Do you have a bottom freezer refrigerator that’s a hot mess? Oh, boy, me too. But I finally figured it out, and I’m sharing how to organize freezer drawers. It’s EASY! Pop on your pearls, Girl, because you’re gonna feel like June Cleaver. And there’s a video with a bonus tip too!
Oh, and if you have an upright freezer, this organization can be modified for that freezer too!
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THE DREADED CHEST FREEZER
When we remodeled the Cedar Palace, I chose one of those “fancy” french door refrigerators with the freezer on the bottom for the kitchen remodel. I thought, why not? It gives me broader fridge storage than my previous side-by-side model.
But wait a minute, I didn’t think it through, and by choosing a bottom freezer, I just put the appliance I hate the most right in my kitchen… a chest freezer! While not as deep as even the smallest chest-style deep freeze, it’s still just a deep box where food goes to get lost. And no matter how neat you are, things get messy during everyday use.
I don’t know about you, but I need even my utilitarian spaces to be esthetically pleasing. You’d never know it by looking in my refrigerator or nightstand drawer, but I function better when things are in order. 😉 Last year, I set out to find a solution that made the pull-out freezer drawer more functional and pleasing to the eye.
I couldn’t believe how simple and inexpensive it was to fix it once I found the correct storage bins for the job.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO ORGANIZE FREEZER DRAWERS
UTILITY BINS IN A VARIETY OF SIZES
So let’s not waste any more of your time; here’s what you’ll need:
These bins! Cue angels singing – Aahhh!
I purchased mine in two widths; one is 5.5″ wide, and the other is 6.75 inches wide. In hindsight, I might have only used the wider ones. However, even still, they are the perfect fit for a bottom freezer drawer and leave a little room around the edges for sliding other items in.
I also use smaller refrigerator bins for the top freezer drawer. For reasonable prices, you can also find loads of these storage bins sold individually at Homegoods, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx.
HOW TO GET STARTED – EXPERT TIP
Be sure to empty your freezer, measure the entire space and know what you’re putting away before purchasing the product. A good rule for me is to overbuy and return what wasn’t used/didn’t fit. It’s helpful to have everything on hand when doing your project, so you only have to do it once!
HOW LONG WILL THIS PROJECT TAKE?
After you decide on the right size bin for your space, the entire project will likely take around 30 minutes, depending on how much sorting of frozen food and cleaning the freezer you need to do. But my guess is less than an hour, even if your freezer is a huge mess.
HOW TO ORGANIZE FREEZER DRAWERS
I keep nuts for baking in the top drawer and frozen treats for the kids. And I keep one area open for items I only buy occasionally, like ice cream or novelty items I may have purchased at Costco… so I don’t forget I have them.
In the bottom freezer drawer, I try to store similar items together. Breakfast foods in one. Convenience foods (a.k.a. grandkid food) in another. Bread and potato items in the next. Fruits etc.
You will typically get more storage space if you take things out of their boxes and store them in bags.
TADA!
This may not look exactly Pinterest-worthy, but you can see that it’s a far cry from what it was, and besides being able to find things quickly, it makes me so happy!
TIP – Because a refrigerator freezer doesn’t get as cold as a deep freezer and gets opened more often, it’s best only to keep the food you often use in there unless you don’t have a freezer somewhere else.
WATCH HOW I ORGANIZE A FREEZER DRAWER
I’ve made a short video showing you how I organize freezer drawers, and I have a bonus tip for you on how to EASILY CLEAN and sanitize the inside of your freezer. Check it out here:
Happy Freezer Cleaning!
Paula, this is genius! I have a side by side and have always wanted one like yours. Even with the new build this year, we went with a side by side because I’m married to Mr. Numbers! But, after hearing your tale of woe, I’m kinda glad I don’t have it! But, what about those chest freezers? We don’t have anything in ours right now. It’s just taking up space in the garage where I’m sure Mr. Numbers wishes it wasn’t. I wonder if those containers come in a really deep size so you could at least separate veggies from meat from goodies!
I love to be organized, but I think the stuff fairies show up at my house some nights and just throw new stuff into my house so I have to figure out where to put it all!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Author
Hey Marsha, these would also be great in a side by side. I have one in our garage upright freezer and want to get more because of its depth, it allows you to use the space the full height of the shelf. (Hope that makes sense.)
I had a small chest deep freezer before we sprang for an upright and I had found some containers that were kind of like milk crates that stacked. They worked pretty well, but the only thing was they would get brittle from being frozen and would crack with all the handling. But it was better than nothing.
Happy organizing and convincing Mr. Numbers of all the things. 😄
Hugs,
Paula
Love the idea. I have same chest freezer drawer in kitchen. I naturally put all veggies in one area, all frozen fruit in another, potatoes/starch in another, fish in another. It is wonderful to pull open drawer and know where things are. But my deep freezer in garage is another story. It’s so big I just gave up. But I am now motivated to get these bins you recommended!! And use them! Not only will I know where things are the door will stay open a lot less time! Good news all the way around. Thanks!!
Oh wow!! Genius! Wished I had known about those bins! My last frig/freezer was just like yours, but it died last year in the middle of July……I needed a new one immediately so I had to settle for a side by side. I’m definitely not happy with the storage system I’m currently in using in the side by side, but after seeing those bins I’m sure I can make them work!
My purging is going at a snails pace as well. To make myself feel like I’m accomplishing something , I often will grab a pile of something to sort while watching TV at night!
Great video, keep them coming!!
Author
These bins will DEFINITELY maximize storage in a side by side. I have one in my garage top door freezer and it’s great and I think I’m going to get some for my upright deep freezer too.
And what a great idea to sort it out while you’re watching TV. That’s often the only time I clean my purse out. 😂
Hugs!
Paula
I did this a year ago!!! What an improvement!!
Author
Right?!?! I’ve had it in place for at least 6 months and it’s a game changer! Up next, my upright deep freeze. 😬
Have a fab weekend.
Paula
How very clever! You’ve inspired me! I love organization too! In fact, I always told my own sons and my students: You might be really, really, smart, but if you have no organizational skills, it will be really hard for you to be successful. On the other hand, you may not be super smart, you might even be not very smart, but if you can manage to stay organized, you can be very successful. It is just so true.
Author
Oh yes, Karen, I like that. I think it creates order in our minds, kind of like the advice that successful people make their beds everyday, it’s sets a tone.
What a game-changing solution for organizing freezer drawers! Your method is not only practical but also aesthetically pleasing – kudos to you for finding such a simple yet effective way to tackle that dreaded bottom freezer mess.
Author
Thanks for stopping by. The containers have truly made all the difference.
Best,
Paula