Home Organization Tips

During my summer vacation, I met a most fascinating man. He is nearly blind and his wife suffers from limited mobility. In order to be able to enjoy in his ‘’hobby” of inviting guests from all over the world, this man has created an obvious- yet easily overlooked- system for creating freezer efficiency. Although he has thee extra freezers, a luxury most people can’t afford or don’t have space to accommodate, his food was stored in a perfectly organized fashion, so that he would be able to find what he needed even when his wife wasn’t there- as was the case when we arrived. I was so inspired by this remarkable person and his wonderful system for freezer efficiency, that I ran home to share it with you. I know you’ll love it too.

1- Create a Master List
For maximum freezer efficiency, create a master list of what is in your freezer at all times. My father, for example, is constantly complaining that food in his freezer has ‘’hair” longer than his own, because it is covered so thickly with frost before anyone remembers to eat it. Creating a dated master list of things in the freezer will enable you to see what you have with a quick glance, know what you need to buy and what you already have and will serve as a reminder for how long something has been in the freezer, so that you can use it in a timely fashion. Stick the list- and a pen- to the freezer, so that you will always remember to update the list, and you will know where it is when you need it. (Those with smaller freezers may be able to list the freezer’s contents on a wipe off board which is also easy to update).

2- Organize Shelves Appropriately
One of the easiest ways to find things in your freezer is to make sure that you put everything in a memorable place. I store all of my meat on the bottom shelf, frozen desserts on a different shelf, frozen dinner items (uncooked crepes, frozen veggies, TV dinners, etc.) on a third shelf, and cooking items (boxes of puff pastry, whipping cream, etc.) on the door. This system leads to freezer efficiency because it prevents you from having long searches through the freezer to find what you need.

3- Store Newer Items in the Back
It’s no secret that supermarkets store fresher milk in the back, so that customers reach for the older bottles first. Applying this principle when you stock your freezer will inspire you to eat the older food first, thereby preventing it from getting ruined in the freezer.

4- Create Freezer Space for Weeknight Dinners
Many working women (and men) find it easy to make food in advance and freeze it for a quick and healthy dinner after a long day’s work. Creating space in the freezer for nightly meals will make each dinner easy to locate. It will also help you notice quickly how many meals you have left- or how many you’ll need to make so that you’re not under-stocked.

5- Clean the Freezer Periodically
In order to ensure that your freezer can properly store your food, it is essential to make sure that it is set to the right temperature and that it’s not over or under-freezing your food. Freezers can malfunction for any number of reasons, from a blackout, to being overcrowded, to the motor overheating. Check to make sure that your food isn’t getting freezer-burn too quickly and that it’s solidly frozen. If you notice something strange, call a technician, defrost the freezer (if necessary), and move the food to a more reliable freezer until the problem is resolved.

Following these 5 steps towards freezer efficiency will simplify your life and enable you to enjoy your food without the headache. Although each one is efficient in its own way, employing all of these strategies is sure to be a recipe for success!

Posted on September 9th, 2007 by Sari
Filed under: organizing tips, Household Management