For example, beauty is important to me. That's why I splurged on plant-based bins when I could've bought cheap recycling bins. But that's me. The IKEA bins other YouTubers recommend are also very beautiful.

But I didn't buy them because their bottoms are too narrow for my freezer meals which I freeze in either inch FoodSaver bags or With these product ideas and lessons in mind, I hope you've gotten plenty of chest freezer organization ideas. If you try any of my recommendations, do let me know how it goes.

Send pictures! If you want to know when there's something new on the blog, please subscribe to my RSS feed. For exclusive information and special offers, sign up for the free Natural Parenting Newsletter.

Thanks for visiting! Welcome back! If you haven't done so yet, do subscribe to my RSS feed and get notified of new blog posts. May 28, in Green Home by Alexis Rodrigo.

But in the end, practicality prevailed. Reasons to Organize a Compact Chest Freezer Even a small chest freezer needs some organization. My goals for organizing mine were to: make it easy for me and my family to find things.

The worst thing that could happen is for us to forget what's in the freezer which means we won't use it, it will go bad, and then we'd have to chuck it. That would be a waste, and I hate wasting stuff!

be able to reach any item in the freezer without taking my back out—or falling in. I'm petite, and I've got short arms and a bad back. And so, the idea of reaching into the chest freezer is daunting to me.

separate raw meats from ready-to-eat items. Food safety is important to me, and I'm especially grossed out when raw meats touch other food items. have a visually-appealing freezer. Having a good-looking freezer isn't the most important thing.

But you have to admit, an aesthetically pleasing home makes life so much more joyful. Tell me, what are your goals for wanting to organize your freezer?

The Key Principle to Organize Any Chest Freezer If you want to organize your chest freezer, whatever its size, there's one principle to follow: Divide it into smaller spaces. With containers, that's what! Same idea for your chest freezer! Containers to Divide a Chest Freezer Below are the containers I used to divide and create separate compartments in my chest freezer: 1.

Stackable recycling bins are great for organizing your chest freezer because: They fit even in a 5 cu ft chest freezer They stack on top of each other They've got handles that fold out of the way when you don't need them They're roomy enough for my freezer meals to lay flat and packages of bulk meat Now, you could use ordinary stackable recycling bins like the ones you see on YouTube.

They're pretty. They don't have the recycling logo and come in a choice of three colors: graphite, turquoise, or raspberry. I would've loved the pink one, but it wasn't not available in Canada when I was shopping 🙁 I only had enough room for two of these bins, stacked. Wire Baskets Chest freezers already come with wire baskets that slide across the width of the freezer.

And I found this:. Cookie Sheet Finally, I added a quarter sheet pan on top of my bins. How Do I Organize My Freezer Like a Pro? Lesson 1. Measure, measure, measure. Measure your freezer's: outer dimensions, so you can be sure that you have enough space for it.

Take note that manufacturers require several inches of clearance between the freezer and the adjacent wall. In our case, we needed at least 4 inches. inner dimensions. This is the size of the space you'll be working with. Freezers usually have a bumped out area where the freezer's compressor is.

That's the "shelf" I mentioned above. Remember to measure that, too. Don't forget to measure the size of the baskets that came with your freezer.

Lesson 2. For example, if you purchase one pound of hamburger it is usually more expensive per pound than if you buy a 5 or pound package. You can also save money with your freezer by being able to freeze leftovers and produce before you are able to eat them.

Not every single food does well frozen, but many things do just fine! Leftover chili, taco meat, grilled chicken … the sky is the limit.

Bonus: freezing things like this makes for a bonus easy cooking night later! Depending on the size and model of your freezer, it is estimated by MyMoneyBlog. Being able to store things in your freezer also enables you to make fewer trips to the grocery store.

This is especially helpful during our current times due to the pandemic. When you get to these places, buying extra for your favorites and being able to freeze as appropriate can be a really convenient way to be able to stock up.

My husband is an avid hunter and fisherman, and our meat freezer mostly contains venison, wild turkey, pheasant, duck, and walleye. This spring, we did raise and butcher four broiler chickens for the first time, so that meat is in our freezer right now as well.

I try to stock up on various types of fruit when they are in season, locally in Minnesota when possible like strawberries and apples. We have a pretty big ever-bearing red raspberry patch in our yard, so we end up with lots of berries to get us through the winter too!

I often make jam , but we also like to keep some in the freezer for making smoothies, frozen drinks, oatmeal, desserts, and quick bread. We also grow a large garden each summer, so we freeze quite a few vegetables.

We can green beans, zucchini relish, pickles, red and green salsa, and spaghetti sauce every year. But, did you know you can actually freeze ripe tomatoes whole until you have enough to make a big batch of something?

Often in the summer, we end up with up to 40 pounds of tomatoes in our freezer at a time while we wait for our plants to produce enough for a big batch of sauce.

I like to use bottom of small boxes to keep everything together. It works like a charm. What a great idea! I remember choosing an upright because I just knew I wouldn't be able to find anything in a chest freezer. I have 2 of those huge Aldis bags.

They are wonderful! But I only use them for shopping. I have several of them and I must say your idea of using them in the freezer is wonderful. I do use all of mine when I do a large grocery shop. Hugs, Cindy. I have 6 Walmart ones and use them all the time but I never get out of there without needing one or 2 plastic bags.

That's not to say I always take all 6 in with me. I just can never estimate the right amount of bags to take in with me. I like your idea! We have a smallish square deep freeze, and it sure is handy. What a good idea! I have bunches of those kinds of bags. Hi Rhonda, Great Job.

I love my bags too.

Egg Container. $ $ Amazon iSPECLE Freezer Organizer Bins - 4 Pack Stackable Chest Freezer Organizer for 5 and 7 big.kim Deep Freezer Sort Frozen Meats, Deep Freezer Organizer Bins with Missing

Reduced price freezer organization - Fridge Drawer Organizer. $ Amazon Egg Container. $ $ Amazon iSPECLE Freezer Organizer Bins - 4 Pack Stackable Chest Freezer Organizer for 5 and 7 big.kim Deep Freezer Sort Frozen Meats, Deep Freezer Organizer Bins with Missing

See all the nooks and crannies! This drawer came with that freezer, which has worn out and since been replaced with a new one last year. This post was written many years ago. Sorry, I really do wish I knew!

Your freezers are so different to ours here in the uk. Ours have pull out baskets per shelf and usually couple of shelves at the top. Yours looks much bigger as well!

Would never have thought of putting baskets in the freezer. Might try it on the top 2 shelves as they are usually the most difficult to organize. When I lived in the UK, I just remember how small the fridge was in our house! My mom and I were constantly thinking that Americans kept more things cold than people in the UK.

I would LOVE to see a chest freezer organization post- you have such good ideas! Next time I will get an upright!! Oh man, does that mean I would have to organize a chest freezer?! Check out my Pinterest board for garages — there are some good chest freezer resources.

But yes, I came into the uprights accidentally, but I love it! I had some challenges with my upright freezer during the declutter challenge. Love it. I also love the baskets that came with your freezer, so I did some web searching and found that they are available separately.

That is awesome! That will be so handy for a lot of people to know — the baskets are so handy! Thank you. Ah, if I were only lucky enough to have room for a freezer! I only have the [small] one at the top of my refrigerator.

Any ideas for those of us that do not have a freezer or a pantry, forgat matter? Same thing with the pantry. Thanks for replying. I was hoping for ideas on how to separate one rectangle into sections when there are none.

I do freeze everything flat in ziplock bags, but they are just stacked on top of one another not easy to sort through. I think you could use some of those adjustable shelves that are meant for pantries to create more shelves for yourself. Hi Mary I just subscribed to your site. I do have a question, I am trying to organize my standing freezer and i like how you use the bins.

I have been trying to find the one you show for your loaves of bread. Can you tell me where to find one? Love your site!! Hi Veronica! It has been a lifesaver! Maybe your freezer has an accessory you can purchase?

What is the brand and size of your freezer? I would like to look it up and see if those bins can be purchased separately. Your freezer looks amazon! Thanks for all the tips and ideas! Thanks for your help! What brand are the drawers in your freezer, like the one for your bread?

Where did you purchase them? They actually came with my freezer! I love them. If you see my reply to a previous comment above, I link to where you can get the accessories for my freezer, like that bin.

How did they basket hold up? I got some similar from Target but worried they will crack being in the freezer. Love the Freezer organization!!

Thank you for sharing. I found the sliding basket on both of the links already provided but neither place has the actual width or the depth of the drawer. Could you possible share the measurements of your basket? Hi Lindsey! I do think finding baskets makes freezers so useable, so I wish you luck in finding one that fits your freezer!

I find that when stacking anything they all seem to slide off the shelves, scary if really heavy because they might break a foot!

Is there a way to stop things sliding right out? Definitely put some gloves on and re-arrange things so you get items you want to use next, easier to get to. Maybe try to stop adding to your freezer until you have it organized. Your email address will not be published. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Home Meet Mary Contact Disclosure Clean Clean cleaning routine laundry kid chores Organize Declutter Planners Food Challenges Declutter Challenge Spring Cleaning Challenge Summer Organizing Boot Camp Love Home Challenge Free Printables Store.

I try to stock up on various types of fruit when they are in season, locally in Minnesota when possible like strawberries and apples. We have a pretty big ever-bearing red raspberry patch in our yard, so we end up with lots of berries to get us through the winter too!

I often make jam , but we also like to keep some in the freezer for making smoothies, frozen drinks, oatmeal, desserts, and quick bread. We also grow a large garden each summer, so we freeze quite a few vegetables.

We can green beans, zucchini relish, pickles, red and green salsa, and spaghetti sauce every year. But, did you know you can actually freeze ripe tomatoes whole until you have enough to make a big batch of something? Often in the summer, we end up with up to 40 pounds of tomatoes in our freezer at a time while we wait for our plants to produce enough for a big batch of sauce.

Unfortunately, I do use plastic freezer bags for most of the above. We do wash and reuse them whenever possible, usually multiple times. Some people say you can freeze them without blanching … we disagree. Otherwise, most vegetables and fruits do just fine in the freezer as long as you process them correctly.

chest freezer question. We have chest freezers, but I know some people prefer upright freezers. We have some boxes in the bottom of our freezer that help organize it, and we use grocery bags above that, and there are baskets in the top part of the freezer.

I think even if you have an upright freezer, finding a way to organize it that works for your family is the key. In our house, that happens to be me. I recommend defrosting and cleaning your freezers out on a regular basis.

I probably do ours times a year. It keeps them running well, but it also prevents you from finding surprises later. Keeping an inventory list of some sort is also a good idea. You could have a list for each freezer of what is inside and its approximate location if you wanted, which helps other family members.

At one point, I tried to keep a spreadsheet, which ended up just being a little too much. I talk a bit more about freezing food as a form of food preservation in my how to get started with food preservation blog post. Check it out below.

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Reduced price freezer organization - Fridge Drawer Organizer. $ Amazon Egg Container. $ $ Amazon iSPECLE Freezer Organizer Bins - 4 Pack Stackable Chest Freezer Organizer for 5 and 7 big.kim Deep Freezer Sort Frozen Meats, Deep Freezer Organizer Bins with Missing

If you want to organize your chest freezer, whatever its size, there's one principle to follow: Divide it into smaller spaces. The reason a chest freezer is so unmanageable is because it's one large space without any structure or framework. So if you use it as-is, you end up just throwing in anything and everything.

Without structure, the items form a huge jumble which you then have to sort through to find what you need. If you don't add structure to your chest freezer, you'll end up with a disorganized pile of food.

Image source: Frigidaire Canada. The solution, then, is to divide up that space into separate areas. Which begs the question: How do I make chest freezer dividers? Think of those packing cubes for your luggage. You pack your stuff into those separate cubes or containers. Then when you need a specific item, you don't have to unpack your entire bag.

Just take out the cube and grab the item from there. The only thing is, since freezers come in so many different sizes, there isn't one set of containers that will work for every freezer.

You'll have to work out which containers will fit in your freezer. And how you want to organize the items in your freezer. We'll get to the specific steps later. For now, let's talk about the specific containers I chose for my own 5 cu ft chest freezer. Below are the containers I used to divide and create separate compartments in my chest freezer:.

I really have to thank YouTube for this idea. Stackable recycling bins are great for organizing your chest freezer because:. Now, you could use ordinary stackable recycling bins like the ones you see on YouTube. But I actually purchased these more expensive stackable bins from Good Natured.

And that's because:. I only had enough room for two of these bins, stacked. If you have a larger freezer, you may need four or more. My bins fit nicely, provide plenty of storage space, and look pretty! Chest freezers already come with wire baskets that slide across the width of the freezer.

Mine came with one. You'll probably want to add more wire baskets, like I did. Wire baskets are great because they add structure without blocking the air flow of your freezer. You can purchase additional wire baskets that hook up to the edges of the chest freezer.

That way, they can hang in place and slide out of the way. Here's an example:. Unfortunately, these are soooo expensive in Canada. And besides, with my stackable bins in place, I don't have room to add another wire basket to the top of my chest freezer.

I did, however, have space above the little "shelf" on the bottom of the freezer. This space measures 7 inches wide, That makes for a long, narrow, tall, and unstructured space where a lot of things can go wrong. For example, since the left side of it is wide open, it's likely for stuff to fall off and into the main area of the freezer.

To avoid that, I decided to place a long and narrow wire basket on this shelf. I love that I was able to find such a perfectly-sized wire basket for that space! This comes in different colours, and I picked the white one to match the wire basket that came with my freezer. As you can see, it worked out great!

The bottom wire basket fits perfectly and can accommodate four frozen pizzas. Finally, I added a quarter sheet pan on top of my bins. I plan to use the very top of my chest freezer as a staging area to freeze my freezer meals flat.

This is to give me a flat surface to freeze my freezer meals before they go into the stackable bins. Freezing them flat first gives me the option to store them sideways, like books.

That would make it much easier to find the particular freezer meal I want, compared to if I had them stacked on top of each other.

And that, my friend, is how I organized my 5 cu ft chest freezer with only four items! What do you think? What's the best way to organize a chest freezer?

The way that makes your life easier and more joyful! While going through the process of organizing my chest freezer, I made a number of mistakes. I'm sharing them with you so you can avoid making the same ones.

And hopefully, your own chest organization experience will go more smoothly. Because I'm a visual learner, I had to draw the measurements of my chest freezer.

These are the inner dimensions. That's a rule I learned as a sewer, and it applies to organizing your chest freezer, too. Or any space for that matter.

Measure at least twice to make sure you get it right. That way, you're less likely to have to do over. When organizing a freezer, it can be expensive to have to buy a different container because the one you bought doesn't fit.

When you're absolutely sure of your freezer's measurements, look for the right-sized containers. Whether you're buying in-person or online, don't rely on the measurements posted on a website or catalogue.

Even manufacturers can get this wrong or have typos! The measurements shown on good natured's Amazon listing are wrong. In reply to a customer question, good natured said, "Our Handy Tote is You'll find as many ways to organize a freezer as there are freezer owners.

Each one has a different style, personality, and budget. Figure out what will make YOU happy. For example, beauty is important to me. That's why I splurged on plant-based bins when I could've bought cheap recycling bins.

But that's me. The IKEA bins other YouTubers recommend are also very beautiful. But I didn't buy them because their bottoms are too narrow for my freezer meals which I freeze in either inch FoodSaver bags or With these product ideas and lessons in mind, I hope you've gotten plenty of chest freezer organization ideas.

If you try any of my recommendations, do let me know how it goes. Send pictures! If you want to know when there's something new on the blog, please subscribe to my RSS feed. I discovered I prefer bags!!!

When I bought my new one last year, I decided to go with the gray option. My reasoning was that my white one used to always look dusty and dirty, and I thought the gray might hide some of that. And it does! There you go — now you know how to organize that stand-up freezer.

There is nothing standing in your way! Shelves are flexible to organizing lots of things, and pegboards are specifically excellent at organizing tools. How To Organize A Stand-Up Freezer — Many people keep freezers in their garage.

My Re-Organized Garage REVEAL — I finally made the changed to make my garage a happy place for me! See all the nooks and crannies! This drawer came with that freezer, which has worn out and since been replaced with a new one last year.

This post was written many years ago. Sorry, I really do wish I knew! Your freezers are so different to ours here in the uk.

Ours have pull out baskets per shelf and usually couple of shelves at the top. Yours looks much bigger as well! Would never have thought of putting baskets in the freezer. Might try it on the top 2 shelves as they are usually the most difficult to organize. When I lived in the UK, I just remember how small the fridge was in our house!

My mom and I were constantly thinking that Americans kept more things cold than people in the UK. I would LOVE to see a chest freezer organization post- you have such good ideas!

Next time I will get an upright!! Oh man, does that mean I would have to organize a chest freezer?! Check out my Pinterest board for garages — there are some good chest freezer resources. But yes, I came into the uprights accidentally, but I love it! I had some challenges with my upright freezer during the declutter challenge.

Love it. I also love the baskets that came with your freezer, so I did some web searching and found that they are available separately. That is awesome! That will be so handy for a lot of people to know — the baskets are so handy! Thank you. Ah, if I were only lucky enough to have room for a freezer!

I only have the [small] one at the top of my refrigerator. Any ideas for those of us that do not have a freezer or a pantry, forgat matter?

Same thing with the pantry. Thanks for replying. I was hoping for ideas on how to separate one rectangle into sections when there are none. I do freeze everything flat in ziplock bags, but they are just stacked on top of one another not easy to sort through. I think you could use some of those adjustable shelves that are meant for pantries to create more shelves for yourself.

Hi Mary I just subscribed to your site. I do have a question, I am trying to organize my standing freezer and i like how you use the bins. I have been trying to find the one you show for your loaves of bread. Can you tell me where to find one? Love your site!! Hi Veronica! It has been a lifesaver!

Maybe your freezer has an accessory you can purchase? What is the brand and size of your freezer? I would like to look it up and see if those bins can be purchased separately.

Your freezer looks amazon! Thanks for all the tips and ideas! Thanks for your help! What brand are the drawers in your freezer, like the one for your bread?

Where did you purchase them? They actually came with my freezer! I love them. If you see my reply to a previous comment above, I link to where you can get the accessories for my freezer, like that bin. How did they basket hold up? I got some similar from Target but worried they will crack being in the freezer.

Love the Freezer organization!! Thank you for sharing. I found the sliding basket on both of the links already provided but neither place has the actual width or the depth of the drawer. Could you possible share the measurements of your basket?

Hi Lindsey! I do think finding baskets makes freezers so useable, so I wish you luck in finding one that fits your freezer!