How to organise my freezer

[wastedtwenties]

I have a very small integrated freezer in my kitchen and a bigger tall freezer in the shed.

I've been trying to do it that I keep veg inside and my dc's food but I find the veg bags fill up most of the drawer / all the space and so I don't get much variety.

I've always got an overflowing freezer as I'm not v good at using stuff up

Is there a better way of going this?? Ideally I would split things into two bags so have a bit of everything inside and extra outside but just seems such a faff. There's nowhere to put the tall freezer indoors either sadly

If you only use frozen veg, there will be a lot. Could you keep the bag when empty and decant enough from the outside freezer to last a week, so you have a week's food in your kitchen freezer, and just top up when you need to?

Could you be guilty of keeping too much frozen food? I used to do this, but now supermarkets deliver, I'm happy for them to store it!

@Cynderella

If you only use frozen veg, there will be a lot. Could you keep the bag when empty and decant enough from the outside freezer to last a week, so you have a week's food in your kitchen freezer, and just top up when you need to?

Could you be guilty of keeping too much frozen food? I used to do this, but now supermarkets deliver, I'm happy for them to store it!

Thanks for replying. I think I fill it up but then don't actually use it. So if I know I neeed a particular veg for a dish I'll order it fresh

I think I do need to start decanting though, you are right..

I have a very small freezer in the kitchen and my chest freezer in my attic room three floors above. I do menu plan and I go upstairs every weekend and bring the things needed down to the small kitchen freezer for the week.
I also use the library sytem for storage which saves load of space. Buy some same size freezer bags . I use cheap ikea ones. Decant veg etc into them and squash air out and make as flat as possible. Easy to stack ontop of each other as no wasted space as all he same dimensions.when you use some of the contents just squash air out and flaten again. I also buy big portions of mince etc and decant into the bags. Much easier to store regular size blocks of meat . Just use a goid freezer pen to lable and date.

do you know what is in your freezer?

@HelebethH

I have a very small freezer in the kitchen and my chest freezer in my attic room three floors above. I do menu plan and I go upstairs every weekend and bring the things needed down to the small kitchen freezer for the week. I also use the library sytem for storage which saves load of space. Buy some same size freezer bags . I use cheap ikea ones. Decant veg etc into them and squash air out and make as flat as possible. Easy to stack ontop of each other as no wasted space as all he same dimensions.when you use some of the contents just squash air out and flaten again. I also buy big portions of mince etc and decant into the bags. Much easier to store regular size blocks of meat . Just use a goid freezer pen to lable and date.

I need to see a picture of this because it sounds brilliant...

@LemonKitten . I will try and upload one this afternoon for you 😊

Top shelf - caramel ice cream
Middle shelf - vanilla ice cream
Bottom shelf - strawberry ice cream

@LemonKitten
I have never uploaded a photo before so hope this one is clear. This is just in the i ebox part of a fridge
All family sized bags where possible.
Mixed veg
Frozen Mash
Carrot and swede mash
Broccoli
Sprouts
Red cabbage
Mixed sliced peppers
Blueberries
Sliced lemons (essential for my G&T)
Ice lollies x6
Nutroast
In the second pic i have laid a pack of 8 tortillas across the top of the bags.
Put ice cube tray in the fro nt and a bag of sausages.

Easiest way is to make a list of what you have in the freezer in the shed by setting your phone to record you speaking or use the video function, you aren't videoing just recording your voice. Open the freezer and speak aloud everything you come across. You can write it out later.

In the past I have done what Heleb has done. I took a plastic crate to my larder freezer and decanted food into freezer bags or tubs for that week's food and transferred it to my kitchen freezer. I also have a master list so that when I am running low I just tick the list with a whiteboard marker and check that when I am writing a shopping list. I also freeze mince flat, I shop at Costco so mince is 2.5kg I divide it into gallon freezer bags then use a rolling pin to flatten them. They defrost quicker this way too.

I too have sliced lemons in the freezer but mine go in sparkling water (I have a soda stream) or pepsi max

@LemonKitten
I Will try again to uoad the pics

Here's the 2nd one hopefully

I've started writing lists of contents on the outside of my freezer with a whiteboard pen - then I just rub out the item when i take it out - i wish I'd thought of this years ago. I've got a different colour pen for each drawer.

I do know what's in the freezer but over winter I dread going out so don't use it up efficiently

I think the key for me is decanting into smaller portions so I've got a bit of everything inside then once used up I can top up

I should also probably start by emptying the inside freezer and bringing in meals for the week

You could start by removing everything from your kitchen freezer that you will not use between now and next Sunday, and then put that in the outside freezer. Then, next weekend, bring in only what you need for the following week - if it's half a bag of peas, leave the other half in the garage.

Gradually, as your freezers empty, you'll have more room to be more flexible.

This is a great resource and I think the lady is on IG too - www.facebook.com/groups/thefullfreezer/?ref=share

Lots of good tips about how to manage your freezer space effectively