Got half a pig coming next week and had to clean and organize the freezer this morning. First time in a long time. Way to long. The good, found some bacon and sausage that we didnt know we had. The bad, some very freezer burned venison from 2009. Couple of packages of moose burger from 2011. It doesnt look freezer burned and we are going to use it up in tacos and stuff just to see. I need to find some way to better organize stuff in there so stuff doesnt get lost. I am thinking of using those cloth shopping bags with a tag and date. For example, Pork roasts 2018/19. That way we eat all of those before the 2020 ones. What do you guys do to organize the freezer?
Food Freezer cleanout and organizing
- Thread starter mecoastie
- Start date
catskinner
Veteran Member
I had to do that earlier this year, before we got another beef.
We have 4 freezers and 3 refrigerators with freezers. This is how I do it.
Freezer #1 has what is left of last years beef, catfish and ice cream.
Refrigerator #1 is in the kitchen. I use that freezer to put everything in that I will be cooking this week, that is frozen. I call it my working freezer.
Freezer #2 had this years beef in it and is locked. I will use this beef, once the one from last year is gone.
Freezer #3 has bacon, breakfast sausage, ham, pork, chicken and fish.
Freezer #4 is vegetables and bread.
Refrigerator freezer #2 has smoked sausages, hot dogs, lunch meats and butter.
Refrigerator freezer #3 has pizza, mac and cheese (DS loves them) and breaded chicken strips.
All the freezer doors have half gallon jugs of milk, butter, nuts and frozen concentrate juice.
This is the only method I have found that keeps me not only organized, but rotating like I should. If I go to the area where the pork chops should be and only see frozen zip bags of water, it's time to get more.
Before you ask, yes I have a plan and the materials to can it all up if need be. I am very fortunate in that area.
We have 4 freezers and 3 refrigerators with freezers. This is how I do it.
Freezer #1 has what is left of last years beef, catfish and ice cream.
Refrigerator #1 is in the kitchen. I use that freezer to put everything in that I will be cooking this week, that is frozen. I call it my working freezer.
Freezer #2 had this years beef in it and is locked. I will use this beef, once the one from last year is gone.
Freezer #3 has bacon, breakfast sausage, ham, pork, chicken and fish.
Freezer #4 is vegetables and bread.
Refrigerator freezer #2 has smoked sausages, hot dogs, lunch meats and butter.
Refrigerator freezer #3 has pizza, mac and cheese (DS loves them) and breaded chicken strips.
All the freezer doors have half gallon jugs of milk, butter, nuts and frozen concentrate juice.
This is the only method I have found that keeps me not only organized, but rotating like I should. If I go to the area where the pork chops should be and only see frozen zip bags of water, it's time to get more.
Before you ask, yes I have a plan and the materials to can it all up if need be. I am very fortunate in that area.
mourningdove
Pura Vida in my garden
Cleaning out my freezer is on my ongoing to do list. I think I have almost used up the food in there. Time to thoroughly defrost and refill
naturallysweet
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I've recently stuffed all my freezers. I need to clean one out. But I have to eat the others down first. Lol
AnniePutin
Veteran Member
I really need to defrost two freezers. I empty frozen food into coolers and sort while freezer is defrosting. When I put the food back in, it is much more organized.
Grouchy Granny
Deceased
Did this very thing last weekend to prep for the 1/2 cow coming at the end of the month.
Have 2 freezers and 1 refrigerator with freezer in the garage.
Freezer 1 (the deep chest - 20 CF) will get most of the beef.
Freezer 2 (the upright - maybe 10 CF) will have hamburger, chicken, and pork in it.
The refrigerator freezer holds the strategic bacon and butter supply, plus the fridge part has extra flour and other stuff.
Anything we can't get in the above will go up to my mother's freezer which is mostly empty right now.
Have 2 freezers and 1 refrigerator with freezer in the garage.
Freezer 1 (the deep chest - 20 CF) will get most of the beef.
Freezer 2 (the upright - maybe 10 CF) will have hamburger, chicken, and pork in it.
The refrigerator freezer holds the strategic bacon and butter supply, plus the fridge part has extra flour and other stuff.
Anything we can't get in the above will go up to my mother's freezer which is mostly empty right now.
ivantherussian03
Veteran Member
Great job!
Jeff B.
Don’t let the Piss Ants get you down…
We’ve got the bottom freezers on two refrigerators one in the kitchen and one in the garage. There is also a small chest freezer in the garage.
We kind of rotate through cleaning each one and yep, often find surprises. We’re a lot better than we used to be at keeping tabs on the freezer stocks.
Now isn’t the time, but I’m going to look for an upright freezer. I’ve heard that they are a lot easier to keep organized and unlike the chest freezers, don’t have gravity pulling stuff to the bottom . Seriously, I’ve always felt that the chest form of freezer was not ideal for organization. My son found a really nice upright on Craigs list a couple of years ago, was still under the Lowe’s extended warranty (which he needed) and for a good price.
Jeff B.
We kind of rotate through cleaning each one and yep, often find surprises. We’re a lot better than we used to be at keeping tabs on the freezer stocks.
Now isn’t the time, but I’m going to look for an upright freezer. I’ve heard that they are a lot easier to keep organized and unlike the chest freezers, don’t have gravity pulling stuff to the bottom . Seriously, I’ve always felt that the chest form of freezer was not ideal for organization. My son found a really nice upright on Craigs list a couple of years ago, was still under the Lowe’s extended warranty (which he needed) and for a good price.
Jeff B.
We had freezer fail the other day when one of the bottom baskets fell and the other basket knocked the door open. I’m a little worried about using these baskets when the cow comes in now.
Only thing I can think of is to buy baskets at dollar tree or whatever; Velcro the bottom ones in and then stack on top of those. Anyone have a better idea?
Only thing I can think of is to buy baskets at dollar tree or whatever; Velcro the bottom ones in and then stack on top of those. Anyone have a better idea?
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I'm working on cleaning out one of my chest freezers, so I can do the same thing. It needs defrosting really bad. It's taking a while to eat up all that's in there, though. I hope I don't wind up with an empty but defrosted freezer at the wrong time.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
When we cleaned out and defrosted our big upright freezer recently we put everything in coolers until it was done, it all went back in the freezer. DH did find two more big bags of pig fat and he rendered that. It took up a lot of space. I had organized that freezer when I defrosted it last year and it was still organized but it was badly frozen over. We have issues with the seal on it.
Personally there is no way I'd try to eat up all that is in one of the freezers just to get it defrosted.
God is good all the time
Judy
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
The freezers are both full. We don't eat out of the freezers every night. I use my canned meats in a rotation on a regular basis along with what's in the freezers. It's going to take a long time trying to eat everything out of the one that needs defrosting, but it's beginning to have ice build up around the lid! I worry that the lid won't seal much longer if I don't do something. Also, this freezer is almost 40 yrs. old. I wish I could just go out and buy a new one, before this one just stops. I do have concerns that if I turn it off to defrost, it won't come back on.
Charmer153
Contributing Member
"freezer burned venison from 2009. Couple of packages of moose burger from 2011"
In the freezer for 10 years? This is why I try to clean out my freezer at least once every 2 years, 3 at the most.
It is not big, Only 3.18c.f. and if it ever had a basket, I lost it a looooong time ago.
In the freezer for 10 years? This is why I try to clean out my freezer at least once every 2 years, 3 at the most.
It is not big, Only 3.18c.f. and if it ever had a basket, I lost it a looooong time ago.
kyrsyan
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Toddler fridge door safety lock? It may not hold if the basket has a lot of weight but they are stronger than most think.
Oooo. Good idea. I was going with bunge cords. Which just seemed to come to a bad end. Cough cough.
mourningdove
Pura Vida in my garden
I know what you mean. My spouse and I went grocery shopping today and while the shelf stock is way down. I hope supply will last until our next payday. We are both retired and on social security and get paid the 3rd Wed. Of each month.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yeah. We only go shopping twice a month on Cary's paydays. He is also on SS, and gets one of his checks the 3rd Wednesday. His retirement check comes on the 1st of each month.
I was talking to CAry about the freezer today. He made the simple suggestion of not buying anymore meat for the freezers. Just eat up what we have, until both freezers get down. Then switching all the meat in the bad one over to the newer one, and only have one freezer going, until I get the bad one defrosted. That makes me crazy, though, knowing my meat supply will get that low! I'm gonna have to bite the bullet, and do it, though.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
Freeholder
This too shall pass.
We eat freezer-burned meat here, too, until it's really bad. Then it goes to the dogs or the chickens.
I do not like upright freezers. We had two of them for a while, both in the basement of the old farm house when we lived in New Hampshire, where they didn't get checked on every day (someone would go down every few days and bring up whatever was needed for a while). Both thawed out, at different times, one just died, and the other got enough ice in it that it pushed the door open. We lost several huge home-grown turkeys and most of a home-grown pig, and had an awful mess to clean up. With a chest freezer, at least if it goes out, the door stays shut. (Thankfully, my two chest freezers are in the utility room right next to the kitchen where I can check on them every day.) The other issue with upright freezers is that the cold air falls out of them when you open the door. The warm air that goes in has to be cooled, so they end up costing more to run. But yes, they are easier to organize. That is their only advantage, though.
Glad this topic came up -- I got a good idea for organizing my three freezers. I have a good-sized bottom freezer drawer on my frig, and I'm going to move the oldest stuff that needs used up into that. Newest stuff will go into one of the chest freezers, and older stuff in the other one. When the older stuff is used up, I'll start using out of the other one and filling the one that got emptied. I keep some jugs of ice in there -- that will keep the one that's being emptied a little more efficient until it's filled up again.
Kathleen
I do not like upright freezers. We had two of them for a while, both in the basement of the old farm house when we lived in New Hampshire, where they didn't get checked on every day (someone would go down every few days and bring up whatever was needed for a while). Both thawed out, at different times, one just died, and the other got enough ice in it that it pushed the door open. We lost several huge home-grown turkeys and most of a home-grown pig, and had an awful mess to clean up. With a chest freezer, at least if it goes out, the door stays shut. (Thankfully, my two chest freezers are in the utility room right next to the kitchen where I can check on them every day.) The other issue with upright freezers is that the cold air falls out of them when you open the door. The warm air that goes in has to be cooled, so they end up costing more to run. But yes, they are easier to organize. That is their only advantage, though.
Glad this topic came up -- I got a good idea for organizing my three freezers. I have a good-sized bottom freezer drawer on my frig, and I'm going to move the oldest stuff that needs used up into that. Newest stuff will go into one of the chest freezers, and older stuff in the other one. When the older stuff is used up, I'll start using out of the other one and filling the one that got emptied. I keep some jugs of ice in there -- that will keep the one that's being emptied a little more efficient until it's filled up again.
Kathleen
xtreme_right
Veteran Member
We used to have a 40+ year old upright that worked fine except the door wouldn’t stay shut. DH screwed a latch onto it similar to this. Worked really well and I never worried about the door popping open again.
Once again, I'm going to say that anyone who values their freezer contents NEEDS a freezer alarm! There are some that tell you if it's unplugged, but I prefer the ones which monitor inner freezer temperature, and start screaming if the temp gets above 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Summerthyme
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Question. What do ya'll think about the frost free freezers? I'm thinking that's the kind I will get when I have to replace my 40 yr. old one.
Frost free DO NOT STORE FOOD LONG TERM! They constantly slightly warm up to melt the frost, and it drastically shortens the usable life of food. I've long since decided that the ridiculously short freezer times" posted by the government (ground beef has a ONE MONTH freezer life according to the government charts!) are based on frost-free freezers.
I'll never own one.
Summerthyme
I'll never own one.
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thanks, Summerthyme! I'll mark that off my list! Gosh. I didn't know that, or anything about them.
Frost is created in freezers mostly from the condensation that occurs as warm(ish) food is frozen. If all you do is bring home solidly frozen food from the supermarket or butcher, you won't have to defrost often. If you freeze a lot of fresh meat or produce, you'll get frost buildup much faster. When we were freezing 50 chickens at a time in our home chest freezers (before we installed the commercial walk-in freezer), we had to defrost a minimum of yearly, and twice a year most years.
But it's not a huge problem (although our 30 cubic foot chest WAS a huge job!)... we just would unload the food into laundry baskets and Rubbermaid containers sorting as we went, as far as possible) Then we stacked them in a pile and covered them with quilts and sleeping bags.
It usually took about 2 hours to get the freezer completely defrosted (a $20 heat gun from Amazon or the hardware store *really* speeds things up) and scrubbed and sanitized. The food never even started to soften in that time.
We've found that these baskets (available at Wal-Mart @ $3-4 each) work *really* well for organizing freezers. Sterilite, Medium Stacking Basket, White - Walmart.com
They have held up for us for over 5 years, the perforations allow air to circulate, and they stack well.
Summerthyme
But it's not a huge problem (although our 30 cubic foot chest WAS a huge job!)... we just would unload the food into laundry baskets and Rubbermaid containers sorting as we went, as far as possible) Then we stacked them in a pile and covered them with quilts and sleeping bags.
It usually took about 2 hours to get the freezer completely defrosted (a $20 heat gun from Amazon or the hardware store *really* speeds things up) and scrubbed and sanitized. The food never even started to soften in that time.
We've found that these baskets (available at Wal-Mart @ $3-4 each) work *really* well for organizing freezers. Sterilite, Medium Stacking Basket, White - Walmart.com
They have held up for us for over 5 years, the perforations allow air to circulate, and they stack well.
Summerthyme
xtreme_right
Veteran Member
I measured my chest freezer and then went to dollar tree and bought what I thought would work. I lost at least an inch in both directions, times 4 sections meant not everything fit any longer. I had thought about using reusable grocery bags but they don’t have the right footprint either. I ended up dividing everything into disposable grocery bags. Hamburger in one, sausage links and chubs in another, steaks, chicken, veggies, etc. they conform to the sections nicely with little wasted space. They lift out easily by the handles. When they eventually tear, I can replace for free.
kyrsyan
Has No Life - Lives on TB
You might look into the IKEA bags. They have several sizes and they are made of tarp material which makes them amazingly easy to clean. (And they are cheap.)
xtreme_right
Veteran Member
I’ll check next time I’m there. I didn’t realize they made more than one size, which is massive!
kyrsyan
Has No Life - Lives on TB
About two years ago I went online and bought 10 of the massive bags to use for my job. No longer in that job but I still have uses for those bags. A few weeks ago I found out that they carry a midsize and then a t-shirt bag size. I just ordered them online since there is no IKEA near me. I am pretty well set for reusable bags now. And I love that I can just spray them with disinfectant after I use them.
mourningdove
Pura Vida in my garden
Freezer is emptied out and totally defrosted. A complete inside cleaning then the doors will be closed and will start the freezing process. I have an electricity plan that has free electricity from 9p-7a so I will wait until tonight to start it.
I found food with “best by 2014 and 2016” in there. Sheesh.
I have my Costco list made out and will restock on payday.
I found food with “best by 2014 and 2016” in there. Sheesh.
I have my Costco list made out and will restock on payday.
Amen! They are a lot less expensive than the alternative.