When you feel like you just don't have enough freezer space for everything, you might be frozen in fear. The items you want to keep might not fit and you're not prepared to eat three whole frozen pizzas. However, there may be more space in your freezer than you think with a little organization.
Eliminate Boxes
Remove any boxes that you can. A lot of grocery items come in boxes that take up unnecessary space. Contained within the boxes are bags that take up much less space. You may want to label what is in the bag and cooking instructions, but you can otherwise do away with the boxes. If the box doesn't come with a bag, you can place these items in freezer bags as an additional way to save space. When placing food in a sealed bag, make sure to push down to squeeze out all of the air so that the bag is flat and takes up as little space as possible.
Get The Right Freezer
Some freezers are poorly designed. Consider getting a chest freezer with a top-opening lid. That way, you don't have to worry about an avalanche of stacked food falling on you when you try to grab something.
Don't Freeze Ice Cubes
Rather than freezing ice cubes in an ice tray, which takes up space, consider getting a countertop ice machine. You can take advantage of the space you have on your counter, but not in your freezer.
Get The Right-Sized Containers
Stacking storage containers is a great way to make sure that you take advantage of all the vertical space. However, you will need to make sure that you choose storage containers that will actually use up all of the space. Choosing containers that are stackable and that are not too tall are better than choosing taller containers. You will also have more flexibility. If you have a lot of frozen chicken left over, for example, this can be placed in two or three containers.
When you have a smaller quantity of something else, this can be placed in a smaller container. Make sure to measure so you can get the right-sized containers and maximize your use of space.
Create A List
It may be worthwhile to keep a list of everything that is in your freeze with expiration dates. You may have items in your freezer that you forgot about. Eat or toss them before they expire so you can make room for newer items.
