the freezer and always leave some empty room. Label the content to know what you stored and for how long.
Almost every household has a freezer for food storage. But, it can be a hassle to keep it tidy all the time. This article is here to help you transform your freezer by practicing a few basic techniques.
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How To Organize Your Freezer Like A Pro: A Step By Step Guide
When it comes to storing your food for the long term, a freezer is always the first place you think. It is an absolute must for the kitchen and makes the cooking experience easy. Either making a dish at the last minute or keeping your favorite ice cream intact, a freezer is a life savior.
However, we all have encountered a situation where our freezer looks like a mess. You might have to dig in and find that one piece of item you want. Not to forget, the off-odors and spilling inside the freezer. The uncountable instance where your food has spoiled because you forgot it.
Many times you might have decided to organize your freezer. But, it seems like a lot of work to do. It is not as difficult as it sounds. By incorporating a few steps into your daily routine, you can transform your freezer.
1. Deep Clean The Freezer Beforehand
While it can feel like plenty of labor, it is essential to deep clean the freezer before you start to organize it. The built-up smells can create an unpleasant environment inside the freezer and a breeding ground for bacteria.
Get ready and follow the steps listed down for a clean and shining freezer.
- First of all, remove all the foods from the freezer. To prevent spoilage, shift them to a cooler with the ice.
- Side by side, check the expiration date on the frozen food. If they have passed, separate these items from the rest and toss them afterward.
- Unplug the freezer from the power supply. Never work with a running freezer as it can lead to a hazardous situation.
- Mix equal parts of vinegar and hot water in a spray bottle. Shake it well so they can blend well with each other. It is your homemade cleaning solution.
- Spray every nook and corner of the freezer with the solution, not leaving any spare inch. Ensure to wipe it away with a dry microfiber cloth. Repeat this step until you are satisfied with the cleaning
- Wash your freezer drawers, ice trays, and bins with dishwashing liquid. Then, rinse them off with warm water to eliminate all the residue.
- Plug your freezer back. You are now ready to replace all the food items in the freezer.
2. Keep Your Food In Storage Packaging For Effective Organization
Storage bags not only help in keeping your food in good shape for longer durations, but it also gives a neat look to your freezer. So, if you want to upscale your organizational skills, package all your food, and you will be surprised by the results.
1. Vacuum sealing
If you vacuum-seal your products, it will change the whole organization process. A vacuum sealer removes all the excess air out and compresses the bag. As a result, it helps in saving a lot of space, and you can figure out with ease what food item is inside.
Secondly, it decreases the chances of air contamination to a significant degree. Thus, you are also enhancing the shelf-life of your products while organizing them.
2. Ziploc bags/ food container set
One of the most budget-friendly methods of storing your food is by using Ziploc bags. They are economical and last for extended periods.
Before popping all the food inside the freezer, place them in Ziploc bags. Also, instead of freezing all the similar items together, you can separate them into meal-size portions. This step will help food arrangement and make the freezing process much more effective.
Similarly, you can utilize freezer-friendly containers for storing your cooked meals. They are sturdy and can withstand pressure. You can keep these containers in the bottom of the freezer and pile up other stuff over them.
3. Don’t Forget To Label The Packaging/Containers
When you have placed all the food items in their respective packaging, you must label them. It is a crucial step that we usually skip. However, it can make your food identification much simple. Instead of guessing where you have put your delicious dessert or creamy pasta, you can look at the label and grab it out.
By labeling your food, you can not only organize your food well, but it will also keep a record of all the items. You can create labels with the help of label makers, available online. In case you don’t have one, no need to worry. Just get a sharpie and some masking tape, and you are good to go.
Besides mentioning the content of the container/ bag, there are a few other things you must highlight on the label. Ensure to write down the freezing date of the food and the expiration date. It will give you an instant reminder of what food you should consume first and which ones are on the verge of spoilage.
4. Never Overstuff The Freezer
You might always keep the leftovers in the freezer and consider it avoids food wastage. However, there are many instances when you forget or even don’t recognize some items. As we keep stacking more and more food, we cannot see what’s underneath or behind.
Thus, even after storing it so carefully, the food ultimately gets spoiled and needs to be discarded. So, it is better to avoid overfilling for a cleaner and well-maintained freezer.
Overloading can also disrupt the proper circulation of the air. As an outcome, the freezer cannot maintain its temperature, and the food may not freeze up to the standard. It can also damage the freezer, resulting in costly repairs.
Besides, with time the food eventually loses its quality and texture. It is not beneficial to store it in the freezer for longer durations. The earlier you utilize them, the better.
5. Always Rotate Your Food
Food rotation is a great way to let your freezer organized all the time. You can rotate all the stored items using the first-in-first-out (FIFO) method. According to this method, you should keep the oldest contents in the upper layer while the newest items will be at the bottom.
It will allow you to utilize the food with the early expiration date first. Thus, the chances of food spoilage reduce significantly. Besides, it will also give you an idea about what foods you need to discard immediately.
How To Organize Freezer Compartments?
Freezer often comes in different shapes and sizes. Similarly, the division of compartments might vary. However, the vast majority of freezers consist of either one of the following.
1. Freezer top
If your freezer is a single compartment attached to the top of your refrigerator, utilize all its space. You can keep maximum food items there easily.
The top shelf is ideal for keeping ice cube trays, fruits, vegetables, waffles, and ice pops. You can place all kinds of frozen desserts and baked goods here as well.
You can store protein-based items like meat and fish on the bottom shelf. Besides, you can also stack your soups, sauces, and leftovers.
Freezer bins are great for creating extra drawers. You can then organize the food according to categories and pull out what is required.
Label these bins as well. It will allow you and other family members to identify the exact item needed.
2. Freezer drawers
If your freezer has lots of drawers, you can organize them accordingly.
The uppermost drawer is best for storing your ice trays, frozen cubes, ice pops, and tomato pastes. It has limited space, and thus you cannot keep many items here.
The central drawer is spacy in comparison. And, you can store all the bulk here. You can use freezer organizers for sorting out things in separate batches.
Flatten out your storage bags sot that they take less space and are easier to find.
Multi-purpose freezer bins work excellent for creating zones for your food. You can categorize them into veggies, fruits, meat, baking goods, etc.
3. Freezer chests
Freezer chests are vast and offer plenty of area for storing big things. However, it might be a little challenging to organize it systematically.
Make use of bins and baskets for grouping similar things together. Ensure to label them all so you can identify them with a single glance.
High-duty freezer containers can go to the bottom-most layer of the freezer. Their build will enable them to carry all the load piled up over them.
Place delicate food products like berries and tender meat at the uppermost layer. It will help keep them fresh and intact.
Stack like with the like so that you know where all of them are. Also, place the newer items at the bottom, using the older ones first.
Conclusion
Organizing your freezer is a handy way to sort out your food. It saves time, enabling you to find the correct item instantly. If you plan to have guests for a weekend, they will thank you in heart for such a neatly organized freezer. They can take whatever they want without getting troubled.
A clean freezer is the first thing to start with your organization. Pack all food products and label them. Mention the ‘best before date on these labels, and it will serve as a reminder. The more effort you put in, the great will be the result.
Systematic organization of the food will help you prevent unnecessary food spoilage. Also, it will decrease the occurrence of any food-borne illness. A clean and tidy freezer has lesser chances of any bacteria lurking inside the food.
