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datura_07

organizing two freezers

datura-07
13 years ago

The dumpster gets picked up Wednesday so I need to clean out the freezers.

I have two freezers that are packed all the time. I love sales and we live in the country and I don't like to run to the store for only a few items. After I clean them out, they are organized for a few months and then I'm rushed and just start putting things anywhere I can find room.

In the past I start out putting things together and try to put the new things in the back. Now I'm wondering if I should change my plan and organized by date. I tend to toss lots of stuff even after vacuum sealing them since I forget I have them. I also have two large fridges plus the one in the apartment off the house where our son lives. He gets so mad at me but his is usually half full. I started to say "who purchased this and who pays the electric bill and who cooks all your meals - so he hasn't complained lately.

I did start to use the freezer in the kitchen fridge just for breads, ice cream, nuts and herbs and that has worked out great.

For those of you with two freezers - how do you do it?????

thanks for any suggestions.

Comments (2)

  • lazy_gardens
    13 years ago

    then I'm rushed and just start putting things anywhere I can find room When you clean it out this time, make a running tally of how much money you threw out because of the disorganization and "I don't have time" frame of mind. Post that total in a prominent spot over the freezers in big print. Seeing "Disorganization cost us $327 last month" can be a real motivator.

    Try sorting "convenience foods" that only need heating or defrosting and "bulk raw materials" that need other ingredients into separate freezers ... hamburger, for example, is a raw material unless you make patties out of it or spaghetti sauce. Then it moves into the other freezer.

    Clean more often, and have one shelf as a "eat this NOW" shelf for anything that will be discarded next bulk trash day because it's overdate. Or bring it into the kitchen and have a "must use this" shelf in that freezer.

    I repack bulk purchases into smaller sizes and overpack them - 5 lb of cheese turns into 20 sandwich baggies inside 2 gallon freezer bags. When I run out of frozen cheese in the kitchen, I bring in an overpack. When I bring in the last overpack, cheese goes on the shopping list.

    I also have a hierarchy of shelves (upright freezer). The higher in the freezer something is, the less time it will take to prep it.

    **************
    Another method that might work is to use the kitchen freezer for things you plan to cook in the next two weeks. Make a menu plan. "Shop" out of the garage freezers, adjust their inventory, and move a week or two worth of frozen stuff into the house.

  • janetpetiole
    13 years ago

    One thing I have learned to do is shop from my freezer. You can do the same with your pantry, too

    Make a list of what you have, figure out what you want to make, then plan out meals to last until the next time you go shopping. Recipe sites like AllRecipes allows you to do a search on an ingredient, so finding recipes to use something up is simple. Shop with a list. The extra work will same you money in the long run.